“Beyond our ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’ doesn’t make sense any more.” Rumi

I love the quote posted above. A friend of mine used to quote the first two lines all the time. I was contemplating this poem and the depth of its meaning.  The thing that struck me the most was the idea that Rumi is calling on the reader to hold a space. It is a space of peace, a place of oneness, a space of calm that will help shape who we are and what we are to become. It is a space beyond the agitation of the mind and worldliness. It is a paradise and one of bliss where one can lose himself/herself in time.

How do we get there? How does this space help us in our every day lives? Is that space truly attainable in this life? These are tough questions that each one of us has to figure out if we are to move forward in life. We need to look at the foundation of our decision-making process. We need to discern where that place is for us and how it will serve us in life. We need to consider the positive outcomes of good choices that were made with an intention to do right that has shown us the path of peace in this space.

On a deeper note, though, the above passage challenges us, and the author is empowering his reader to see something greater. He implies that a place of peace is possible. The author is implying that there is part of our consciousness that can help us discern something greater.  There is a place for truth in our hearts that rises above the challenges of every day life. Some mystics call this place unity consciousness or non-duality.  It is this place that holds an understanding of the natural law of goodness.  Jesus called it “The Kingdom of God within.”

“The Kingdom of God within” is attained by conscious discernment and prayer, and can be accessed through the portal of the heart. Our evolution in this understanding can bring us to this place that can provide answers for us that serve us in our lives. By turning within and giving ourselves time to sit in quiet, we discover a part of being that can temper the storms of disquiet that life can offer.

It is interesting to note that in the early Christian communities, meditation was very much a part of daily life and, some scholars believe, possibly the Mass.  The early Church fathers and mothers were able to attain an understanding of this world through their ability to discern what was good for them and not good for them. They were able to tackle the problems of the ego by stepping inside and evaluating what was real and necessary for them to move forward. They found that “Kingdom” within.

Like Jesus, Rumi calls us to recognize the sacred space that can be found within. This space allows us to see love in our hearts.  What we do with this love makes all the difference in the world.  It makes a difference in how we address others. It makes a difference in how we address challenges and rise above adversity through faith, seeing the constant presence of God in our hearts. It makes a difference in how we tap into the presence of God in our lives.  This understanding is what makes all the difference in the world. It is conscious discernment in finding goodness and love in our daily lives and living a life of heartfelt prayerful purpose.

Action steps:

—  Look for quiet time in nature.

—  Take time to consider how this place might be able to serve you through prayer and meditation.

—  Actively seek contemplative practices and how you might be able to access a place of peace through visualization.

Question:

How do you find that “space” in your life?