Space in the Crowded Workplace

I loved reading this. Just today, I got a "reject" on a paper I'd submitted. It was fascinating as I started looking within for signs of depression, or feeling like a loser, and there were some rumblings, but as I went deeper, noticed a space with compassion - found myself agreeing with the reasons given for the reject. The reviewer did not have enough context, and I should have submitted a preceding paper before submitting the current one. Also true that there are all these other sensations which, if not observed carefully, would take me down a path I would call a mistake.

Loved the part about not needing to destroy someone else to win, and not needing to destroy oneself when conceding. Love comes from that space, and leads to acceptance.

It is amazing that to realize that life does not become all hunky-dory with awareness and equanimity. Things happen beyond our control. However, what does change is my ability to open into a deeper and more authentic space, where happiness, love, etc. and their opposites are decisions, not conditions.

Thank you Ashvin for writing this beautiful piece, thank you Wed extended family for sharing the space and reflections.  

With fresh experiences of our first 10-day sitting, I am deeply inspired to share my experiences relating the topic of space, before that, I would like to start off noting that there were so many moments in the circle that deeply touched my "inner space" -- thank you all :-), three in particular that I can remember now are Pavi's idea of  "Love creating space", Dinesh uncle's idea of  "going-with-the-flow creates space" with his witty yet practical example of Mumbai's local trains seemingly having space for constant flow of commuters, and Smitha's reflection on "the act of listening opening up the space, where as the act of talking shrinking the space for her."

The idea of space to me is about Community, Universal Reality, Simplicity, Emptiness, Freedom and Innovation, 

The enriching experiences from our Community Yoga each week in our little home space, open unconditionally to all seems to have created a space of inner-connection in the community.  The many stories of people who were total strangers before coming to the community Yoga stepping up to help each other in small ways, support each other's passions in community like community garden project and neighborhood safety-walk team and such grassroots initiatives has been truly transforming experience. So a space -- big or small can be a avenue to bring communities/families together to do something beautiful (borrowing from Dr. V's wisdom on KarmaTube).

From the Vedic wisdom, this idea that everything in the universe is a manifestation of five fundamental elements -- riching experiences from our Community Yoga each week in our little home space, open unconditionally to all seems to have created a space of inner-connection in the community.  The many stories of people who were total strangers before coming to the community Yoga stepping up to help each other in small ways, support each other's passions in community like community garden project and neighborhood safety-walk team and such grassroots initiatives has been truly transforming experience. So a space -- big or small can be a avenue to bring communities/families together to do something beautiful (borrowing fromDr. V's wisdom on KarmaTube).

From the Vedic wisdom, this idea that everything in the universe is a manifestation of five fundamental elements -- bhu (prithvi - earth), aapa (water), agni (fire/light) and aakasha (space) quite nicely connected the core the message to me. The passage was special; it touched the roots of the Universal Reality.

From our own journey of many years simplifying inside (purifying the mind 'n heart) and outside (worldly things that are absolute necessary for a living), it's the clarity of awareness in the inner-space and the cleanliness (and orderliness) in the physical space that shows that there's progress in this journey. Journey itself becomes the> bhu (prithvi - earth), aapa (water), agni (fire/light) and aakasha (space) quite nicely connected the core the message to me. The passage was special; it touched the roots of the Universal Reality.

From our own journey of many years simplifying inside (purifying the mind 'n heart) and outside (worldly things that are absolute necessary for a living), it's the clarity of awareness in the inner-space and the cleanliness (and orderliness) in the physical space that shows that there's progress in this journey. Journey itself becomes the fruit.

As a spiritual seeker, to me, the idea of space also means emptiness. Perhaps, being empty inside and out feels so light and ready to receive the universal reality when the time is ripe.

On the physical front, in fact the lack of space created space for innovation in so many areas of our everyday lives -- computers, microprocessors, mobile devices, medical scopes and such ever shrinking in size yet improving the performance.

Lastly, space means freedom to me, the freedom to be one. A short poem flowed as I wrote in my journal this morning, in the spirit of sharing, here it's for you: 

Space -- everyone likes to have more

Take only so much you need -- Nature will be happy

Remember Nature gives only so much to each one that one deserves

Space --

less or more

big or small

closed or open

dark or lighted

dirty or clean

just know that ultimately follow the Nature to know your inner-space

make the best use of every gift of space in life to live-free.