Maintaining balance

balance
I think that most of us hope to have balance and peace in our lives. But most of us would probably agree that this seems more easily said than done most times.
This got me to thinking about what balance really means. And perhaps our view of balance is slightly skewed, in thinking that balance means things going our way and going smoothly. But obviously, this is not the nature of this life. There is daylight and darkness, there is wind and there is stillness, there is warmth and there is cold. And attempting to hold on to any one of these, or finding a midpoint to cling to, is simply unrealistic. And what happens to our minds when we yearn for more daylight, more stillness, more calm? We find ourselves dissatisfied and create suffering in a moment that should instead be focused on the present. This grasping, or upadana in Pali, only disrupts the peace and balance that are available to us in the moment.

Every thought, emotion and wish for something which is not, only creates suffering in one form or another. And chances are, this is shared with friends and loved ones. Instead of offering yourself and others your complete presence, you bring delusion and ignorance to the World. Thus eliminating peace and balance, rather than cultivating it.
Our words, thoughts, and actions, are very powerful and transformative. With each of them, we either build or destroy.
But with mindfulness, presence, acceptance and loving kindness, peace and balance are always with you.
And isn’t this a beautiful gift to offer yourself and those around you!

May you be well, happy and peaceful.