So. The atoms in a human body are 99.9999999999999999% empty space.
But is space really “empty”?
Bob O’Hearn echoes the ancient sages – Eihei Dogen comes to mind – in reminding us that what we think of as “empty space” is in fact vibrantly conscious, aware, and synonymous with the pristine and timeless awareness that is the bottom-line of our Being. And – crucially – that one can know this irrefutably, for oneself and by oneself.
Just take the dive.
Sink deep down into yourself, passing through flesh and bone, blood and water, nerves and electrical impulses, cells and molecular structures, atoms, and between atoms, immense empty space, conscious space, pristine awareness without gender, race, age, affiliation, belief, identity — our fundamental nature, nameless, formless, yet the basis of all names and forms, all life, all worlds.
Within this vast spaciousness, which has neither ceiling nor floor, nor any boundary or circumference, something appears. Immediately, attention flows out of itself and merges with that manifestation of itself, in the same way a cloud might appear in the midst of the empty sky, or a wave on the ocean, until we forget about the sky, or the ocean, in our effort to grasp at the cloud or wave. By habit, we grant these objects of consciousness a substantial and independent existence apart from their basis, identifying with them to the point that, when they inevitably vanish back into the space from which they originated, we tend to suffer a sense of loss.
Just so, this essentially cloud-like and transitory matrix of memory, thought, and perception which we generally regard as me, myself, and I spontaneously manifests within the spaciousness as a play of the spaciousness itself, except that we then imagine it to be our exclusive identity, and consequently squeeze the vastness down into this fragile formation of bubbling elements which we want to somehow persist forever, even though it never will, and so in its inevitable vanishing we tend to suffer a sense of loss.
Our friends and relations may gather around a glazed box of stuff which we once took to be our self. As it is lowered into the ground or rolled into the crematorium, some tears may flow, because the spaciousness took back what it made, leaving memories which too will fade, and eventually it will be as if it never was, and that much will be true — no praise or blame, no lingering regret: a wave arose, an ocean swell, it subsided again like a night’s brief dream, and all is well and will always be, in the empty sky of eternity.
– Bob O’Hearn
Sourced from Bob’s Facebook page.
Bob also writes on several blogs. Here are links to a couple of favourites:
the conscious process
feeling into infinity
Thank you dear friend.
this unlit light 
And the hits just keep on coming…
Thank you Bob, abd Thank you Divine M for such
a perfect, radiant poem of What is.
Simply glorious.
Thanks for your beautiful comment, dear Scott. How blessed you are to understand the glory of this…
⭐
Thank you Scott!
Wow. Spectacular.
I’m thrilled by your “Wow” dearest Amrita – it’s high praise from one who Knows…
❤
Thank you Sky!
Wow reading this this morning I am powerfully struck and shaken to the core by the profound recognition of all I find here! The diving into oneself… the disappearance of boundaries… the spacious awareness that emerges “there” “out of the blue”… the fragile apparitions that “bubble up” from an unknown source… the fascination of it all and the comforting glimpse of the eternity and nothingness behind the brief dream… is also what I found (and tried to express in my image “into the inner being” https://www.flickr.com/photos/chxli/35293884024/in/dateposted-public/! Yet I had no inkling of it, absolutely no preconceived ideas having never come across any such descriptions before, just my pure, unguided, free-of-expectations exploring. So to find a common ground of experience in this deepest of places is a wonderful gift of companionship and kinship 🙂
Profoundly true, beautifully written and absolutely perfect, indeed spectacular Bob! Deepest gratitude, and to you dear ML for sharing such precious material ❤
Dear Laura – what a magnificent comment! Thank you for sharing your delight, and your sublime photo. I’d love to know how to show the image within the comment, but at the moment it’s beyond me. A visit to the WP forums is called for!
“…to find a common ground of experience in this deepest of places is a wonderful gift of companionship and kinship 🙂”
This is why we write, and blog, and share, and feedback is such a treasure.
I will make sure Bob sees your response. He will be thrilled.
❤
Dear ML, I was worried for a bit that I’d just been overly spontaneous and baring all in a very public place… but well, I couldn’t hold back my delight! Thank you so much for your appreciation and warm response and naturally, for sharing Bob’s magnificent work.
Dear Laura, I opened your link and discovered a truly amazing world! Thank you so much for sharing and also thank you for your kind appreciation! I am happy to be connected with you now over the web, and look forward to more sharing! ❤
Dear Bob, my pleasure! Looking forward to more sharing too!
Ah, Thank you so much Dear Miriam for your kindness and generosity always, and to those who find some light in the writings, Thank you too for taking the time to explore! ❤
Dear Bob, you are so welcome. To me, your wisdom-writings epitomise kindness and generosity. I’m aware that many readers of this blog do not use Facebook, where it seems you are focusing your output these days. I wanted them to have a taste of your unique clarity.
❤
Thank you again, Dear Miriam, you are amazing in the scope of your purview!
Although I do post writings in their respective blogs, I find people are reluctant to make an additional mouse click, so Mazie encouraged me to try FB, where a modest following seems willing to indulge my scribbles, rants, and ramblings on occasion. 😉 I feel grateful that I have the time now since retiring to devote to writing and photography, and can share with friends from all around the world! It’s like having pen pals all over! ❤
Dear Bob, dear Miriam
so thankful for this
much much love
Nina
Love and blessings to you always, sweet Nina
❤
Thank you Leelah!