The space between thoughts probably manifested sporadically in your life without you noticing. For the consciousness obnubilated by the experiences and conditioned to identify exclusively with the form, that is, for the consciousness of the object, it is almost impossible to recognize the space in the beginning. This implies that it is impossible to become aware of ourselves because we are always aware of something else. The form distracts us continuously. Even in the moments when we seem to be aware of ourselves, we have become an object, a form of thought, so that we become aware of a thought, not of ourselves.
When you hear about the interior space, you may be willing to search for it, but if you search for it as if it were an object or an experience, you cannot find it. That is the dilemma of all people who seek spiritual realization or enlightenment. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God will not come with signs that can be observed; neither will they say, 'It has arrived' or 'Here it is, because the kingdom of God is among you. ”3
When we do not spend our lives dissatisfied, worried, nervous, desperate or overwhelmed by other negative states; when we can enjoy simple things like the sound of rain or wind; when we can see the beauty of the clouds sliding in the sky or be alone without feeling abandoned or without needing the mental stimulus of entertainment; when we can treat strangers with true goodness without expecting anything from them, it is because a space has been opened, even if it is brief, in the midst of that relentless torrent of thoughts that is the human mind. When that happens, a sense of well-being, of vivid peace, though subtle, invades us. The intensity varies between a sensation of content barely perceptible and what the ancient sages of India called "ananda" (the bliss of Being). Having been conditioned to pay attention to the form only, we may not be able to notice that feeling, except indirectly. For example, there is a common element among the ability to see beauty, appreciate simple things, enjoy solitude or interact with other people with kindness. That common element is the feeling of tranquility, peace and being really alive. It is the invisible backdrop without which those experiences would be impossible.
Whenever you feel beauty, goodness, that recognizes the wonder of the simple things in life, look for that inner backdrop against which that experience is projected. But don't look for it as if you're looking for something. I could not identify it and say, "I have it", nor understand it or define it mentally in some way. It is like the sky without clouds. It has no form. It is space; it is stillness; It is the sweetness of Being and much more than these words, which are hardly a guide. When you feel it directly inside, it will deepen. Thus, when you appreciate something simple, a sound, an image, a texture, when you see beauty, when you feel affection and kindness for another person, feel that inner space from where it comes and that experience is projected.
Since time immemorial, many poets and sages have observed that true happiness (which I call the joy of Being) is found in the simplest and apparently ordinary things. Most people, in their relentless pursuit of meaningful experiences, constantly lose themselves of the insignificant, which may have nothing insignificant. Nietzsche, the philosopher, in a moment of deep stillness, wrote: “How little is needed to feel happiness! ... Precisely the slightest thing, the softest thing, the lightest thing, the sound of the lizard slipping, a sigh, a blade, a look, the greatest happiness is made of the least. It is necessary to keep still ”.4
Why is it that "greater happiness" is made of "the least"? Because the thing or the event is not the cause of happiness even if it seems so at first. The thing or event is so subtle, so discreet that it makes up only a part of our consciousness. The rest is inner space, it is the consciousness itself with which the form does not interfere. The inner space, consciousness and who we really are in our essence are the same thing. In other words, the shape of small things leaves room for interior space. And it is from the inner space, from the unconditioned consciousness, that emanates true happiness, the joy of Being. However, to become aware of small and remaining things, inner silence is necessary. A very large alert state is needed.
Keep still. Look. Listen. This present.
Here is another way to find the inner space: be aware of being aware. Say or think, "I Am" without adding anything else. Become aware of the stillness that comes after the I Am. Feel his presence, being naked, without veils, without clothes. It is the Being for which there is no youth, old age, wealth or poverty, good or bad, or any other attribute. It is the spacious matrix of all creation, of all form.
Can you hear the creek in the mountain?
A Zen master walked silently with one of his disciples along a mountain path. When they arrived where there was an old cedar, they sat down to eat their simple snack based on rice and vegetables. After eating, the disciple, a young monk who had not yet discovered the key to the mystery of Zen, broke the silence to ask: "Master, how can I enter Zen?"
Obviously he was referring to the way to enter the state of consciousness that is Zen.
The teacher remained silent. Almost five minutes passed during which the disciple waited anxiously for the answer. He was about to ask another question when the teacher suddenly asked him, "Do you hear the sound of that broken mountain?"
The disciple had not noticed any streams. He was too busy thinking about the meaning of Zen. Then he paid attention to the sound and his noisy mind began to calm down. At first he heard nothing. Later, his thoughts gave way to a state of alertness, until he heard the almost imperceptible murmur of a ravine in the distance.
"Yes, I hear it now, " he said.
The teacher raised a finger and with a look both hard and gentle, said, "Enter Zen from there."
The disciple was amazed. It was his satori, a flash of enlightenment. He knew what Zen was without knowing what he knew.
Then they went on their way in silence. The disciple did not leave his astonishment at feeling the life of the world around him. He experienced everything as if it were the first time. However, little by little he began to think again. The noise of his mind again stifled the stillness of his conscience and he soon asked another question: "teacher, " he said, "I've been thinking. What would you have said if I had not been able to hear the ravine in the mountain? ”The master stopped, looked at him, raised his finger and said, “ Enter Zen from there ”.
