Balance of What Exactly?

A dear friend of mine wrote a blog today about the balance between practice and study. I can agree that in those two things balance is needed. What if I said if all you care to balance is the practice and study of a single topic throws you off balance in the world? People are always saying that you need balance.

What is this balance we are supposed to obtain and hold onto so dearly and cant ever seem to get?

I believe balance is that one thing that is achieved when there are few questions, less answers and much rest and even more peace. When everything seems understandable. That doesn't mean we get to rest in this place of bliss. Oh no, quite the opposite. It means we have to work hard to expand our minds to constantly maintain balance. If you have ever tried to do this you will know it is not an easy task.

To be able to bring inner peace in times of trauma and to accept the things you don't like in this world is the most difficult thing you will ever do. If you think that is easy how then exactly are you balanced? Can you tolerate bigotry? How about pedophilia? With all the fuss about Miley Cyrus this week, do you hold a strong opinion? How often do you look at the other side of a topic you hate to even bring up? This doesn't mean we shouldn't strive for justice, It means that there is always an outcome and how you handle it says something about how balanced you are.

I remember when my ex husband left me. I fell apart. I cried everyday all day for months. It was the end of my world and I wanted to die. Some might say that is a normal reaction. It is normal if the person is not balanced. Nothing in my life was balanced. To much religion not enough experience. To much dependence and not enough self reliance, to much trust not enough questions. Many if not most Americans live this way. Some live with to much greed and not enough charity. Others live with to much charity and not enough self sustaining capabilities. Some live with to much fear or to much courage. There is a happy medium and finding it seems impossible at times.

How do you find balance?

Christian teachings say to "trust God in all things and know his hand is on you"
In Persia the term "It is what it is" applies
in France it is "C'est la vie"
Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart. ~ Marcus Aurelius

People throughout time have been saying this in so many different ways you would think we would have gotten the message and teachings by now. Balance is not just in some things. it is in all things.