The Space Between What Was… and What Comes Next

There is a strange space that exists between what was and what comes next.

We know something has changed, but we don’t yet know exactly what will take its place. It can be an uncomfortable place to sit. We naturally want answers, certainty and a clear path forward. Yet perhaps resilience isn’t always about knowing what to do next. Sometimes it is simply about being willing to stay present while the answer hasn’t arrived.

Reiki offers us a gentle way to do exactly that.

We often think of resilience as being strong, coping well and bouncing back quickly when life throws something unexpected our way. But sometimes resilience is simply allowing ourselves to pause, breathe and acknowledge that we are in a period of change.

Reiki gives us a space where we don’t have to fix anything. We can simply be. In the stillness of a Reiki practice, we can step away from the constant need to make decisions, find solutions and work out what happens next. This can be particularly valuable during times of uncertainty. A relationship may have changed, a job may have ended, children may have grown up and left home, or we may have chosen an entirely new direction. Even positive changes can leave us feeling unsettled.

The Reiki precept Just for today offers a beautiful reminder. We don’t need to navigate the whole future today. We can return to this moment and ask ourselves: “What do I need right now?” There is wisdom, too, in allowing ourselves to be between things without immediately filling the space. We don’t always need to rush towards the next goal, answer or version of ourselves. Sometimes uncertainty is also a period of preparation.

Nature reminds us of this constantly. Autumn doesn’t happen all at once. Leaves change gradually, daylight diminishes and the landscape slowly transforms. Each season has its own purpose.
Perhaps we can offer ourselves the same patience.

When change arrives, we might ask not only “What should I do?” but also: “What can I learn by simply being here?” We may discover that resilience isn’t about having all the answers. It is about trusting that, when the time comes, we will meet whatever comes next with the experience, wisdom and inner resources we have gathered along the way.

Sometimes the space between what was and what comes next isn’t empty at all.

Perhaps it is where we are quietly becoming ready.

“We don’t need to navigate the whole future today.”