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Do you "try" to find God? Do you look everywhere and have trouble believing God is there? How much empty space do you have in your life? You know, empty space, literally and figurativelyÉ Room in your closets? Room in your schedule? Days with nothing planned? Getting early to places with time to kill? Now, mind you, if any of this "empty space" is filled with anxiety about having "nothing" to do, or fear over some future event, or guilt over a past event, then it is NOT empty space!

Remember back to the peak experiences you have had in your life-those wonderful experiences when you felt totally at peace, or you were feeling completely fulfilled and joyous. I will bet that every one of them materialized out of an empty space. I know that my peak experiences happened when I least expected them, when I was free and totally open to what might develop. I was in a curious state, relaxed, and trusting that whatever happened would be good. And voila! I found myself discovering some awesome nature scene, or connecting deeply with another human being, or experiencing fully my oneness with all.

These experiences never happened when I made a plan or went "looking" for a certain experience. I have noticed that the more full my schedule is, the less joy I have in my life. While I "seem" to be accomplishing many things in my busyness, "doing" doesnÕt bring joy, "being" does. You experience your "being" in the empty spaces.

So I have found the need to schedule empty space into my daily life. Now, I am not talking about "time for myself". My clients often think that if they schedule time for themselves, that that is empty space. So they set aside an hour or two and then proceed to fill it with such things as exercising or paying their bills or watching television. No! That is not empty space. For me, empty space is nothing planned, and nothing on my mind! I am free to do whatever whimsical thing comes to me to do. I do not judge it or censor it. I let my mind wander and let my movement be guided from within. "What do I feel like doing now?" is what I might ask myself. This is different from trying to figure out what I should be doing.

I believe that this place is sacred and revitalizing. I believe that it is from this place of no distraction and no resistance that we feel the movement of God and manifest it. It is from this place that important decisions can be made. It is similar to the Asian symbolism of the empty rice bowl for abundance. How can any more be given you if your bowl is already full? Most of us live our life with our plates too full. This gives us the illusion of fullness and yet we are still feeling unfulfilled and empty. The paradox is that with more empty space we can actually be more fulfilled. If there is no empty space in our life, how can anything wonderful come to us?

Is it hard to believe that the more empty space you have, the more you will find God? Is it hard to believe that clearing clutter from your life is a spiritual practice? I can vouch for it and so can my clients who have made empty space a priority in their lives. Try it and see for yourself. Let me know!

Pauline Sage (formerly Thom) is a Professional Certified Life Coach. She works by telephone with clients who would like support on their journey home, helping them to see and break up old patterns of behavior that are no longer serving them, and to choose again. Pauline has also taught Anger Management in prisons and Attitudinal Healing.

Pauline can be reached at (714) 751-HOPE (4673) or emailed at coachpal@flash.net