Defining Place, Time and Space in Human Activity: 5 Domains - Part 1

Human activity and our experiences occur in the physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual domains of our being. When we become constrained in any one of these domains the balance in our being becomes compromised. Constriction and constraint is a result of non-expansion or having very little space to experience the self as whole, complete and perfect. In the five domains of human activity, what does it mean to give a person physical space, mental space, emotional space, relational space, and spiritual space?

Giving a person physical space means allowing them to have physical boundaries and respecting their personal space. This can include not invading their personal space, giving them room to move and express themselves physically, and allowing them to have privacy when needed.

Mental space refers to giving someone the freedom to think and process their thoughts without interruption or judgement. This can include allowing them to have time alone to reflect, not interrupting them when they are deep in thought, and respecting their opinions and ideas.

Emotional space means allowing someone to express their emotions without judgement or criticism. This can include listening to them without trying to fix their problems, validating their feelings, and giving them the space to process their emotions in their own way.

Relational space refers to giving someone the freedom to be themselves in a relationship without feeling pressured or controlled. This can include respecting their boundaries, allowing them to have their own interests and friendships, and not trying to change them to fit a certain mould.

Spiritual space means allowing someone to explore and express their spirituality in their own way without judgement or criticism. This can include respecting their beliefs, allowing them to practise their faith freely, and not imposing your own beliefs on them.

 As I contemplated the concepts of time, place, and space, my mind immediately turned to my time working in urban schools. These schools have unique challenges, as black and brown students are expected to comply with the authority of teachers who do not truly understand them. This lack of understanding often leads to blame being placed on the students, their families, and their communities for the academic gaps that exist. However, these gaps are not due to any lack of intelligence or motivation on the part of the students, but rather to the biases and limitations of the teachers tasked with educating them. In these urban schools, there is a sense of emptiness that leaves no room for the vibrant expressions of life that black and brown students bring. When these expressions do emerge, they are often met with punishment and suppression. The rules and expectations placed on these students do not value them as individuals or recognize their potential. The gap in education is not just a problem of knowledge, but a problem of relationships between teachers, students, parents, the school system, and the communities in which these students live. I will use the experiences of black and brown students in the classroom as examples to illustrate this issue across five different domains.