ma 間 (noun): pause; gap; distance; interval; space between things
MAis both a quiet and gentle book, and an urgent one. It will be published on February 4, 2027. You can find out more below, and get complimentary access to a beautiful virtual weekend retreat if youpre-order today
I hope you love MA, and that it has a transformative effect on how you feel about and respond to the pace, pressure and particular challenges of modern life. – Beth Xx
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“From the bestselling author of WABI SABI (translated into 29 languages) comes a luminous treatise on how to build a spacious life in the modern world.“
(Note: For US/Canada-based friends, we don’t yet have a US/Canada publication date so I encourage you to order from Blackwells of Oxford, who are offering free international shipping)
(2) Pop your receipt details into the short form BELOW . (If you don’t complete the form, we won’t know to send you the details).
Please note this form does not send a follow up email. It simply shows the message ‘Success! You have been subscribed’ on the screen after you have pressed ‘Submit’. You will then be emailed in February with details of how to access the retreat.
Success!... You've been subscribed.
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Wind whispers in the pines, calling us into the space between things.
This kind of space, an essential aspect of Japanese culture and aesthetics, is easier to point to than define.
It is found in the pulsating whiteness around the ink-black forest of a sumi-e painting.
In the silence between notes that makes the music.
In the pause that deepens connection, and gives us room to breathe.
This ‘space between things’ is known in Japanese as ‘ma‘ (間).
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MA is a meditation on the essential nature of space in a human life, within the places that we live and the flow of time we are alive.
Join me for a thoughtful, inspiring exploration of ma through art, architecture, animation, philosophy and travel, and discover how ma can be a doorway to meaning, wisdom and beauty.
As the pace of modern living continues to accelerate, this will be a balm for every weary soul, offering respite from the noise and simple tools to make each day feel more spacious.
Everything is waiting in the space in between.
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“This is a book of love, of longing, of living. MA speaks tender truth to all the moments in between in ways I will carry with me always. The humility, humanity and hope held in these pages is a gift. A gorgeous, vital book.”
– Kerri ní Dochartaigh, author of Cacophony of Bone
Technology is compressing the spaces that once naturally occurred in the flow of a day. Under the guise of ease and efficiency, the devices we hold close have changed the way we interact with the world and each other, and not always to our benefit. The infinite scroll which sucks our time. The Whatsapp messages demanding an instant response. The seamless buy-with-one-click-same-day-delivery shopping experience which finds us consuming more than we need. And more recently, the encroaching of AI into every part of our lives, including our most private physical and mental spaces.
This compression removes breathing space, thinking space, and decision-making space. It accelerates our lives to a pace that our nervous systems were not designed to cope with. Much of what is precious about life – and much of what can make us feel better about it – such as real human connection, quiet beauty, gentle observation of the changing seasons, and a sense of having enough time, capacity and energy – lives in those spaces that technology and modern living are so cleverly compressing.
This book is a quiet rebellion against the compression and acceleration, and an invitation to choose expansion and spaciousness instead.
MA explores the transformative power of active waiting in the space between things.
I hope that reading it feels like stepping into a sacred pause, being held in that moment, and becoming aware of the vast potential that lives within the gap.
As the author of seven books, this has been my favourite to write. It is experimental and subtle, and I hope written in a way that ensures it will linger in your heart long after you have finished reading, like a single, profound haiku brushed onto a fresh white page.
Also, if you are heading to Japan anytime soon it is a must – for the first time ever I have included a detailed list of all the places visited in the book, along with my top tips for quiet, slow and dreamy travel in Japan.
If this sounds like the kind of book you would love to read right now, I encourage you to pre-order it today so you get access to THE SPACE IN BETWEEN, a beautiful two-day virtual retreat worth £159 that I am offering for FREE, as a token of my gratitude for pre-orders.
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HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRE-ORDER GIFT
To get your pre-order gift, just follow these simple steps:
(Note: For US/Canada-based friends, we don’t yet have a US/Canada publication date so I encourage you to order from Blackwells of Oxford, who are offering free international shipping)
(2) Pop your receipt details into the short form BELOW . (If you don’t complete the form, we won’t know to send you the details).
Please note this form does not send a follow up email. It simply shows the message ‘Success! You have been subscribed’ on the screen after you have pressed ‘Submit’. You will then be emailed in February with details of how to access the retreat.
Success!... You've been subscribed.
(3) Mark your calendar for February 4 (publication day) and February 27-28 (retreat weekend), and then invite your friends! You might even like to book an Airbnb or somewhere quiet to enjoy the retreat, or perhaps encourage those you live with to go elsewhere for two days. Just be sure you have internet access during the retreat.
Thank you my friend. I appreciate your pre-order, and hope that you absolutely love MA, and that it helps you build a more spacious life.Beth Xx
ABOUT THE RETREAT
THE SPACE IN BETWEEN is a beautiful, restorative two-day virtual retreat hosted by author Beth Kempton, which you can join from anywhere. With writing invitations, poetry, meditation and more, including a guest contribution from a Zen monk who serves at one of the oldest temples in Kyoto, this is an experience not to be missed.
Valued at £159, this retreat is offered for FREE as a gift to anyone who pre-orders my new book ‘MA: Japanese wisdom for a spacious life’ ahead of publication on February 4, 2027.
THE SPACE IN BETWEEN offers an opportunity to pause, step away from the world, and be nourished in the transitional space between winter and spring. It will be a breath of fresh air which you can enjoy for FREE if you pre-order my new book ‘MA: Japanese wisdom for a spacious life‘ and follow the steps below to let me know you have pre-ordered.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE VIRTUAL RETREAT
THE SPACE IN BETWEEN offers a gentle two-day programme of guidance and inspiration for a solo retreat, to be enjoyed alongside others from around the world. It includes:
❤️ Guidance for preparing yourself ahead of the retreat, including a kit list
❤️ Beautiful audios, original writing invitations, and gentle nudges for building a spacious life.
❤️ Meditation, yoga and other delicious things to support your wellbeing
❤️A live writing circle led by Beth Kempton on the Sunday of the retreat (with a replay available if you cannot join live)
PLUS a special contribution from a Zen monk who serves at one of the oldest temples in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan
AND extended access until October 31, 2027, so you can enjoy the retreat as many times as you like during that time.
HOW TO GET CLAIM YOUR PRE-ORDER GIFT
(1) Pre-order MA from any retailer (Note: For US/Canada-based friends, we don’t yet have a US/Canada publication date so I encourage you to order from Blackwells of Oxford, who are offering free international shipping)
(2) Pop your receipt details into the short form ABOVE (scroll up) and be sure to click ‘Submit’. (If you don’t complete the form, we won’t know to send you the details).
Please note this form does not send a follow up email, but as long as you press Submit, your pre-order will be noted. You will then be emailed in February with details of how to access the retreat.
(3) Mark your calendar for February 4 (publication day) and February 27-28 (retreat weekend), and then invite your friends! You might even like to book an Airbnb or somewhere quiet to enjoy the retreat, or perhaps encourage those you live with to go elsewhere for two days. Just be sure you have internet access during the retreat.
THANK YOU. I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FAITH IN MY WORK AND HOPE YOU LOVE BOTH THE BOOK AND THE RETREAT.
MA will be published on February 4, 2027. In the meantime these images show a mocked-up version of MA, laid over a real photo by a human designer.
