It is Saturday night; you are sitting in a cinema

The film is just about to start

People talking, the smell of popcorn and dimmed lights.

Your chair is comfortable

Your partner sits next to you, relaxed

The film is supposed to be good

Good reviews and not too fancy

….

But it is all secondary today because you’re happy you’ve found some time to get out of the house on a Saturday night

Like years ago when it was the norm, a usual occurrence.

When you had plenty of free time and energy to spend your way

It has become so different now. It almost hurts when you think about it

….

The lights go off

A set of adverts

Too big and too loud

But it’s ok

Then the film

First, a bit slow. You hope for more action

Several scenes, a couple of dialogues

Then, the main character does something strange

Not very believable

You start realising the film sucks

Too slow, too many subplots, not coherent

It doesn’t convince you

At all

You look at the exit sign.

It is tempting, but your partner wants to stay

That’s too bad, you think. You don’t want to force it

You decide to stay

….

You are at a loss what to do now

The film doesn’t interest you any more

You can’t pull up your mobile

You can’t talk to your partner

You have to sit in silence

That’s it

Pure boredom

You feel the growing tension

You can’t help it

Frustration? Anger? Despair?

It is going to hurt

Then you remember

You read something last week: How to relax quickly

Something about awareness of the space around you

You decide to try it now

….

First, you become aware of the distance between you and the screen

You adjust your vision slightly, and then you see it

Well, you can’t really see it, but you can become aware of it

Then, you widen your vision field, and you simultaneously notice spaces on both sides of the screen

It is a bit more difficult, and it takes you a bit longer, but you can see it now

You can see space on the left side of the screen and space on the right side of the screen

Then you become aware of spaces above and below the screen

All at the same time

Everything you see becomes a bit blurred and without sharp edges

…

According to Dr Fehmi, once you’re aware of space and your attention is broadened in one channel of perception (visual), it also expands all other senses. 

…

Gradually you notice that sounds have become blurred too

And there is silence between sounds

You think it is strange. You didn’t hear the silence before

Then you notice your mind is kind of silent too

There are thoughts, they come and they go and there is silence between them

You’re aware of this silence almost like you are aware of space around you now

You notice that you can feel your body at the same time

It is easy now

Your relaxed body resting in a chair

Wait, you were not so relaxed a few minutes ago

You smile to yourself

You feel calm, peaceful, not focused on anything

You realise that everything is fine

Whole and complete

You don’t need to change anything

You are safe and healthy

And there is so much to appreciate in your life

Starting from this experience

It easy to let go now

And more importantly

there is some evening left

when the film is finished

.

Just stay aware of space.