The gap practice.
This is about that time where you feel something has ended but there is a space between other things and their beginning.
So you might want to bring an ending that we've been thinking about this week to this practice,
Or maybe just general.
So let's sit in a nice upright position.
With a straight spine.
And let's start just by closing your eyes,
If that feels good.
And just allowing the sounds to reach your ears.
Could just be my voice.
And your own breath.
If you're listening on headphones.
What were the sounds from?
Around your home and outside.
Just resting in that awareness.
And then becoming aware of your breath.
And how it's feeling right now.
So we're going to be looking at the gap.
And there's a perfect example.
Of when we breathe in.
And then that's that longer gap.
And then we breathe out.
And there's that shorter gap.
And we don't have to concentrate on doing that.
It just happens naturally.
Just noticing.
Those gaps.
For the inhale.
And before the exhale.
So if you are bringing a certain situation or ending.
To this practice.
Just.
.
.
Recognising.
How that might feel.
In your body.
You might not have chosen this ending.
For example,
The end of a relationship or.
.
.
A job.
Anything.
Might make you feel out of control.
It can sometimes be a scary feeling.
Just sitting with that.
In that gap.
Extending in the doorway between what was and what is going to be.
Just resting in that awareness of what is right now.
Are you able to let go of that ending?
By letting go,
It's not about.
Forgetting it and not allowing it to affect you.
Or perhaps accepting.
Emotions around it.
That old adage of when one door shuts,
Another one opens.
It's so true.
But sitting in that gap.
Can often be quite challenging.
I'm just feeling any sensations.
Around being in that gap.
And the acceptance can be.
.
.
Just noticing that it's uncomfortable.
And then just bringing a softening.
Because the more we resist,
The more it persists.
Things aren't always clear when you're in that gap.
But you can bring in your own clarity about what you're doing.
What you do want.
So,
Rather than looking at that old door.
Concentrating on what you'd like.
For the new door.
Finding that balance.
Noticing the gap in your breath again.
It's like waves coming in and then going out.
Or like a pendulum swinging.
That moment when it starts to go the other way.
Just while you focus on your breath.
I'm going to read a poem.
By Donna Foltz.
It's called the pendulum swings.
Have patience.
The pendulum that swung too far in one direction will swing back.
At the moment of its turning,
Everything hangs in the balance.
All the momentum of past actions is suspended in mid-air.
And those who care about what happens next are poised with it.
There is a long and anxious pause before the motion shifts.
And then the sense of free fall when the world is turned on its head and nothing is known or normal.
Have patience then.
And do not rush to either extreme.
The Way will paint its own arrows on the trees if you can wait for clarity.
OK.
So just keep focusing on the breath for a few more moments.
You might want to take some bigger breaths in to your belly and try and breathe in that acceptance of what is,
Whatever's going on.
Again,
Not necessarily the situation,
But your reaction or emotions to it.
Okay and once more,
Tuning in to the sounds around you.
And gently opening your eyes.
Well done.
Maybe it's a good time to sit and write down some intentions of the new beginnings,
Those new doors that you want to open and create.
