Balance
Balance is primarily dependent on three 'systems' of the senses:
1) the inner ear (vestibular system);
2) the eyes (vision);
3) muscle and joint awareness (proprioception).
(Doug Marsh)
What is balance?
Balance is commonly seen as being a condition of
stillness and
rest.
Yet, people cannot reasonably find a fixed point of balance in their lives
because life is not static.
The changing nature of existence means that we need to be re-adjusting
constantly.
This process of continual re-adjustment is called dynamic balancing
and occurs in relation to the changing
nature of what is happening.
We cannot expect to be 'balanced' because nothing in our
lives will ever remain stable and fixed.
Balancing
There are different ways in which you can work on balance:
Body posture
Our
tai chi was designed to
balance all of these areas every time you practice the form.
Unfortunately, daily life unbalances us, so we need to re-balance at the
start of each day.
The 3 crucibles
The '3 crucibles' or tan tien (dan dee-yen) refer to three cavities within
the body: the skull, the chest and the abdomen.
These relate to three qualities:
The skull/intellect must balance with chest/emotion and abdomen/instinct.
Commonly, when people say 'tan tien', they are referring to the lower of the
three crucibles.
Meditation is the process of balancing the
3 crucibles.
Feeling
What is 'feeling'?
When people claim to feel this way or that way about something, they
actually mean 'think', not feel.
Thinking is based upon memory, experience and opinion. It is not feeling.
Physical touch is not feeling. It is sensation.
Emotions are not feelings, they are responses to events. Emotions are
related to thoughts. Emotion is commonly used as a form of blackmail.
What we think of as being an emotional 'feeling' is in fact an attempt to control events,
to shape circumstances to suit our preferences.
So, what is feeling?
Relationship
Balance does not necessitate accord.
You do not need to be in agreement with
others to find balance with them.
You may want to pursue a certain approach and your partner may not share this
view.
Each may stand on their side of the line/issue and get along perfectly well.
Conflict (internal or external) occurs when one of you expects the other to step
across that line.
Why should you? Why should the other person?
You are not the same person.
You are entitled to have a different perspective.
Trying always to please another is not balanced, it is merely submissive.
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Page created 12 March 2000