Balancing Without the Act

When I imagine balance, I imagine a see-saw. Like the picture you see before you, of the man in the middle finding his centre between the ups and downs. Depending on who you are, you might experience the energy of balance as balancing on a surf board, holding a yoga pose, skiing down a slope, or as a graceful dance. In each of these examples, we are continuously balancing and rebalancing our inner see-saw. Finding our middle, finding our centre. Even when they look still on the outside, the surfer, the yogi, the skier and the dancer will all attest that they are most definitely active in the moment.

So balance can be dynamic.

Some people may see balance as walking a tight rope (not an easy feat), and others may see it is a calm, serene walk on the beach (there’s really nothing to it). Yet in taking a closer look, what can we understand about balance?

We know the world around us is continuously changing, and so are we. So what is it that allows us to come back to centre when there is a wave bigger than we anticipated, or an obstacle we did not expect to find? How can we find balance even when things around us don’t feel balanced? At that moment, how can we come back to the middle, to the centre of the see-saw?

What keeps me balanced is having a good sense of humour - and I married someone who does! When the world feels crazy and I’m wondering ‘what is going on?’, my husband makes a joke, with that look in his eye, and a big laugh helps me find my perspective again. It’s at those times when I need balance the most - in the midst of chaos, not peace.