Body in Space

Body in Space

A few days ago, my partner and I had the great pleasure of offering a young architect in training, named Soundarya, a platform to share her thoughts about the future of architecture.

Soundarya working on a project

Soundarya grew up in Auroville, a city in South India. She shared with us her joy that she, as an architect, is participating in new physical manifestations that contain the qualities of the soul. I have chosen just two comments from her talk to look at more deeply:

Do not draw plans, draw spaces.
What do you want the body to feel in the space you are creating?

These considerations she applies to designs for any building, or place, such as a park. Even the comfort of an earthworm needs to be included in her drawings. I normally cannot much relate to architecture plans. Cognitively I do understand them, but they do not open my heart or my senses. I cannot experience how it would feel to be in the spaces. But looking at her drawings opened up my senses and I could literally experience how it would feel to live or work in the places she created with her drawings.

Drop plans, create spaces.

Betty in Auroville doing the 8 Spiritual Posture

Although these words were meant to help her develop skill as an architect, I kept dwelling on them within a wider range of my life. I extended them to:

Creating a space in my body where my soul can dwell.
Creating a space in my life where my body can live happily.

There are so many beautiful opportunities to not make plans, but to create space and welcome my soul to dwell in my life.

When you come to my door, what do I want you to experience? What kind of space in my heart do I want to open for you when you come to visit me? In the wonderful moments when I am with a person soul-to-soul, the space around us, and within us, changes. This space can also awaken the hidden sleeping spark of light in nature. Through my feet I touch the earth with my consciousness. My walk is not only a way to go from A to B, but an opportunity to create a space where my soul meets the soul of nature.

I have fond memories of one of my summer seminars in Italy when I asked the participants to go for a walk. Whenever they were amazed by the beauty of a tree, or expressed delight in a flower, or joy at the glittering of water in the lake, I would tell them to pause for a moment and let themselves be looked at by the tree, or the flower, or lake, and enter into an exchange by saying:

Tree, I too am magnificent.
Flower, I too am delicate and have a lovely fragrance.
Water, I too am flowing, have depth, and am nourishing.

This also is soul communication.

About two years ago I was Soultyped. It deepened my spiritual path in a profound way. From a very young age I have always felt the presence and supportive guidance from the universe. Now I have a huger opening in me where my soul can dwell. And the beautiful part of it is that I can constantly experience the love and strength in my soul! Continuously! Without interruption!

As Siv, my beloved guide, mentions over and over again: “Now you have spiritual tools to deepen your relationship to your soul. These tools help you let go of old structures and open you to your creative soul.”

Just this thought alone—of my creative soul dwelling in my body—kindles a fire of joy in me, brings a smile to my face, makes my heart wide, and I can greet the next moment with openness and curiosity without a plan.

Structure also reminds me of rules—my own rules, or rules made by others—which I have to follow. Holding onto them puts me in a prison. By blindly following rules I miss the flowers along the way.

Structures and rules which serve the growth of my soul are beautiful, and the rule for my life that I dearly love, is:

Give your best, and leave the rest to the magic of the universe.

I look forward to sharing with you some more next month. Meanwhile, remember: drop plans, create spaces, and invite your soul!

Betty Kraus

Betty Kraus, Soultype 8, is a student in the NEATO Level 2 – New Equations Expansion program. Betty lives in Freiburg/Black Forest, Germany. She is a Spiritual Grandmother and healer, and offers seminars and transformative journeys in Europe and South India.