Space To Heal

Thuy Nguyen
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Healing requires space. As we plow through day to day life, we dream about finding a time when there will be space to heal, rejuvenate and refuel. Some of us are holding off until the weekend, while for others the breaks are fewer and farther in between. When we can’t find that space in time, we fall sick. Then we are forced to have some bed rest, some space, some time to heal. Sometimes it is just a few days we are in bed, sometimes it is much longer than that.

We think of space as if it were a far-off destination or something we create. But really, space is ever present and everywhere. A room crammed full of stuff doesn’t have less space than an empty room, It just has more stuff in it. We are not creating space when we take stuff out, space is already there. There is nothing but space.
Inside us is space as well. Like our external space, our internal space can become crowded with stuff that might impede our ability to move around and do things efficiently. Our internal space becomes more and more crowded with thoughts, beliefs, and judgments that keep us from healing, movement, and growth. Much like a hoarder who crowds his life with material things because he fears he may someday need them for survival and well-being, we hoard and crowd ourselves with unnecessary beliefs and judgments.

“Should” thoughts and “can’t” thoughts and “have to” thoughts and “never/ always” thoughts are dis-empowering and create impossible conditions for our healing, depleting us of our energy. Thoughts like “I will never have enough time, space or resources to fulfill my needs.” Or thoughts like “the only way to feel better is to have or do x, y and z” set us up for failure time and again. These thoughts crowd our internal space and become externalized in the form of judgments of others and the world.

We have the internal space to heal. We only need to be willing to let go of some of the discordant clutter and noise of our minds. We need to trust and accept ourselves enough to let go of the stockpile of unnecessary thought weapons and defenses that are weighing us down every day, every moment. This acceptance in and of itself creates space and expansion. A spacious and trusting internal world can positively affect both internal and external environments in subtle and miraculous ways. De-clutter some outdated thoughts right now. Replace them with: I have the space to heal, I have the capacity to heal, this very moment.

Thuy Nguyen is a licensed acupuncturist and mother of three wonderful children. Berkeley Community Acupuncture represents a culmination of her love of Chinese medicine, her commitment to family and community, and her desire to effect positive social change. She is a certified Medical Qigong Practitioner and this article is reprinted from her blog.

SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion that there is nothing but space? Can you share a personal story of a time you were able to create the space to heal? What helps you create such a space?

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6 Past Reflections

On Nov 7, 2017 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :

So true. I relate to nothing but space as I move through receiving coaching. One of the helpful tools is to imagine one's energy expanding out and that the energy is like the wind blowing out and past challenges to create space. Our minds are infinite spaces too, the declutter is often by reframing: for example, one of my other favorite reframes is I choose. When we have choice we also have more space. Currently I am moving through another layer of healing with my mother, whom I've been in the role of parent since about age 12. When she was born she turned blue and was brain damaged. That damage manifested over time in processing like a 5 to 7 year old. She also have several mental illness challenges such as severe anxiety and paranoia. She is also one of the most negative people I have ever met, not only my opinion but those who know her mention this often. It has been difficult at times to always be in the role of parent with her, especially when she is so negative and mostly ... [View Full Comment]

1 reply: Janet | Post Your Reply

On Nov 5, 2017 Jagdish P Dave wrote :

Reading this article reminds me of a wise statement written by Austrian psychologist Viktor Frankl. " Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." Our mind is hijacked by our emotionally disturbed mind causing harm to us and others connected with us..This is where we need to pause to create that space which frees us from the grip of the reactive mind. I need to be mindful of how much unnecessary stuff I keep on buying crowding my external space. How much I hoard invading my own room. Likewise, I need to be mindful of how much junk I stuff in my mind in the form of destructive thoughts and destructive emotions, holding on to the past and narrowing my inner space. Sadly, we create our own pathology. We need to wake up and attend to the accumulation of the external stuff and the internal stuff. We need to learn to let go of the stuff that we do n... [View Full Comment]

1 reply: Me | Post Your Reply

On Nov 5, 2017 david doane wrote :

My conception is that in this realm in which we live there is space and time that we clutter with things, and clutter mainly by attaching to things. Even space and time can be a cluttering of nothingness as we in part live as expressions in space and time and in part live in nothingness. I don't create space -- it just is, and how much I clutter it is up to me. Healing takes place in space. The less I clutter space such as with things to do, shoulds and have tos, worries and regrets, judgments and blames, plans and goals, the more space I have in which to be whole and to heal. I've gotten better at not cluttering space and time and definitely have a long way to go.