Thursday, January 21, 2010

Place And Space

Place arises from and rests on space.  Place is the vessel that holds all appearances and captures being’s imaginations and desires.  Through place we interact and live.  The marsh is a fine place to recreate and refresh our natural senses.  However, we often ignore or don’t see the space from which place arises.  Thinking about and seeing space is difficult for people who have the habit of filling it.  Seeing space is essential because place, and the things and beings in it, appear from space through imagination and perception.    

Space is often viewed as inert and undefined and then it is chopped up into different types based on form, function, and thought.  Through the dualities of inside, outside, and in between, pieces of space form our notion of place.  Space is awareness.  To see space look at the sky.  It is unbounded, clear, and radiant.  The sky does not hinder the arising of anything.  We may define the sky by its clouds, color, horizon, and moisture.  These qualities are not the sky and they arise from, remain within, and dissolve into the sky (space).  By showing an open mind like a mirror which reflects perceptions, you may see what cannot be seen and experience the taste of the sky.  Look beyond the objects and see the openness from which everything emerges.  Another example of space is the ocean, often defined by its basin, color, horizon, waves, and current.  The ocean as space is unbounded and wholly beyond its characteristics.  Do not confuse the ocean waves for the ocean.    


When we shift our gaze from place perception to space, we can experience the boundless imagination of awareness and give that spacious feeling to others for their enjoyment.  When our places are filled with space then peace arises and the world can use more peace.    
Posted by michael

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