The Great Unknowingness of Holding Space

And the profound stillness of it.

For anyone that has ever held space, either for themselves or another, will know the very still nature of it. Holding space is the act of allowing something alive and unfolding to find itself a resting space within us. The holding of space for a something, is an offering of a sanctuary. A safe space where by the something can find itself a secure still point, a grounded centre for a time, so that it may become slowed in its aliveness before the time comes to move again.

Holding space, for ourselves or others is a deeply psychic and empathic action and is heavy. We are not seen to the outside world to be holding a physical weight, on the contrary, holding space almost always goes unseen to the obvious gaze of others. But is no less heavy and requires whole body strength. The strength of our mind, our heart and our spirit. We require all the back ups. And so dig deep into our soul and anchor our roots there.

A something needing a holding space, is in itself within a state of great unknowingness, and will be spiralling, trying to find a way through as though to escape the uncomfortableness of confinement. For the person doing the holding, the great unknowingness fills the space, like a world serpent coiling in on themselves. The art of the holding is to be still and still the great unknowingness so that they might rest and sleep a while.

For the people who hold space for themselves or others, their stillness is their most important quality. And while everything continues to go on around them in the outside world they must remain still, for they hold the sleeping serpent deep within their being. We feel the fattening serpent, pressing on all our sides and we stretch as they grow. We sing the great serpent a lullaby that soothes them and they soften against our curve. And they become still. And we remain still in the great unknowingness of holding space.

Yours in the psychic caves,

Mags Black.