Fall Equinox’s Message: Life in the Balance

By September 21, 2010Uncategorized

As we approach the fall equinox tomorrow, it’s a good time to stop and reflect on the concept of balance; specifically inner balance. Inner balance is a metaphor for homeostasis: that which unites mind, body and spirit in haromy—where the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts. In a stress-filled world where people are tugged at from all directions (family, career, social networking, etc.) it is quite easy to become unbalanced and lose our center of gravity. Imbalance will ultimately lead to serious health issues, if not corrected. The autumnal equinox, like the vernal equinox, serves as a conscious reminder to contemplate the significance of inner balance and what we need to do to return to and maintain a sense of center. For many people it means to decrease the excesses that cause a lilting of our being. For others it means pulling things into one’s life to regain a sense of balance. In truth, we are comprised of many scales of balance, from nutritional (energy) balance to our finances to the art of emotional balance. With light and darkness in balance tomorrow, nature serves as a wonderful teacher that reminds us to return to balance. Taoism, a philosophy of life is really a philosophy about living your life in balance. One expression from Lao Tzu, the father of the Taoist philosophy states: Stand like mountain, flow like water.

• Stress Tip For The Day:
To stand like mountain means to be solid, stable and secure in your environment; to stand firm in the midst of change. To flow like water means to go with the flow with things we cannot control. Take time today to question when you must stand, and when you should go with the flow. If you are not sure, consider this sage advice from Reinhold Niebuhr: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

• Links/Books Worth Noting:
The balance of nature, the balance of energy, the balance of finances. There is no shortage of books and references on the topic of balance. Here are a couple of websites, and to this I would add that Al Gore wrote a great book decades ago called EARTH in the Balance, which is every bit as important today as it was when he wrote it.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/work-life-balance/WL00056

http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/5-strategies-for-life-balance

http://www.lifebalanceinstitute.com/

• Quote for the Day:
“Be aware of wonder: Live a balanced life—learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day. ” — Robert Fulghum

• Photo of the Day:
Surfing on the north shore of Oahu on the notorious pipeline is a challenge for only the best surfing dudes, and having tried my hand at surfing (but not there) I can tell you balance is definitely essential for this sport, as in life. Enjoy!

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Brian Luke Seaward

Author Brian Luke Seaward

More posts by Brian Luke Seaward

Leave a Reply