Into the void
Exploring the benefits and beauty of empty space
How much empty space is there in your day-to-day life? Do you hustle from one appointment to another, work your way through a long to-do list or wince every time you look at your packed diary? Or are there blocks of unplanned time that allow you to breathe, contemplate, make shifts in your schedule or even daydream?
In Japan, the word ma is used to convey the concept of empty space and is related to all aspects of life – from the white space on the pages of traditional sumi-e ink drawings to intervals in your day where you deliberately have nothing planned. The Japanese think of ma as essential to the balance of life, a space between that provides time to pause. It’s described as creating the space from which life grows and evolves. Even the kanji symbol for ma combines the character for a door with that of the sun, together depicting a door that is cracked open, allowing a shaft of sunlight to creep in. Making a conscious decision to allow more breathing space in your life could do just that – open a door to creativity, freedom and rest (see overleaf).