Balance

        "*An acrobat, a circus performer, a gymnastic performer and athletes need balance. They either have it or develop it. We recognize and marvel at their feats of agility and stableness, and we're aware of the balance that is required. Yet how often do we look at ourselves to see if we are in 'balance'. If we are participating in something that requires the body to have balance, then we are not only aware of it, but we work on developing it. But what of inner balance? And what is balance?

        We see people who seem to float from day to day or appear to have their affairs in order. They do not seem to get 'rattled' as we do and when they are, it is very obvious. We all need to find balance in our lives. Balance in what we do and balance in what we think - one affects the other. Too often thoughts run on and on without any review and without any awareness of patterns that we are creating. Many people develop a pattern of thinking which is very difficult to break, and what is worse, they are unaware they even have a pattern. Many complicate their lives by adding to situations and clouding the issues by the way they think. We call it 'going around in circles' or sometimes we say, 'we're stuck.' It is in conflict and in complicating the thought process that we attract or cause an out of balance feeling.

        The problem again is time...time needed to stop and look at where we are, where we think we are, and where we're going. Each day is full of challenges and conflicts. Some days seem successful and others seem meaningless. How we approach these opposite ends of the spectrum is an indication of how balanced we are. We can all feel good when things are going well, but it is when they are full of problems that we need to be more aware and become adept at gaining a sense of balance.

        Balance is finding the 'center' so to speak. It is finding the middle, the calm in the storm, and sometimes the hiding place. We need to hide sometimes. We need to take a few moments from the world and all its activity and find a place for ourselves. We need to bring a calmness in our lives no matter how busy one might be. How often have people taken time daily to 'right' things, to check to see if emotions are too full or too extreme? And what about one's body? When was the last time a review of your body was done. Is it in balance? Is it finding a smoothness in its being, a working together of the inner and outer, or is it being pulled into a circle of stress and tiredness?

        Balance for each individual is individual. It is found and developed based on the person's mind, creativeness, and awareness. What works for one may not work for another. Some people can find balance in the midst of activity and others, while some need a quiet place. What is in common with these two categories is that the balance must come from the mind and from the spirit. The mind must review and look at where the individual is and what the condition is of both mind, body and spirit. Then there are choices. These choices are made by each person and sometimes the process of elimination must be used to find out what works. This is not to say that there is only one method of balancing. There are many. The question we are asking is, when was the last time you checked."