Making Space

"Making space" is a new metaphor which I arrived at to describe what individual meditation practice means, in the introductory meditation class today. Now, what do I mean by "making space"? I am talking about a kind of minimalist movement of mind, where the aim is not to accumulate new information, new "responsibilities", or new wants, but to offload these things a bit in a single period of time. Some people symbolically try to do this by a process of "spring cleaning": getting rid of the old clutter in favor of the new. However, meditation offers the possibilities of doing this kind of thing everyday.
   I believe that meditation has the added function of giving people the space to accept their entire state of being, body and mind. This isn't stated in any books related to traditional Zen or Chan practices, but I do feel nonetheless that having one's own inner acceptance is so important in a very accelerated age of deadlines and social responsibilities. Without the ability to "tune out", it can be very difficult to ever know myself in any kind of depth. It is as though I am merely an acquaintance to myself, rather than being truly acquainted with myself in any way.
   Recently, I finished reading a book by Paul Heelas called The New Age Movement. In this book, Heelas talks about the reasons why New Age movements have come to rise recently. I am not always a big fan of certain New Age movements, but what I go get from Heelas' book is the idea that people are looking for a deeper connection to themselves, in what is quickly becoming a very fragmented age. I credit the "pace of life" to this recent trend: it's not that people are rejecting traditional religious values in favor of alternate spiritual paths, but that perhaps they are really looking for an acknowledgement of the value of their being in life, stripped away of all the layers of social obligation and work. Perhaps some spiritual practices in their own way are teaching people to validate their existence in and of itself, without the pressure to compete and complete things.

Heelas, Paul (1996) The New Age Movement: Religion, Culture and Society in the Age of Postmodernity: Wiley Blackwell