Space tuning Anna Rosengren 2015
Space is what we are The word space can be described and used in many ways, one of which is the emptiness embracing every movement, process, idea and initiative, in a physical, mental and/or spiritual sense. Nothing can ever take place or be created without this space, just like music happens in collaboration with the gaps between the notes. These empty spaces or gaps could also be described as an abode for, or source of all that takes place, the very essence of all that is. For it is from within this space that the sublime seeds arise that grow into all dynamic patterns of form, just like the womb, receiving the seed of a potential life, embraces the embryo allowing it to grow within its space. When we get a thought or an idea, it starts in the very same way as a most sublime shift of nuances within the empty space of our mind. For any process there is this emptiness embracing it all, allowing, containing and being permeated by the perceived course of events. This is what is meant by the buddhist term ”tathagatagarba” often translated as ”buddha nature” but originally meaning the ”womb of the thus-gone”. This means that our true nature is this potential-embracing transparent space. Connection to Theory U In the theory of transformation called Theory U, space is what is perceived as the bottom of the process. Having let go of all our downloaded information as well as opened our minds, hearts and will, this is what awaits us. Space is where we end up when we have pealed off all our theories, preconceptions, self-images, patterns of behavior, reiterative mindsets emotions and other more or less conscious blockages. We thus drop all that we know about ourselves, the world and what is and so we simply rest for a while, as awareness. While resting as awareness we can then notice something new coming up from within the empty space of pure presence. This would be the crystallizing of a new idea or mindset, transformed by the
empty gap between letting go and letting come. The ”Generative Listening” that Theory U speaks of and that takes place from this gap, is similar to Space Tuning. However, the Generative Listening still has a sublime tendency to lean towards the result, since it belongs to a process that leans into an emerging future. Space Tuning is letting go also of that sublime tendency, leaving a completely pure and space-like awareness. Expanding space It is this very space-like awareness we now wish to elaborate and expand, so that there will be more of a balance between process and being. The U process gives us an idea of a transformative activity, dipping its nose in space, but it does not elaborate this source of power. There is, within this theory, a good focus on the process itself, which is very helpful for us all. However, we might be even more healed and whole if we the same amount of interest would be focused on the space that holds the process, allowing it to happen. We would, therefore, like to see who we are when staying present in that space. When we enter our being-ness, our awareness, with the the preprogrammed intention of getting something out of it, which is more or less the idea of the U process, then our presence in it will not be completely pure, but stained with a sublime grasping. Space tuning takes place at the core of any process, since it is the source of being. This is true in a U-process as well as elsewhere. From that perspective it is nothing new, really. Most probably it is already existing as a deep experience and practice within many transformative networks. However new or old the idea, we are now interested in exploring what it would be like if we entered our source together, without any other intention than being in it. At least we wish to elaborate the rim of it while understanding more about its diverse aspects, angles and perspectives. We wish to experience a holistic spiraling into the core of our essence. Simply being How will this be possible? This all-
embracing space is the essence of what we are, so how could we enter it, explore it or elaborate and expand it? We could not enter what we already are or elaborate what is the very premises of our existence, could we? Well if this is our very nature and what holds all that is within itself, then our abiding in it or at the rim of it, could essentially not mean anything else than simply being ourselves, resting as the awareness that we already are. However, there are methods for opening up and deepening awareness, and this is our intention. This kind of method might seem complicated or abstract or both. It does not have to be perceived as neither. In fact it could be seen as very simple and in a way it is already being practiced within many forms of more conscious group meditations or prayer where we allow ourselves to focus our attention to the essence of our being, letting our existence sink into its source while being aware of the many perspectives ot could be perceived through. A simple and spiritually naked form for this practice might be simply gathering for such a meditation, sitting in a circle thus allowing space within as well as around the group and its individuals. After tuning in to each other by deep listening and meditation, the group might then open for a more holistic experience of awareness, where the group as a whole would allow itself to sink into its source, abiding in this essence of existence for a while. In resting in this way, as the awareness we are, we might become more aware of ourselves or each other. We might notice new ideas arising. Or we might just rest in it without any result whatsoever. Any of these scenarios are as good as the other. There is no preprogrammed result. Simply being. This, then, would be the core of the term space tuning. Dynamic functions This group could continue to exist as it is if there is enough attraction. It could also allow itself to be in dynamic change so as to include new participants while others leave. This could be an ongoing process itself, shifting participants whenever it feels necessary, natural or nice with new perspectives. Being a dynamic tuning fork might also involve sound healing or movements as a part of the processes connected to the pure abiding. When spiraling into source and/or spiraling out into the manifested experience, vibrations and rhythms may arise that would be helpful as support or expression as well as colors and other forms of creativity. The group, although not having any other
intention than a holistic resting as awareness, could also temporarily have a function, such as being a tuning fork for diverse questions arising within or without it. For instance, this group could be a spiritual advisory board or a vision incubator for projects and initiatives in what we call our common reality and society, in our personal lives and work. This function would be of great use for many of the participants as well as many others, although it would be important not to get too attached to this kind of function, whereby the precious essence of space tuning would be lost. Holistic abiding as awareness would be its true nature. Lotus shaped wisdom and method Space is all over of course, just like we have already repeated. However, for explanatory purposes, imagine for a while the space as a lotus flower, with a center that is unknown mystery and petals that symbolise different aspects of awareness, different wisdom perspectives or even doors for or from the manifested reality. Now, this lotus, if placed flat on the ground, could be the source for any process described in the shape of Theory U. This means that an initiative could come from any angle of the lotus, not only in a onedimensional way as described on a page of a book, but in a multidimensional way, giving the image depth and width. Now there could be many U-processes going on simultaneously in the image, which is also in fact the case in our experienced reality. All the numerous U-processes can be visualized as Ushapes dipping its noses in this lotus from all angles. If we go on to visualize the lotus as, rather than being flat, having petals both upwards and downwards, we could also imagine the processes going on in both of these directions. Our lotus is now the image of a central point, where all action starts and returns. The alfa and omega of all there is. This is exactly the symbolic meaning of the tibetan buddhist ritual tool vajra or dorje used as a spiritual weapon
for profound transformation. Literally it means thunderbolt or diamond, but it is used as a symbol for skillful means and methods. In the middle is the sphere of ”sunyata”, emptiness, folded by lotus petals opening up for the dorje itself on both sides. This masculine tool comes together with the feminine counterpart, the bell, a symbol for wisdom and emptiness that also contains a vibrating sound, just like we mentioned above when speaking of tuning forks. Alchemy and union These aspects together, the empty space and the U-process thus correlate to the bell and the dorje, but also to the basic idea of alchemy, the latter being a profound ancient knowledge of the basic principles of the universe based ont the union between the masculine and the feminine energies. Many theories about and around alchemy focus on what looks like chemistry, but the very root of the idea has more to do with this kind of union of energies. The wisdom of alchemy does not necessarily have to be connected to our worldly understanding of man and woman in any dualistic way, it could also be understood more as a way to describe creation. As such, it is also the central insight of most mystical paths, including the tibetan buddhist worldview. Here, the basis of all transformative processes is the union between the male enlightened energy and its feminine equivalent. In our holistic practice this might also be a way to describe the magic taking place when a seed meets emptiness or when a sublime nuance arises out of emptiness. The mandala of Gross National Happiness After this talk about symbols and deep spiritual meanings, it might seem mundane to shift our mindset into societal matters. However, the reality of spiritual awareness will always be mirrored by the manifestations in our world of form. So, how do we translate our lotus into our everyday life? One possibility might be inspired by GNH, Gross National Happiness, the paradigm of sustaining prosperity by focusing on happiness instead of economy. The term itself being coined by His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuck in the 1970:s, means a shift from the view where economy is at the center of our strive for prosperity and measures of welfare. Instead, economy is seen as only one of totally nine dimensions for wellbeing, where happiness is the focal point.
This could be described as a mandala of happiness for an individual as well as for a holistic context, a nation or a whole planet. When placed in the same way as our lotus above, the combination becomes a multi-dimensional image just like the dorje/vajra, where processes inspired by Theory U could enter at any dimensional petal, while it could exit at another point, having passed through the wisdom space of pure awareness. This will shape a simplified model for transformation in a way that dances around a more defined central point, which could be described as an ”axis mundi” or a central pole of the holistic entity, i e the common vision of the context, nation or planet. This vision generates a certain shape of the petals, creating a dynamic spiral movement much in alignment with a galaxy… Although GNH does not necessarily have to be the inspiration for this vision, it is a good example of the dynamic visionary pattern.