Zwischenraum. The space between things.

Spiritual resource to share: open space



This is a neat word shared with us by our German "son" who stayed with us the month of June. Zwischenraum. The space between things.

I think it explains a feeling I have had in a wide variety of circumstances. Sometimes, I am extremely busy and mentally occupied with various tasks, I'll have a feeling of space between activity. More than just the absence of action, these spaces have felt very free and open. I sometimes have these feelings when I am not terribly occupied as well. In short, these are very non-discriminatory open feelings - capable of showing up uninvited and unannounced at any time.

In this space, I ask the question "What is this all for?" "Does it matter if I take this course of action or not?" Does it make a difference? And if so, to whom and for what reason?" These questions make me want to take a deep dive into how I am living my life and swim around in the fountainhead for awhile.

It leads me to look at Jesus' life. It is remarkable that his mission lasted just three years. The Bible records about 34 of his physical healings, a variety of healing accounts involving nature, his major sermon, parables, his notable birth, crucifixion and resurrection. Of the multitudes of people he healed, only 70 left a record as followers.

So what did Jesus think of in the space between his activity. Did he, too, ask questions about what and why he was there and doing what he was doing? I can only assume that he must have been a profoundly compassionate man, with a clear sense of his mission of Love. He must have known as well as he knew he could breathe that Love would save us all.

What is the nature of this Love? Love saves and nourishes. It cannot exist alone. It must have expression. It is self-regenerative. So Love has its own reflection and expression. Jesus must have understood that Love must have expression as well as reflection. It must come to us in a form that we can understand.

The spaces between the moments of activity (our expression) are our pause, our rest, a time filled with openness to meditate on being (our reflection). It is the self-regenerative nature of Life, Love, which is God.

Love continues to come to us in a form we can understand. Sometimes it is a person, a comment, an inspiration out of the blue, sometimes it is a sunset; but love continues to do what Love does: rejuvenate, nourish and cause to grow. That is its nature.

And our nature, as children of Love, is to express this and reflect this. Between our moments of activity and our moments of rest, we have space to experience the openness and freedom to feel just how multifaceted love is and just how primitive and radical Love is to our very being. Wonderful, yes?












To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.