recently i woke up out of a sound sleep to the melodious song of a blackbird. she’s been singing outside my window daily for about a month now, providing me with the most wonderful of alarm clocks. on that day, she began her dawn chorus at about 4:15!!!
as i emerged from sleep to hear her song i also heard a voice emerging from a deep place inside my being. it said, “hold the space for good”.if i had been walking at the time, i would have stopped dead in my tracks. i was amazed, awe-struck and a bit overwhelmed. what could this mean? how do i hold a space for good? whose voice spoke in these very clear terms?i had been on a self-retreat at home for several days when this voice made her instruction so decisively. i had meditated more, eaten more mindfully, minimised my social contacts, remained silent as much as possible, eschewing music, computer, phone. lots of ‘stuff’ came to the surface of my awareness in this quiet time. a lot of it wasn’t pleasant…the state of the world, global warming, the marginalisation of many groups of people, the amount of money spent on the royal wedding, the rape of the earth, school shootings, knife crime, past experiences….and on and on.suddenly, out of the sleep state, arose this voice. “hold the space for good.” in that morning's meditation i was compelled to contemplate the good…kindness, love, tenderness, deep listening , willingness, curiosity, flowers in bloom, generosity, honesty, compassion, wise teachers, surrender, blessing, friendship, breathing, joy, co-operation…and on and on.could this be the work of an elder? have we aged in wisdom as well as years? can these values and human qualities be expressed in each interaction, in each moment? is this our spiritual practice as each day unfolds?have you ever heard a similar voice speak to you? did you follow its guidance? is this the soul speaking? our higher self? what came from that inner counsel? was your life changed?james hollis, a noted jungian analyst, suggests that this is the voice of our inner authority and when we heed its call we are finally living our life.
hold the space for good.
(hollis, james, living an examined life: wisdom for the second half of the journey, sounds true, 2018, ISBN 9781683640479 paperback)