Introduction
Have you ever wondered why certain thoughts or ideas come to you out of nowhere? Or why you seem to be more creative in certain situations or at certain times of the day?
The answer lies in the science of your mind, and more specifically, in the concept of the idea space. This post highlights what an idea space is, before detailing why it is important and its benefits.
What is an Idea Space?
Your idea space consists of your thoughts, emotions, sensations, perceptions and the empty set, ∅. Your idea space is unique to you, uncountable, and has zero measure.
Figure 1. Your idea space consists of your thoughts, emotions, sensations, perceptions, and the empty set, ∅.
Overall, everyone has their own, unique idea space located at the center of their own observable universe where everything you see is in the past. It takes time for light to travel from point A to point B, even at 186,000 miles per second. So, for instance, you're seeing the sun now how it was 8.3 minutes ago, because it took 8.3 minutes for light from the sun to reach you.
Thus, since everything you see is in the past, your idea space represents the one and only present.
Why the Idea Space?
Demystifying Mindfulness
The Idea Space: The Science of Awakening Your Non-Self is important, because it demystifies mindfulness. The book introduces a new vocabulary rooted in modern physics to discuss the mind and demonstrates useful practices the reader can incorporate into their daily lives. In other words, the book uses up-to-date science to show you what mindfulness is, instead of telling you, so you reap the rewards of the practice, like equanimity and an open mind.
Making Mindfulness Tangible
The Idea Space is necessary now, because it makes mindfulness tangible in a polarized era where stress is inescapable, and people are increasingly skeptical of mindfulness. In turn, the book uses the power of science to open people’s hearts by painting an objective picture of reality.
Understanding the Connection Between Mind and Universe
Understanding how our mind relates to the universe has been one of life’s biggest questions since the dawn of time. Many philosophers and mathematicians like Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), and Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) have attempted to answer this mystery in their own way. Many of them contributed their best work at an early age, like Blaise Pascal at 16 and Albert Einstein at 26.
The Idea Space revisits this problem with modern techniques and empirical evidence to provide a more comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of this complex topic.
Benefits of the Idea Space
Disentangling Persistent Cravings and Suffering
Today, the problem is no less prominent, and failure to understand the connection between your mind and the universe can lead to a great deal of suffering. Most notably, whenever you attach to a specific thought, idea, or person you are liable to suffer. For instance, if you are in a relationship, you become attached to someone and expect them to behave a certain way. When they don’t meet your expectations, you may feel hurt or angry. This is because you have attached yourself to the idea of how they should behave, rather than accepting them as they are. In this way, attachment can lead to suffering.
Finding Peace and Happiness in the Present Moment
The purpose of understanding consciousness as an idea space is it helps disentangle the persistent cravings and suffering tied to ego attachment. By viewing our thoughts as an idea space, we are able to not only divorce ourselves from the "I" and the constant craving that comes with it, but we can also find peace and happiness in the present moment. As Vietnamese monk Tich Nhat Hanh states, “Happiness is available. Please help yourselves to it.”
Conclusion
The Idea Space inspires anyone searching for the hidden truths of our world to find a genuine, sincere, and harmonious purpose to life by allowing you to view your own thoughts, emotions, sensations, and perceptions as objectively as you would view objects in spacetime—devoid of “I.” Thereby, awakening your Non-Self.
The beauty of these truths is they are hidden in plain sight. All you have to do is look.