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The Space Between

Updated: Jun 20, 2022


(Image credit: Getty Images)


Hi and Happy Monday. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is creeping up on us at breakneck speed much like Monday does after a weekend. Maybe you're just not "feeling it" today, especially if you had an awesome weekend. Or, as it happened in my case this morning, my Internet was down for a few hours which made it pretty challenging to proceed with my work the way I had planned. At times like these, it may be helpful to find some space, take a pause, re-prioritize and reframe, and do something completely different like take a walk, which is what I did.


Interruptions or pauses happen in our daily lives whether or not we like them. Among examples of interruptions are things like an Internet outage right in the middle of an important project, getting stuck in traffic (or behind a slow driver), or waiting for an important email, text or phone call. How we choose to respond versus react to these interruptions can make all the difference for our overall psychological and physical sense of well-being.


With very little effort and just a minor reframe of perspective, we can create intentional, purposeful pauses, opening up mental and physical space for ourselves in the "in between" that can bring about a sense of calm. Purposeful or intentional pauses include activities like taking a few deep breaths, taking a walk around the block, reading, talking to a friend, listening to relaxing music, or meditating.


Zen gardens are a great example of intentionally creating space. Zen gardens embrace the importance of both physical objects and space, incorporating the Japanese concepts of "Ma" and "Yohaku no bi." Ma can be described as "a pause in time, an interval or emptiness in space." The concept of ma is intangible and literally translated means "the space between." The concept of yohaku no bi is more tangible and represents the beauty of emptiness.


Perhaps as you forge onward through your week ahead with all of the interruptions, unplanned detours, and other surprises that may (will) happen, you might try creating some space and calm for yourself in the "in between" by welcoming some ma and some yohaku no bi into your life. It might be a beautiful thing.



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