FOUNDATION STONES FOR BALANCE

We are shifting individuals, always feeling the ebb and flow of life take ahold and move us around into different situations and to different people.  We  know the goal is to allow for these changes, shifts and lessons to happen organically. But often we fight them. We have expectations and then are disappointed when they aren’t fulfilled the way we think they should be. We have goals and then feel less confident when they don’t come to fruition. And we choose to remain in our safe shadow rather than shining our light brightly to make way into the future with confidence, joy and self-compassion. 

We inherently don’t like change, most of us. We tend to get stuck in our stories, our samskaras.  Samskara derives from the Sanskrit sam (complete or joined together) and kara (action, cause, or doing). In response to internal or external stimuli, the corresponding thoughts, emotions, and reactions settle into the subconscious mind (chitta), where they form sensory impressions, or samskaras. These impressions cause us to sit on the top of the wave, providing a clear view of what is in front of us, giving the ability for us to duck out of view if we don’t like what we see coming, and stay stuck, unchanging. We feel it is safer and less hurtful. We can come up with reasons why something didn’t happen the right way or in the right time, and therefore allowing us to blame the situation or person rather than taking responsibility.

Balance in yoga can involve many components: balancing poses, left to right sides of our body,  feet to head, left and right side of our mind, left side breath, right side breath.  The tendency with balance poses is that we hold our breath to keep the body still, but the tension this creates has the opposite effect. So when we recognize this we ease up and breathe naturally; when the breath becomes steady and effortless, the mind and body can relax. If there lies an opportunity to really settle into to balance, then why not start with what we feel emotionally first? Because our thoughts are energy and will shift into the body, thus effecting our movements, our decisions, our very breath keeping us alive.

Pema Chodon says, “To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.”
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So I encourage you to think about balance in yoga: Yin and Yang. Where can you take small steps to leave your nest, your samskara? Can you exert more effort and where can you find more ease? Can we let go, relax into the shape of the pose with less resistance?  ​Can you use more balance in the opposite side of your body that you are working, so the left and right sides work together to create a whole?

In our lives, where does balance live in you? Love, intimacy (plutonic and romantic), spiritual connection, kindness, self-compassion and expression, creativity, work/career, family, meaningful contribution to the world for a brighter future generation- all require an awakening, a balance, and shift of equal weight to create a whole. 

Finding balance leads to health. Whenever you find yourself caught off balance shift back and forth and you just may fall into an even place, illuminating the path in front of us, out of the nest but nevertheless on even feet and a smile on your face.

As always, leave me a comment but how this post makes you feel, and ways you are shifting organically....or not.

-gillian

​See Balance jewelry pieces here

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