Balance
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." — Albert Einstein
"Happiness" is an interesting word. We often associate it with wealth, religion, material possessions, education, and stability—or the lack thereof. Happiness is frequently used as an indicator of success: "If you achieve your goals, you will be happy," "If you buy this product, you will be happy," "If you follow this religion/spiritual path, you will be happy." Following this paradigm leads to an unceasing striving for happiness. In healing and life, I prefer to use the term "seeking balance" instead of "pursuing happiness.” Even when our life seems unbalanced, our experiences are part of a balanced life.
"Balance" is a gentler term. It is more accepting and forgiving, giving us ample space to process, accept, and make choices. It also allows us to accept life in moments of deep sadness or joy. The quote, "To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced life," from "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert, exemplifies this. In the book, Elizabeth, experiencing the infatuated state of falling in love, was concerned about losing the spiritual growth she had achieved. She reached out to her spiritual teacher, who responded with this quote, giving her permission to embrace the moment, even if it meant temporary imbalance.
Looking at the big picture of life, we can see that we will inevitably lose our balance at times, and this is an integral part of life's balance. The overarching goal is to live a fulfilling life filled with experiences. Nam Nidhan, a wonderful Kundalini yoga teacher, provided me with a profound insight. I happened to be in one of her classes when I was dealing with the aftermath of a school bomb threat. I was mentally grappling with fear and pain, not for myself, but for the children I was caring for. During a Q&A session, I asked Nam Nidhan, "What happens when you can't sit still and meditate because you are going through a hard time?" Her answer was eye-opening. She explained that we meditate so that during times of imbalance, we can return to equilibrium more quickly, thanks to our daily practice. We don't necessarily have to meditate during those challenging times; we can simply allow our bodies to process whatever good or bad is happening.
A state of constant happiness is impossible to achieve, as is a state of constant balance. However, we can use mindfulness techniques to calm our nervous systems during periods of imbalance and maintain a regular meditation practice to build resilience. We can also accept the ups and downs of life as they come, recognizing that they are part of the larger tapestry of life.
Today, I invite you to step back and view the big picture, if you can. If you find that challenging, I invite you to approach yourself with love and compassion."
