Transition as emptiness
In 2022 the breath tokens are about transitions. Transition literally means to “cross over, go over, pass over, hasten over, pass away,” from transire – trans “across, beyond” + ire “to go“.
In breathing, transition naturally occurs after the inhale and the exhale and vice versa. I’ve noticed that I tend to go over transitions, in breathing as well as in the every day, going from one thing to the next without paying attention to the space in between. Despite being aware that these transitions are happening, in breathing or in other behaviours, I find it really challenging to be present in them.
Together with you I’d like to explore the subject of transitions. I’ll post quotes, collect ideas or questions from people I know and from you.
If you’d like to share something about transitions, contact me at hallo@nicolacaroli.com.
Transition as emptiness
It’s now two months since my cat partner Mr T has died and I’m in a space of emptiness. My house feels empty without him, the yard and the garden feel empty and even the fields and forest around where he used to roam, are telling me of his absence. I’m in transition, from a shared life to a solitary life. I don’t know what to do with myself, where to go. I’m not looking back but I can’t look forward. I’m hovering in the space between no longer and not yet.
In breathing, this “hovering” space is the natural pause after the exhale. If one feels empty, it can be difficult to experience this pause, to stay with it for a moment. It can feel like an enhancement of the emptiness that’s already there. Still, this is my invitation, to myself and to you, to make peace with oneself there, in the pause.
As always, we can also explore these ideas through touch, movement, sound, writing and drawing…
Let’s stay in touch. Let’s be breathed.