INTRODUCTION

space such as furniture, walls, and so on are your mind
objects: thoughts, emotions, and the objects of the senses.
Andthe inner equivalent of space is the consciousness that
enables your mind objects to be, just as space allows all
things to be. So if you withdraw attention from things —
objects in space — you automatically withdraw attention
fromyour mindobjectsaswell.Inotherwords: Youcannot
thinkandbeawareofspace—orofsilence,forthat matter.
By becoming aware of the empty space around you, you
simultaneously become aware of the space of no-mind, of
pure consciousness: the Unmanifested. This is how the
contemplationofspacecanbecomeaportalforyou.
Spaceandsilencearetwoaspectsofthesamething,the
samenothing.Theyareanexternalizationofinnerspaceand
innersilence,whichisstillness:theinfinitelycreativewomb
ofallexistence.Mosthumansarecompletelyunconsciousof
this dimension. There is no inner space, no stillness. They
are out of balance.Inother words,theyknowthe world,or
think they do, but they don’t know God. They identify
exclusivelywiththeir ownphysical andpsychological form,
unconscious of essence. And because every form is highly
unstable, they live in fear. This fear causes a deep
misperception of themselves and of other humans, a
distortionintheirvisionoftheworld.
Ifsomecosmicconvulsionbroughtabouttheendofour
world,theUnmanifestedwouldremain totallyunaffectedby
this. A Course in Miracles expresses this truth poignantly.
"Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.
HereinliesthepeaceofGod."
If you remain in conscious connection with the
Unmanifested, you value, love, and deeply respect the
manifested andevery life form init as anexpressionof the
One Life beyond form. You also know that every form is
destined to dissolve again and that ultimately nothing out
herematters all that much.Youhave"overcome theworld,"
in the words of Jesus, or, as the Buddha put it, you have
"crossedovertotheothershore."