This poem speaks so eloquently of the journey into spaciousness—a letting go of grasping, of needing to figure things out, and instead, simply resting in what is. It mirrors the practice of pristine mind, where we allow each thought and impression (pratyaya) to arise and dissolve without clinging or resistance.
In my reflection on this poem, what resonates deeply is the invitation to stop striving, to stop “clawing the air” for answers or solutions, and to surrender to the vastness within. The line “there is nothing left to figure out” holds a powerful truth, especially for those on a spiritual or healing journey. It’s a reminder that sometimes, all we need to do is release our hold on everything and let the spaciousness carry us, much like the pristine mind, which holds and releases all without attachment.
As we rest in this openness, it’s as if we’re learning “how to relax after all these years,” finding a state of effortless being. This is not a passivity, but an active participation in the dance of awareness, where each breath becomes part of that vast translucence, and each moment is met with gentle curiosity.
The poem’s wisdom echoes in the practice itself—there is nothing to do but rest in this spaciousness. Just as in pristine mind meditation, we find healing in the simple act of being present, embracing each moment without striving. In this space, each difficulty becomes a wave that carries us along to a place of “right seeing,” a deeper way of understanding and relating to life.
This practice, like the poem, is an invitation to embrace the blueness of the open sky, to let Mother Nature “caress you,” and to find satisfaction not in doing, but in surrendering to the spaciousness within. There is nothing to resist, nothing to change. Only the gentle acceptance of what already is.
It’s poignant to think that this poem, Falling Into Your Own Arms At Last, has been present in my life for over twenty years. For all these years, it has quietly waited, a gentle reminder, holding space while I’ve walked my path. Now, as I return to its words, I find myself learning—perhaps for the first time—to rest into the stillness it describes.
This journey into spaciousness, into the invitation to simply be, is a process that unfolds gradually, like layers of patience revealing themselves. It reminds me that learning to let go, to soften into the present moment, isn’t something that can be forced or hurried. There’s grace in returning to something familiar and discovering new depths, new ways to rest into its wisdom.
After all this time, the poem has become more than just words on a wall; it feels like a companion, a guide that has been with me through it all. And now, as I embrace its invitation to relax, to stop “clawing the air” and “decontract and become lofty,” I find a new willingness to surrender to its spaciousness.
This practice of resting in pristine mind, of finding quiet openness within, is an unfolding—a timeless process that doesn’t demand speed or achievement. Here, in the stillness, there is a beauty in simply allowing, in trusting that each breath brings me closer to the essence of this journey.
Falling Into Your Own Arms At Last by Mari Stein
Dreams and delusions are dashed
The illusory bubble of protection has burst
There is nothing but spaciousness
Space is good
Space is wonderful
It’s just a bit tricky learning how to relax after all these years
Stop clawing the air
Ease your grip
Decontract and become lofty
Let yourself be liberated by the space
Heir to the ethers.
How do you fall effortlessly
And ecstatically
Moment to moment
In this vast translucence
With no north or south
East or west
Up or down?
In or out?
Now the emptiness full of heart called life
Dissolves through the darkness and light
Of the mysterious emptiness called death
Fear, the concealing foe, cannot be held at bay
But can be worn like a life jacket
The transmuting of each difficulty
Becomes the energy,
The wave that carries you along
To those shores of right seeing
With each blink of an eye
And with each breath.
Alas and hurrah
There is nothing left to figure out
Just a leap
Into this circle of infinite compassion
Its color so pale it is invisible
But the eye will still see
The ocean and the sky as deep blue
Embrace the blueness
Even as you gaze through its transparency
Court that moment
Don your best gear
Let Mother Nature caress you
There is no other lover to satisfy you now
Resist nothing.
You cannot, can you?
Much of the inspiration for this reflection and practice comes from Our Pristine Mind by Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche. His teachings have deepened my understanding of resting in clear, effortless awareness. If you feel drawn to explore this path further, I highly recommend his book. I’ll leave a link below for those interested in diving deeper into the practice of pristine mind and discovering the peaceful spaciousness it offers.
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Inspirations of Love and Hope 
Thank you 🙏