I have always been fascinated with the idea that we are made of stardust. When I was young, I would look up at the night skies and imagine that I was one of the stars.
It was much later when I discovered that science had already proven that every atom inside our body was created inside an exploding star even before the Earth was born. In every single cell of our human bodies, every little particle of the natural world, there is cosmic history.
The cosmos lives within us.
Sometimes we forget this beautiful truth and think that the cosmos is out there, beyond the curve of the horizon, out somewhere in the Milky Way.
And yet, all that infinity is instead inside of us.
All we need to do is to look up at the night skies and watch the constellations shining brightly in that vast space. Each one finding its own unique space in the inky blue canvas, and also giving space for the others to shine. A beautiful reminder of the finite harmoniously co-existing in the infinite. Of togetherness and of freedom.
In the dharma talk related to space/free meditation, Thich Nhat Hahn reminds us of the importance of a sense of space within us and around us:
“Space is very important. Imagine a bird without space. A bird without space could not fly; it would have to die. We, humans, are like birds: if there is no space around us we cannot move. If there is no place inside our hearts we also cannot move. It is very important to bring space into ourselves and to restore space around us. That is the practice of love. “
In the last year, we have all been challenged with a sense of lack of freedom and spaciousness – both within and around us. In moments when there is a sense of constriction perhaps we can lean into the cosmos that is always expansive and always free. Just as we are.
- Have you looked up at the night skies recently and soaked in the vastness of the cosmos?
- If you close your eyes and breathe in, can you sense a feeling of spaciousness?
- Is there an aspect of your life (both within and outside) that could benefit from some more spaciousness and a sense of freedom?
Here is a talk by Thich Nhat Hahn about space/free meditation (starts at 26:10 min). A calming and restorative space meditation (18 min) can be found here.
This is the last post in the series. The first part of the series can be found here.
