The Space In Between

This is one of many thoughts and reflections of an Austrian psychiatrist facing the worst suffering a human being can endure. Something he had to remind himself of daily.

But wait. How can I find this space if I am my mind? Or am I my body? Am I a body with a mind or a mind with a body? According to the Yogis, neither of them. I am spirit with a body and a mind.

The Yogi science encourages us to take a step back. To see ourselves from a bird’s eye view, so to speak. To first come to a realization of what we really are. What composes a “human”.

When you see yourself from this broader perspective, you can effectively distance yourself from your mind. This is the space that Viktor Frankl referred to—the ability to exercise greater control over your reactions to any situation, no matter how challenging.

Consider the circumstances he endured, confined in a concentration camp amidst the horrendous and inhumane treatment of a bunch of Nazis. If he could detach himself from his mind and choose how to react, so can you. Whatever you are facing, it is not nearly as bad.

Start by recognizing that YOU are not your mind. Acknowledge the gap that exists between you and your emotions, thoughts, and reactions. Then, make an effort to keep this in mind whenever you feel triggered.

Take a step back. View your mind as the tool it is. Widen the space between stimulus and response through practice, through meditation and through reflection.

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