Meditation for Spaciousness

This meditation is shared from the Pause Channel on Aura.

In today's world, space is an increasingly rare commodity (like intelligent presidential tweets). We're reminded daily that we have limited storage space, limited parking space, limited work space, limited camping space, limited brain space. Not to mention limited breathing space. And let's get real – this daily onslaught of political news is FAR from spacious (but we won't go there).

So, why does space matter? Science-backed studies explain how we are fundamentally hardwired for space. When we are constantly processing sensory input, we overwork the prefrontal cortex of our brain, giving rise to stress, anxiety, distraction, and general unhappiness. There's a reason we feel a sense of relief when we spend time in nature, turn off our devices, or simply look out a window.

Interestingly, and perhaps ironically, when we do find those precious pockets of space, we tend to unconsciously fill them with our iEverythings, books, news, music, phone calls, mini chores, major chores – you name it. The brain won't take a break itself, so we need to intentionally give it one.

As scarce as space may seem, it actually does exist. In abundance. It's everywhere. We just need to be intentional about finding it or creating it ourselves, and that's where the practice of meditation can really help.

It’s one of our greatest luxuries - the empty space.

I mean, a piece of music…it’s the pause or the rest that gives the piece its beauty and its shape. - Pico Iyer

We invite you to try our 7-minute Spaciousness Meditation (see above) to find the space that already exists within us and around us. It is from this space that we can choose to employ, rather than squander, our mental energy and can bring a tangible sense of spaciousness into our every day lived experience.