Finding Balance
August 25th 2010 00:15
Do you remember the old fashioned sets of scales that were used in shops, with an empty plate on the left side to place the sausages or cheese or butter on, or even a pound of flesh if you happened to be called Shylock back in 17th century England? On the opposite side was another plate which could have different sizes of weights placed on it until it was equal to the weight of the goods on the left. Then the shopkeeper would sell them and the customer hand over cash to buy them because everyone could see both sides were balanced. Scales have gone much more technical and you are more likely to buy your goods in a supermarket but the idea is the same. We agree on a weight and price to buy and to sell.
When we talk in contemporary society about balance, we can mean a variety of things. In Australia right now, the government is not in balance and there have been many discussions and blame casting about which party could balance the nation’s finances best. There will be a lot of wheeling and dealing and weighing up of things before a government receives the balance of power. Where are the scales to measure that? Us, the populace, come next election time.
In the 21st century, we are told all the time how important it is to achieve a healthy weight balance. We are bombarded by numbers and shapes and sizes of perfection, decided upon by whomever, that human beings should achieve to have the best proportioned bodies. In the Middle Ages, if you had a nicely rounded belly you were considered wealthy and substantial, as shown by your body shape. Only the poor were thin. No one cared about cholesterol, calories, fats, kilojoules, or obesity. Corpulent and opulent went hand in hand to the groaning table of food every day.
How far has the balance shifted to the current images of skinny women and muscled men that bombarded us from innumerable media sources, aiming to persuade Mr and Ms Average of their innate inferiority because they are not this size, not wearing these ridiculous clothes, not eternally smiling or pouting or attracting a person of equally inordinate looks and shape? No wonder we have so many people suffering from diseases of mind and body.
Ordinary people are disconcerted, discomfited, disoriented, disappointed, discouraged... the prefix dis meaning not. It is one thing to be encouraged to aim for the best you can be and to be given opportunities to develop strengths and skills. However, it appears that our world delights in telling a person what they’re not, bringing you down to size, suggesting you’re just not good enough. The comparison? The balance? False images of unhealthy people. False goals of wealth and pleasure. All of these suggesting the individual must be incomplete without them.
Is it possible that we have lost balance with what should be important to us? By allowing all of these external influences into our lives, we suppress our own internal instincts. We disconnect from our bodies, minds and hearts and find ourselves driven by situations and circumstances that seem to be controlling us. We can lose contact with the subtle internal mechanisms that are part of the individual human experience, by being open to the barrage of external stimuli that can overpower the higher guidance.
Remember, the most important gift we have is the ability to choose. We are here as Soul to have a human experience and no matter what any religion might say, we don’t actually need to be miserable and unhappy. And there are as many ways of being unhappy as there as blades of grass in a field. This does not mean you have to cut yourself off from the world, far from it. A better idea is to remain in balance, watch the interplay of life from a detached viewpoint, play your part as you must with your loved ones, partners, family, work colleagues. But keep in mind who you really are.
Be aware and discerning; teach this to your children. Practise techniques that can help you remain balanced. Meditation, contemplation, sing HU, chant other words that bring you balance. Do something physical to feel your body in action; have fun and enjoyment; share loving times with others. Look for meaning and understanding all around you. You can interact with the divine every single day once you develop the awareness to see it.
I recently attended a 2 ½ day workshop on Simple Energy Techniques (SET) which was absolutely fascinating. I was already familiar with EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). It was interesting and enlightening to see Steve Wells demonstrate and teach how effective this technique can be to bring balance to the physical and mental wellbeing of the body through tapping on meridian points on the head and hands. (www.eftdownunder.com) Check out their website and you can see for yourself. Steve Wells and Dr David Lake give seminars and workshops all round the world on their techniques for the benefit of individuals and to train practitioners.
On the morning of the second day, I had an experience that was clearly a waking dream that reminded me that I was in the right place at the right time. I was unable to open the chain lock on my motel room door. It had slid in perfectly easily the night before. I found that I had to flatten every link carefully against the wall and gradually slide it up the channel until it popped out at the top and I could open the door.
What did this tell me? I have to work through all issues step by step, one by one, that may be blocking the energy in my body, which in turn may be holding me back from my true potential. These all link together and when cleared, doors will open. Whether this means an opportunity will arise or if my awareness will expand or whatever doesn’t matter. On the first afternoon, through using SET I had release from pain in my lower spine that I had had for many years. By the end of the 2 days, I had come to a few understandings about myself. I intend to continue with this as an adjunct to the other practices I already do in my life.
I may not ever be able to walk on a high wire 40 metres above the ground but that is not the balance I aim for. We are all individuals, having our own experiences, for whatever purpose(s). I wish you well on your journey.
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