| The Space in Between |
|
|
| Angela James | |||
| Monday, 27 August 2007 | |||
  Have you ever wondered about... The Space in Between? What is it about the Space in Between?? We are so busy caught up in the activity trap – setting goals, developing action plans, affirming our needs and wants. We enter into a one way dialogue with the Universe, God, Higher Power, where we are so busy making demands that we rarely take time out to allow the Universe, God or whatever you would like to call this power to answer. I liken the space in between to being in a canoe on a river. The oar is placed in the canoe as on either side of the canoe are two towering cliff faces. The cliff faces are so close to the canoe that in sitting in the canoe I can almost reach out and touch the cliff faces with my hands… but something stops me… Reflecting on the power of the image the one cliff face represents for me where I have come from – it could be a cycle closing down, a relationship which has ended, a story that had been completed, it is a path or part of a path reflecting a journey – your journey, my journey. It represents the past in whatever shape, manner or form I choose it to be. The other cliff represents the next part of my journey – a new cycle, a new beginning – a new job, new relationship, and new home, new personal growth. It may also not have defined itself as to what shape, manner or form it could take. Between the two cliff faces is – the space in between. It contains the river, the canoe and me. What is it about this space that seems to be so significant? Why is it there? What do I do with the spaces in between that occur in my life every now and then? Mostly, I have tried to fill them, with more activity, new goals, more affirmation statements because the ones I have been saying seem not to be working??? I hold on too tight, try to put my oar in the water to steer the canoe, to take control back again, as that made me feel safe. In recognizing that the concept of the space in between exists, what do I do in this space? Fill it with all sorts of negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, panic, anger, frustration, disillusionment – do I pile this into the canoe (making it difficult for the canoe to move with the river) and overburden it with the baggage of past events, hurts and disappointments? Do I beat myself to a pulp over an error made, an opportunity missed, a kindness not given? Do I wish and long for what could've, should've, would've have been? So what do I do in the space in between – between life events, activities, people and places? Am I so busy being busy that I forget to stop, stay still and soak in the wonder of where I am and how I got there? What I do with the space in between is largely determined by how I view the world, myself, my circumstances, my need to be in control. Has the space in between perhaps not been sent to me to learn of trust – trust in the process; in the power of the river that flows beneath the canoe. For whilst on the surface the water may seem to be calm and still – and whilst I may feel stuck - underneath the surface the water moves quietly, gently as it has done for eons of time and in these eons of time it has carved itself a path between the two towering cliff faces over millions and millions of years. As I look up at the cliffs I am reminded of the power and the majesty of All that Is – of the miracle of life and the splendor of the Universe. As I examine the rock faces I see patterns, worlds within worlds and I am filled with a sense of wonder. I fill all my senses with the sights, the sounds, the smells and the tastes that abound around me. And so I change my view of the space in between to be… just that! The space in between to contemplate, to reflect with detachment, to do no-thing and to reflect on the wonder of the present moment – on the beauty and the magnitude of the cliff face on either side of me. Do I see the power of nature and the wonder of the universe all around me? Do I take the time to absorb all of the sites, the smells, the sounds and the sheer beauty and peace that is to be found in the space in between? For in the space in between I learn to connect with a sense of wonder, to be grateful, to find my own essence that I learn to love, live and appreciate the perfection and the bliss to be found in the present moment. It is here as I am quiet and still that I allow the universe to enter into a dance of dialogue with me – to partner with me, to be that river that supports my canoe, ever gently rippling along, leading my canoe and me out of the shadows of the cliff faces into the sunlight as the river of life, timelessly, all knowingly, guides me to where my journey will next take me. As my canoe and I move gently forward again, I look back on the cliff faces and the space in between and I honor, respect and give thanks for the beauty and magic that I found… in the space in between. It is time for me to take up my oar again and to dance in tandem with the universe making use of the gifts, the joy and the bliss that I found in the Space in Between. As my canoe moves forward, I look back on the cliff face that I thought was my future and I look forward to the vista of where my canoe is taking me… the possibilities now seem to be endless. The world has opened itself to me – in faith and in trust I move forward in the flow of the river. I take with me the value of the lessons learned and the fascination with all that is and that can be possible… What do you do when you find yourself in… the space in between?
Disclaimer: Harmonious Living is written for and read by a community of individuals with strong and independent opinions. While the publishers of Harmonious Living are dedicated to providing a forum in which views can be openly expressed, those views do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.
| |||
| Related Articles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
This is the powerful story of the author's struggle with Multiple Sclerosis and how a healer's unusual prescription of mindful altruism - to 'give away 29 gifts in 29 days' - ignited her energy, her happiness, and invited more abundance into her life.
