White Space

White space has been tapping at my conscience. The idea of white space came to me recently when I was in the midst of drafting a children's book and a mindful bicycling book, and Shel Silverstein's poetry books came to mind. It came to me again when I looked at my intuitive art drawing for last week’s intuitive art practice hour. When drawing with my eyes closed, I was certain I was drawing on the right edge of the paper. In one particular charcoal-to-paper sweep, I thought I swept off of the paper completely and navigated my hand back on. When I had completed my drawing and opened my eyes, I saw that I had only used ¾ of the page and that ¼ of the right side of the paper was completely blank - with one sliver of my white charcoal that I only noticed when I tilted the paper and saw its sheen in the light. White is my bliss and happiness color.

In the blend of all of this experience and envisioning, I realized how white space is not something we typically focus on, and how much I admire Silverstein for his use of white space, whether that was intentional or not on his part. In Silverstein’s books, I feel the white space magnetically invites readers to access their own visual imagination to fill in the white space in the ways that align for their individual experience with the writing - the content, the meaning, the purpose, the syntax, all of it. Silverstein doesn't “provide imagination for” us.

More than ever, we have a cultural tendency to “PROVIDE IMAGINATION FOR …”. There is great art in that, yes. We want to see what an author, illustrator, movie director, artist or video game designer has in store for us. How have they filled in their white space, and how are we benefiting from or learning from exposure to it?

Yet, there is great art in the white space too. How often do we take time to sit in the white space of our lives and cultivate our own imaginations, meanings and perceptions? White space is everywhere, not just on the pages of Silverstein’s books. White space is a metaphor for that which we may overlook because we’re so accustomed to seeing what we’re supposed to see - zeroing in on the concrete visuals provided for us vs. the abstract illusions that arise internally.

Both equally offer meaning in our lives, yet as humans we don’t often intentionally moderate, pause to reflect with a “possibility” mindset, or ask ourselves, “What options am I not considering here? What is the potential in the white space?” Rather, we often lean with angular fashion toward one way of seeing, believing and doing. “My imagination is defined by others’ imagination” is indeed a seductive realm. With mindful practice, we can remember to ask ourselves, “What is the white space rousing for my imagination?” When you wonder about and explore this, you are honoring the art of the white space. For me, I know this invigorates my entire being - knowing that in all aspects of life and of being that I can access my white space for clarity, alignment, creativity, and WHATEVER I want.

I’ll put this in context in a few ways (Yes, I’m “providing imagination for” you!), but then I invite you to reflect on the white space in your own life. THAT is the fun part.

After each example, use the following questions to delve deeper into your contemplation and white space experience. Think of your own “white space empowerment” reflective questions too.

How would you define it? What does it mean? What is it offering you? Are you compelled to fill up the white space? Why? With what? Or is the white space purposeful just the way it is? How does the white space enrich awareness, expansion and creation for you? You get to decide. That is the art of the white space beckoning you to flourish in the power of polarity. To see darkness, we know light. To see light, we know darkness. To see the white space, we know …

Emotions ~ When you are in the thickets of sadness, imagine the sadness as an orb of color (whatever color you choose) sitting in the corner of your heart. Then you notice the rest of your heart is white space.

Decisions ~ You have an important decision to make. You have two scenarios that are weighing on your conscience and you’re not sure which one to choose. You pause and imagine each scenario as a different color (you pick), and they are intersecting at your third eye (the intuitive spot between your eyebrows). They are entwined in an ivylike dance and you observe the confusion you feel. Then you notice the white space both in the middle of as well as surrounding this entanglement.

Creativity ~ You have so many ideas stirring inside of you and you want them all to come to fruition. You know they are meant to be shared with the world. They are valuable and they are beckoning you to pronounce their manifestation. Because there are so many, and they are all equally valuable, you don’t know where to start. You sit in the blur of their flurry. And then you notice the white space both in the midst of as well as in the peripheral of this blur.

What other aspects of your life have white space that you can tune into? Make a list and explore. As you mindfully practice seeing the white space, you will start to naturally embody it. Allow the white space to be your guide. It is your muse that loves the magic and momentum of meaning!

Post a comment about your white space experiences as well as any questions or ideas you have. Email me too if you are interested in knowing more about the intuitive art method I alluded to. Thanks for reading, and for considering a clicked heart, comment, Pledge and Tip if you so choose. See more of my writing and info about me here: Jessica Amber Barnum