The Gift of Spaciousness

Opening to Possibility

If you give yourself this gift of not knowing and you follow it, a vast spaciousness and mysterious openness dawns within you. Relaxing into not knowing is almost like surrendering into a big, comfortable chair; you just fall into a field of possibility. ~ Adyashanti

When the snow falls, I'm immediately catapulted into the spirit of the holiday season. I love the soft fall of snowflakes, the quiet and serenity of a delicate snowfall. The whole world seems to pause for a brief moment, and take a breath. It feels open, more spacious. A few days later, that softness hardens into streets caked with ice, mud and shrieking tires. Finding the serenity offered by the first soft snowfall amidst the tumult that ensues days later can be elusive.

Winter feels like a time when we should go dormant, as Nature does; become quieter, more introspective, mull over the highs and lows of the past year, and reflect upon what we'd like to accomplish in the coming year. Instead, for many of us, the frenetic pace of shopping and dealing with life's daily cares goes on well past the New Year. How can we get in touch with what we truly want to accomplish when the pace of our culture keeps pushing and pulling us in every direction?

Opening up to spaciousness is a process. It starts from the inside, from setting an intention to be present to whatever comes. From moment to moment, our thoughts, feelings and sensations pull and push us, first in one direction, then another. If we take time to press the pause button, the tug of war going on inside us becomes really noticeable.

Pressing the pause button can be as simple as noticing the next time you breathe in. Notice the cool air flowing in through the separate nostrils and down the back of the throat, the slightly warmer air flowing from the back of the throat out through the nostrils. Notice thoughts, images, emotions, colours, sensations. Notice judgements, any sense of impatience or urgency. Behind all of these lies a deeper awareness, an open spaciousness. 

This practice of mindfully breathing can be a place to anchor in a frenetic world. Keep pressing the pause button whenever you feel the need. Practise often, whenever you think of it, noticing one breath, the busyness of the mind and sensations in the body, and what lies beyond - a glimpse of fathomless spaciousness and possibility of being.

This year, I've resolved to avoid shopping malls as much as possible, to create space for what really matters to me - spending time with family and friends. And watching the birds and squirrels at the feeders in my backyard.

May spaciousness offer you a field of possibility for your deepest heart's desire. Wishing you a joyous and peaceful Holiday Season filled with love, hope, health and prosperity.