Ma: The Space Between

A torii (traditional Japanese gateway), and steps receding into the distance to an unseen temple, exemplify the Japanese concept of ma, the space between. The gate frames space. The steps provide space in time to prepare the mind.

As I read around, there are many definitions of ma, but not one easy definition. The concept does not glibly translate into English in just a few words.

Once I get thinking about the term, ma, I start seeing examples everywhere.

Circuitous Path to the Buddha

The Hill of the Buddha, created by architect Tadao Ando in a cemetery south of Sapporo, implements ideas of ma.

In this photo, I’m standing at the entrance. I’ll walk up to the Buddha sitting inside a hill. The Buddha’s head is poking out to the sky.

There is no direct route. I’ll walk between two concrete pillars, around a reflecting pool, between two more concrete pillars, then through a high tunnel. Ma is everywhere: the concrete posts frame the space beyond and provide a transition between spaces, the circuitous path gives me space in time. The tunnel structure enables a void within the hill, another example of ma. The opening to the sky for the Buddha’s head gives me infinite ma.

Or at least, that’s how I interpret Ando’s intentions.

Hiking Through Spaces

This lovely path has many examples of ma. It allows me to move through ma both as physical space and time. The bamboo are all the more lovely because of the spaces between the stems, The sound of wind rustling through bamboo and the varying light patterns are enabled by ma.

Over the years I’ve walked about 20 sections of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage on the island of Shikoku, Japan. The pilgrim visits 88 temples in the course of the 750-mile journey. I’ve noticed pilgrims’ rituals at each temple take only a few minutes before they continue walking to the next temple. I believe the ma, the space between temples, provides the spiritual growth.

A Traditional Japanese Hotel Room

A traditional Japanese hotel room has many elements of ma. I’ve stayed in calm, uncluttered, relaxing spaces like this.

The two-dimensional space is measured in tatami mats. The third dimension is quite spartan. Generally, there is just one wall decoration, a scroll. The furniture is minimal, maximizing the ma, the space between. 

Awareness of Ma

I find it helpful to be conscious of ma. I gently remind my non-native-English-speaking students to pause between sentences. When I take a photograph I sometimes think of the space around an object. “Boke” (usually written as “bokeh” when used in English) is a Japanese term for the quality of the blur, and is closely associated with ma.

I’ve written repeatedly about how traveling with a small (now 30 liter) backpack gives me joy. My few possessions are carefully chosen, and do not inhibit movement through spaces.

Our Next Home

I grew up in a cluttered home. Searching for lost items among dusty, disorganized piles was a daily activity. Keeping house was not my mother’s strong point: she was unable to control the clutter even though it fueled her anxieties.

After going out into the world, I slowly learned my sense of well-being is enhanced by simplifying my space.

When we bought our future home in 2017 it was an open space, just coordinates in the sky. The developer put the space in a box roughly the same area as the house we’ve sold. We gave up most of our furniture because it wasn’t worth the expense of storing it, or it would not work in our new space, or it would merely fill space. 

We gained ma by disposing of nearly all our books, vinyl records, CD’s, photos, paper records, and just about everything we would not touch in a normal year as we live through the seasons. Digitization has meant we now have easy access to stuff that had previously been in boxes, file drawers, and shelves. 

Hundreds of items went. For example, we would never use our once-expensive and treasured film cameras again, so they went to people who still use such things. It’s unlikely, but if we decide we want to shoot with film, we can buy the same Nikon and Canon models on eBay for a hundred bucks apiece.

We’ve purchased some furniture that works for us in the new space, while being mindful about just filling up space. The challenge is to respect the ma.