Here is a quote from Gary Rupert’s Blog. While different in tone and direction, I believe that it applies and adds more insight into the Sabbath and why we “keep it holy.”

Miles Davis described his improvisational technique as parallel to the way Picasso described the use of a canvas; the most critical aspect of the work, both artists said, was not the objects themselves, but the space between the objects. In Miles’s case, he described the most important part of his solos as the empty space between the notes. Knowing precisely when to hit the next note, and allowing the listener time to anticipate it, is a hallmark of Davis’s genius.

As I reflected upon this excerpt from This is Your Brain on Music, by Daniel J. Levitin, I wondered about the practical application of this concept to our everyday life. We tend to measure our lives based on the things we do; our actions. What if Davis and Picasso were right? What if the most critical part of what we do is not the action, but the space between the actions? Great musicians will tell you that it is the preparation that occurs between performances that allow them to present such wonderful concerts. Similarly, great coaches will tell you that it is what occurs on the practice field, between games, that determines the success of the team.

Today, no every day, I encourage you to consider the “space between the notes” of your life. Do you find yourself going through life concentrating only on the notes that you play? Perhaps like Miles Davis, you recognize the value of the space between the notes, allowing you to use the relationship between the two, to create beautiful melodies in your life.

Many people have told me that they go to church to get “fed.” All week long it’s push-push-push, which is spiritually draining. Church is a place where the intention is to receive from God. It’s not the sermon, especially, but the shift in receptivity that does it. Combined with high intention and a heartfelt prayer, putting yourself physically in a dedicated, consecrated space can work miracles.

For more on what happens energetically in sacred rituals, see The Science of the Sacraments, by C.W. Leadbeater.