Space is substance.
– Alan Fletcher

The modern day Japanese Kanji symbol for Ma (間) combines gate (門) with the symbol for sun (日) under it. Initially it consisted of the sign for moon (月) instead of sun. Either way, it makes me think of light streaming through a narrow opening in an entranceway, giving you a glimpse of a possible path.

The concept of Ma can be experienced in most aspects of Japanese life. It’s a culture where thought goes into every little detail – even the mundane, and silence is respected.

When greeting with a bow, the Japanese pause in the bow position at the end. This Ma moment ensures that the it conveys enough feeling.

The Japanese way of communication is full of emptiness, subjects of sentences are often left unsaid. Clarity in words is not always necessary, reaching an intuitive understanding in a silent pause is considered highly intelligent and sophisticated. This opposes the more direct western standards of communication.
– uniquejapan.com

In Western cultures we find a certain awkwardness in silent moments during conversation and feel that nothing should be left for speculation.

We cram our minutes, days, hours and weeks full with busyness and noise – seldom questioning the choices we make and the words we use…

What has happened to stillness?