Ma: The Sacred Space Between | with Angela Hywood

In traditional Japanese culture, the concept of Ma teaches us that the spaces between, between breaths, between actions, between seasons, are not empty, but deeply sacred. This gentle reminder invites us to welcome stillness into our healing journey.

What is Ma?

In our modern world, we’re constantly being encouraged to fill every moment, every space, every pause, every pocket of time, with something. Productivity, multitasking, scrolling, doing. But in traditional Japanese culture, there’s a deeply beautiful and healing philosophy that honours exactly the opposite.

It’s called Ma 間

Ma is the space between things.

• The silence between words.
• The pause between breaths.
• The stillness before movement.

It’s not empty, it’s full of potential. It’s not nothing, it’s everything.

Ma is the Medicine of Space

In healing and in life, Ma reminds us that we don’t need to constantly push to be well. Sometimes, the most powerful shifts happen when we create intentional space:

• Space to rest, rather than rush.
• Space to listen to your body’s whispers before they become roars.
• Space to let your nervous system exhale.
• Space to simply be, not productive, not fixing, just present.

In traditional Japanese arts like ikebana (flower arranging) or the tea ceremony, Ma is honoured as much as the objects themselves. It’s the relationship between the elements that gives meaning. The space between notes makes the music. The pause between seasons allows growth to happen beneath the surface.

Ma in Your Daily Life

For those of us navigating fertility, perimenopause, emotional depletion, or simply modern womanhood, Ma offers a radical form of self-care. It whispers:

“You don’t need to do more. You need to allow more space.”

Here’s how you can welcome Ma into your day:

• Take a breath before responding. Let there be space between stimulus and reaction.
• Pause between tasks. Even 60 seconds of stillness can re-centre your nervous system.
• Lie down while your child naps. That 30 minutes of Ma can be more powerful than any supplement.
• Leave space in your calendar. Not everything needs to be scheduled or filled.
• Let silence be part of your healing. You don’t always have to “work” on yourself to be progressing.

Ma is the Fertile Ground

In my clinical work, I often remind women: your body doesn’t bloom under pressure. It flourishes when it feels safe. Spacious. Heard.

Creating space—Ma is not laziness. It is a healing act. It is a deep cellular exhale that tells your body:

“You are safe. You don’t have to hustle to heal.”

So today, give yourself permission to soften. To do less. To let the space in between be enough.

Because in that space?

That’s where your magic lives.

With love, Angela xx (also known as “Ma” to Hudson & Jemima 🤣)

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Angela Hywood is a globally recognised Naturopath and founder of Floralia Wellness & Apothecary. With over 25 years of experience in women’s health, hormones and fertility care, Angela blends evidence-based natural medicine with sacred feminine wisdom. Her approach celebrates the body's innate intelligence and honours the unique journey of each woman she supports.