Tuesday, July 21, 2009

HOLDING SPACE

A blog post I wrote awhile ago got so much attention (okay, just by one person, but she REALLY loved it), that I thought I'd expand. I mentioned that Rojo is skilled at "holding space" with another's pain, and that I wished he could teach lessons. Since he can't, I'll try to explain what it is he does.

Quite simply, he moves to wherever the person is, and sits or stands near them, and just looks at them with the most loving look you've ever in your life seen.

He doesn't say a word.

He stands (or sits) until the person is noticeably better. Then he goes back to whatever he was doing. I think he's "namaste-ing" them - his light is greeting theirs. He is seeing their divinity and just bringing his into their sphere.

And maybe that's what his love for the number 8 is all about. As some of you pointed out, an eight turned on its side is the infinity symbol.

He's multiplying love and light to infinity.




* Photo from www.burnside.sa.gov.au

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

this concept has moved me something fierce.

we can't 'fix' each others pain. but sometimes we can round the edges of it - ease it - simply by accepting it, accepting each other, showing solidarity, understanding and love.

sometimes it's words -

'i get it.'
'i hear you'
'i know'

sometimes it's simply being there, like rojo - holding space, connecting just by being close.

it's powerful, powerful stuff.

and as the one who has been e-mailing you downright obsessively about it, i thank you so much for writing about it again.

the ripples get wider and wider.

love

Angie Ledbetter said...

He's bringing his warmth into those colder orbits to share.

kario said...

It would be cool to get a lesson, but I'm not sure it works that way. There are some of us who need to practice holding space and those, like Rojo (very few and far between), for whom it is like breathing.

Love you both.

Wanda said...

What a gift! He is genius with much to teach us. And yes, your telling of it is genius, too.

Love.

Anonymous said...

Lovely. This gave me goosebumps.

Jerri said...

This post, more than any other I've read, illustrates why you are the perfect mother for Rojo. It takes someone great of heart to recognize this namaste-ing.

Deb Shucka said...

He abides. And loves in such a pure way. And you teach us his lessons.

Amber said...

I love it. he SHOULD teach lesson-- and I would sign up one of my brothers right away! (and not the drug addict, funny enough). Just today he told me how he didn't want to call our step-dad whose mom is in the hospice at home now...because he didn't want to "remind him" about things 'sucking'... And I was going to write this post about my feelings about this way of thinking. SO ODD.

And then here is your Rojo, just KNOWING what to do! How is it some people just know? It is beautiful. And it is a gift. And I bet it is one of the things he is here to teach.

:)

fullsoulahead.com said...

He is love.

Period.

Ms. TK said...

so jess used this term the other day and around here, we are ALL about holding space now.

i mentioned the concept to miss m yesterday, when we were home all alone. like it was a novel concept.

she looked at me like i was crazy and said, "yeah, mom. i know how to do that."

i'm late to the game, i guess. roHo and miss m have had it going on for awhile.

we have such good teachers.

Nancy said...

We have practiced this in writer's groups and for the un-gifted, the practice of this concept is soooo hard ....we are so prone to blab and to try to fix someone's pain. Rojo it so truly gifted with the power of love that for him it is natural. He is our teacher and thanks for the lesson.

Lola said...

THAT. BOY. SUCH. A . GIFT.

hooray said...

On the plane back from Korea, I sat in front of a young boy (nonverbal and autistic, I believe). He rocked back and forth for most of the flight. At one point I stood up in the aisle to stretch my legs. The plane was mostly dark and nearly everyone was sleeping except this boy and me. He was Indian and his mother and another young gal who appeared to be his sister were both asleep. This boy's eyes met mine, and we held our gaze for what seemed like forever. I was sending him so much love from the depths of my being, BUT he was sending me WAY more, and I just began to cry. This child touched me to my core! I was so grateful for the gift of sitting near him.