Space

Three times now the issue of space has come up for me recently:

-space within which to listen in Centering Prayer - Fr Thomas Keating
-making space for God in order to receive - St John of the cross
-When anger arises, it is good to have enough internal space to feel and contain it - Irmelli on the Integral Emotion thread

So what is this space? How does one 'get' it?
I'm interested to hear our different perspectives on this. I'm dashing now, I'll be back later to add my perspectives. Apologies for the hit-and-run.

Juliee

Re: Space

Good question, Juliee!  The first things that come to mind for me are that space is presence, by which I mean non-grasping, non-controlling, non-judgmental attentiveness, a compassionate awareness that's ready to receive whatever arises.

As to how one “gets” it, I don't know that it can be gotten.  Maybe we can set an intention to cultivate this type of place within ourselves (and by extension, in our environment), but I think “it happens,” rather than we “get it.”  I think the active part of letting space happen might just be in the recognition an clearing away of those elements that create contractedness rather than expansion.  This work could include psychotherapy (including but not limited to shadow work), meditation, body work, and about a miilion other types of growth work.

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Hi, Julie, on one of my pods, I have a little gallery of images and quotes on space, time, and knowledge.  Here are a few that relate to space…

“Space and Time are not simply backgrounds or supporting mediums for our ordinary pursuits and experience; they can provide a very special and direct form of nourishment for our 'humanity' or human nature, which is usually fed only indirectly through the pursuit of sensory and emotional gratification. Our attitudes, emotions and even our actions are usually rather 'closed' states of being. We can use knowledge to open space and time, and to inspire personal growth and integration. The liberating presence of space and time shows us that within all stagnant and oppressive conditions there is actually room for movement and growth. We do not need to escape from these situations. Knowledge can inspire a new way of being in which the usual difficulties and conflicts which we experience in our daily lives-and which also seem to be inherent in the world situation-can be seen in a new light-they are no longer so rigid or unsolvable. As these experiences take on a more open, transparent quality, we are more literally able to create balance and harmony in our lives, and in our world as well” (Tarthang Tulku, Time, Space, and Knowledge).

“The capacity of Great Space is never exhausted or compromised by a commitment to one particular trend or world order. Great Space can let anything appear. Great Space supports infinitely many choices of perspective.”  (Tarthang Tulku, Time, Space, and Knowledge)

“The insubstantiality offered by ‘space' gives to line and appearance a magical glow, which could be said to mark the ‘appearance' of ‘space', or even to point beyond ‘space' to the source of its projective power. ‘Appearing' and ‘appearance', ‘projector, ‘projection', and the ‘action' of projecting do not intrude on one another, but are known to ‘knowledge' as both distinct and inseparable. Making distinctions has this same quality of open, shimmering presentation. Existence is a phantom without being unreal; investigation discovers its own nature as ‘space', given together with all that is investigated.” (Tarthang Tulku, Knowledge of Time and Space.)

“In the house of being embodied, all can become space. Once we enter and abide there, the field-momentum of color, texture, and quality radiate deep vibrancy and warmth - the feel of space coming closer, inviting us, surrounding us on all sides, in all directions. The field fills with light that shines within all color and form.

Nature, art, and music, and all creations everywhere, exhibit the beauty of space in an ecstatic play, known in ancient times as lila.

The heart can hardly contain such boundless and intense beauty; the spirit can barely accommodate the richness of touching space directly and incisively. Yet once in the womb of space, united beyond barriers, being relaxes, free of any interference, any possibility of loss. Here is freedom. Here is home.” (Tarthang Tulku, Sacred Dimensions of Time and Space)

“Beneath the surface of separate appearances, everything in the universe connects to space, heart to heart. All edges are united by deep lines of space. Imagine the still of night, with everyone asleep; suddenly, through magic, the roof of every house is lifted off - all imagined spaces merge, all the secret thoughts flow into one.” (Tarthang Tulku, Sacred Dimensions of Time and Space)

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Balder, that is just devastating in the best possible Shiva-the-Destroyer kinda way. Almost too rich to consume.

Here's a link to Balder's Time, Space and Knowledge group for those who want to take a longer peek.

m

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Thank you, Mascha.

I've just been playing with a new toy from Nikon, which allows you to tour through the universe from its greatest to its most infinitessimal scales.   I just blogged about it and thought it is relevant here, so here's a link:

THE BODY OF SPACE:  THE UNIVERSCALE

Because something we don't often notice is … form is space.  Our body is not “in” space – you can't pin down anything definite to actually occupy it, not when you really search for it.  It just keeps giving way.  It is space.  We are space unfolding itself in infinite flowering mandalas of form.

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Bruce

That is so beautiful.
The first image puts into picture form…something…
I just love the way what I thought was a bit of a 'mechanical' question leads to things like this.

Juliee

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Hi Tely

Yes I agree its not really something you 'get' (hence the inverted commas), more of a letting go especially the non-grasping 'thang'.
I remember first hearing this particular 'voice' within a video clip of Genpo Roshi doing Big Mind and there I was sitting in front of my p.c. and suddenly I wasn't…
The practices I find contribute to this letting go for me are yoga postures, breathing and nidra; meditation, both counting breaths and holosync assisted; sitting in my garden (on the rare occasion it's sunny enough!) or out in the countryside; and centering prayer.
I liked your phrase of 'clearing away' and I think it's things like the above practices that 'allow' me to do the clearing away, the letting go.

Juliee

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Sorry, Juliee.  I wondered about that – I thought you realized it wasn't something to “get,” but when you asked the question, I didn't “get” where you were coming from with it – I just took it on face value, and I didn't pay much attention to the quotes.  I hate it when someone tells me something I already know as if I didn't know it, so I apologize.  I think/hope you “get” that I didn't mean to talk down to you.  :-)

Re: Space

What a great question Juliee!

And Tely's response really captures my view on it.

I find the words we use to try to represent this “space” never capture it.  I think all they can do is point to it. Evoke it like a poem evokes thoughts and feelings.

The words we use also have a historic bias: space, detachment, witness, emptiness.

This “space” is also brimming with potential, embrace, full engagement, fullness.

This word bias can unintentionally set people on a false trail.  They try to emulate spaciousness and end up being neutral, blank, unresponsive, bypassing…

I will sit with the frustration I felt in writing about this bias….

G









  

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I hear you about the bias, Gitanjali!  “Space” is the kind of thing you have to feel experientially before you can really know how to make sense of those words.   I prefer to use the term “nonattachment” rather than “detachment” in an effort to prevent this type of bias, because “detachment” has such a “no” connotation, whereas “nonattachment” allows for a non-grasping “yes,” creating a space for the more positive elements of space that you mentioned – potential, embrace, full engagement, fullness.

Re: Space

Juliee, everyone, I'm enjoying and resonating with your responses.  For me, also, I do not believe space is something we “get” or create – rather, we find ways to explore our experience which help us appreciate it, which allow us to taste it more deeply.  Approaching our experience with a sense of allowinginess not only evokes space – allowingness is space.

Contraction appears to be a “pulling away” from space, but I have found that the way to space is through – it is not necessary to “stop” contraction, because even our most firmly clenched fists can be discovered as space as well, exactly as they are.  There is nowhere to go, no distance to cover  And this discovery opens experience without denying, shifts without excluding.  In appreciative presence, contraction flowers into something new: space projecting space into space.  Allowingness is potential, and that potential to move is right here in the heart of appearance, beating as the lifeblood of the body of space.

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Bruce I like this

Approaching our experience with a sense of allowinginess not only evokes space - allowingness is space

Within Centering Prayer the opening thought or phrase is:

I consent to the presence and action of God

I have recently changed this for myself to:

I make space for the presence and action of God

this 'make space' works or feels better for me it is more allowing and less constrictive than 'consent'.

Juliee

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Balder, that whole second paragraph:

“Contraction appears to be a “pulling away” from space, but I have found that the way to space is through – it is not necessary to “stop” contraction, because even our most firmly clenched fists can be discovered as space as well, exactly as they are. There is nowhere to go, no distance to cover. And this discovery opens experience without denying, shifts without excluding.  In appreciative presence, contraction flowers into something new: space projecting space into space.  Allowingness is potential, and that potential to move is right here in the heart of appearance, beating as the lifeblood of the body of space.”

… transmits the direct experience. I don't think a Dzogchen master could hope to put it better. Maybe just as well, but not more succinctly.


Most spaciously expansive thread, y'all. Skydancers are verry happy with it.

:)

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Hi G

Evoke it like a poem evokes thoughts and feelings.

From what I'm reading about St John of the Cross I believe this is where he was coming from. He could only express this space this presence this This within poetry.

Juliee

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No I didn't think you were talking down to me…but my ego needed to let everyone else know that's what I meant ;D…sad and kinda funny…curious really.

Juliee

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Yep, I could hardly add more. Eckhart Tolle talks about a sensed quality of “spaciousness,” which is less reified than “space” and perhaps thus more useful.

And I agree completely, my way of saying what Tely said is that spaciousness is our natural state of consciousness and we exert (our souls or Spirits exert) constant effort to keep us OUT of it, so when the effort of contraction ceases, the spaciousness becomes apparent to us, yes, it feels as if it's a happening, not an achievement, though there are “practices” that invite it, that cooperate with/facilitate the ceasing of the contractive efforting or effort to contract.

And it is related to Emptiness, perhaps one flavor of that, ditto detachment or better said, non-attachment. And absolutely I agree it is NOT the same as apathy or passivity or “neutral, blank, unresponsive, bypassing…” I agree those are misunderstandings of it, false experiences of it.

Blessings, OM Bastet

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mmmm wonderful discussion here…

“ when the effort of contraction ceases” recalls to me my experience in the last coupla weeks.  I had very little energy after my trip to Peru.  I went curiously into that state and to my own surprise started to “enjoy” it. 

I felt an odd shaft of new openness that I thought may have come from not having the same levels of energy to feed my unconscious defences. Something like…when I bottom out, when exhausted, too tired to keep up the pretences….

****

Juliee you asked about practices related to making the ground for spaciousness.

One that comes to me often, and one that you would not be surprised to here about,  is relationships that allow authentic feedback from trusted, mature people.  We are ll, women and men, so psychic with each other, and if we allow the other to tell us “what they are feeling” as we relate with them, the feedback can be so insightful and subtle in regard to how we are unconsciously contracting ourselves.

I long for more of that kind of engagement especially f2f.

G
  






  

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The Tibetans have a lovely practice for developing or contacting spaciousness in body and mind called Sky Gazing.  For anyone who isn't familiar with it, I'll describe it briefly.  It is obviously a practice that is best done out of doors, preferably someplace high up – on the crest of a hill, or on the roof of a building.  Assuming a comfortable posture, you gaze openly into the open blue expanse of the sky, breathing its space into you, allowing your mind to flow out and mingle with that vast expanse.  Continuing to breathe and gaze openly, sky and body and mind merge and blend, until spacious clarity is felt to deeply pervade body and mind, and “inside” and “outside” have been opened up or transparentized. 

There are other aspects to this practice – certain visual phenomena may begin to manifest as you progress in this practice, and there are ways to work with and integrate them energetically.  But you can also use this practice just to deepen your experience of space as a vital, nourishing, clarifying presence.  (This is how it is used in TSK; and Tarthang Tulku claims that this actually does feed you in a way – during retreats, you may felt nourished enough by this open energy that your need to eat decreases.)

A number of years ago, when I was living in India, I used to do a related practice when I was out taking long walks across the countryside.   As I walked, I would imagine that my skull receded into sky, so that my felt experience of my body merged upward into the open vault of the sky, expanding outward and embracing my walking body within it.  It was a lovely practice that reorients presence and helped me to feel balanced.

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Bruce, that was a regular 'practice' of mine as a child, although of course I didn't think of it as such. I regularly used to walk to the top of the hill where I lived where there was a little dip or hollow right at the top. I used to lie there for hours just watching the sky. The dip meant that any prevailing wind just skimmed over the top of me. It was always a shock to stand up again into the full brunt of the wind.

Juliee

Re: Space

Yes!  I used to love to do that too.  The Tibetan practice differs from the innocent way I did it as a child, however, in that it has a certain intentionality to it, and deliberately uses imagination, breath, vision, awareness, and so on, to open the quality of experience and refine our sensitivity, by consciously “breathing in” the sky and “breathing out” our awareness, till inner and outer spaces are felt to “merge.”  Something like this may have happened spontaneously for me as a child sometimes, but often I just drifted in thought, letting my mind weave stories as I gazed at the sky and looked for animals in the clouds.  Which is nice too!

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Yes Bruce, in my impulsivity to shout 'me too' I ignored the mindfulness part of it. Oh well, maybe next time :)

Juliee

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Does anyone here have the experience that your sense of time changes drastically as you allow more space into your awareness?

For me, time seems to fly by much faster the more spacious I am, but simultaneously, it also slows down considerably, almost to a standstill occasionally, depending on my focus.

Speeding along, slowly at a snail's pace,

m

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Yes, this happens for me, too, Mascha.  Heightened spaciousness, or awareness of space, seems to lead naturally to a shift in my experience and awareness of time (and self!) as well.  A single moment can be so full!

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YUMMIES!!!!

So appreciative of the experiences evoked in me by the picture and all the sharings. I can relate, I resonate. These experiences are soooo beneficial and important.

However what is arising to type next is left-brain stuff, I wish it were poetic……

Space and time are not separable in physics, although distinguishable, if I am correct. Isn't the very concept of time dependent upon the perception of motion through space? Thus, the subjective experiences of each would be inevitably co-altered.

Also, wrt images arising spontaneously in the visual field in Sky Gazing. There is a phenomenon in perceptual psychology related to concept called “ganzfeld” (whole-field, or entire-field.) A ganzfeld is created in vision when the entire visual field is homogenous, no boundaries or edges visible. I created one in subjects as a psychology student by cutting pingpong balls in half and putting them over people's eyeballs with surgical adhesive, and then shining a big light on them.

What happens sooner or later is that the person starts actually hallucinating images. Usually dream-like, theta-state types of images, relatively brief. They seem to be generated strictly by the brain when other input is blocked out. Not a lot of “meaning” to them. Kinda also like what folks sometimes experience in a sensory deprivation tank, which is kinda like a multi-sensory ganzfeld.

Anyway, that's what Whats-iz-Face the Original Face Guy [sic] put into my furry brain just now…..

:)

OM Bastet

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Hey OM

You could make a fortune selling those ping pong ball whatsits - who needs Holosync?

Juliee

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Thanks for thinking of me, Julieeee!!!! LOL!!!!!!!  But folks want multi-media these days, flashflash in the eyes as well as bongbong in the ears. :))  Besides, that surgical adhesive was a bitch. I will never understand how women can use it to attach false eyelashes, though I did that for awhile in my 20's.   ROTFL !!!!!!!

And hey while my left brain is switched on for a few more minutes I hasten to clarify that the sky qualifies as a ganzfeld only on the rare days when it is totally clear, and the sun is not in one's field of vision either.

Now a word from the right brain: Sometimes I imagine that my inbreath is drawn from way out in the universe and up in dimensions, and my outbreath travels way out, and up. I bet that, combined with the imaging already described, would enhance one another's effect. Certainly I do feel much more spacious when I breathe the whole universe in and out !!!

Blessings, OM Bastet