In nature everything has a balance, a way of complementing or providing for each other. Now, it might seem that especially in the last decades this planet is more prone to extremes and became out of balance. Droughts, floods or fires seem to be the effect of an imbalanced planet caused by pollution and overpopulation. In the end this is still part of a bigger cycle, a balance that we are not seeing yet. Mother earth will always find back to its balance, with or without us. As we are part of nature we have to keep our balance too, ideally in moderation and not by going from one extreme to another.
We often live in unbalanced ways that make us sick. Too much or not enough food, overworking or procrastinating - in our daily life it can be tricky to not fall into a one-sided lifestyle. If something is out of balance it means that it is not healthy. In Ayurveda being healthy means living in complete balance within yourself and with your surroundings. Diseases simply occur if we are not keeping our balance. If we experience too much stress first our body can make up for it, it has its own defence mechanisms but if we don't reduce the stress in our life soon our body cannot keep up and we become imbalanced and illnesses occur.
Everyone has to find their own steadiness in life. There is not one recipe that works for all of us. We are all unique, have different needs and ways to approach life.
Find out what you want. How do you want to spend your time? How do you imagine a fulfilling life? Do you want to work to live or live to work? Sometimes things get out of balance because we don't know what we want. Explore yourself and life and see what brings you joy. Create a life that you love and find the balance within that. Loving your life still means being disciplined and focused when necessary. There wouldn't be balance if you would only lie on your sofa and binge-watch Netflix.
Do you think you want to be on holiday forever? Do you wish to never work again? Do you want to be incredibly rich or just live alone in a tiny hut in the middle of nowhere? These thoughts show that something in your life is out of balance. Maybe you are overworked or you don't like your job at all. Maybe you constantly feel you are lacking something. Somehow you want to compensate for something that is too much or not enough. The healthy way of balance is not to counter one extreme with another but to live a life that brings you peace and calmness. Of course this peace has to come from within you first, otherwise you will never be satisfied by your surroundings but it is also important to create peace in your outer life. Unless you are enlightened you will be affected by your outer circumstances. Of course this can be reduced by meditation and spiritual practices. Still, be aware that your environment does have an effect on you. If you live in a busy city make sure to have enough quiet time so your nervous system can relax. If you work a lot and are not happy with it, find a way to reduce the amount or find a way to bring more joy into your life.
The balance between discipline and pleasure is very important. Through discipline we can achieve what we want, experience higher states of consciousness or reach goals we set for ourselves. We should be disciplined in things that are good and nourishing for us otherwise we are forcing ourselves and we put us in a stressful situation. Moving your body every day for a healthy amount of time is discipline. Only eating salad every day to loose weight is putting your body in a stressful, unhealthy condition. Find the balance in what is good for you. In the beginning it often seems difficult to be disciplined but if what you do nurtures you, soon you will start to have a great routine and will not want to live without. You will want more of what is good for you and the daily walk or the quiet time for yourself becomes naturally a part of your daily life.
Don't be too strict with yourself though. There is no need to worry if you skip one day of exercising or if you eat cake. It is also absolutely okay to have phases where you feel down and can't get as much done as you would like to. This is where you have to be conscious of your thoughts. Be aware of negative self-talk or thoughts in your head that tell you that you always have to give a hundred percent and live the healthiest life. In general, of course we have to take care of ourselves and as mentioned need discipline but we are also here to enjoy life. Everyone has a different idea of fun and pleasure. Explore what brings you joy and go for it even if it doesn't seem like the most responsible thing at the moment. Let yourself go once in a while. By doing that you are going to find your own balance within your life.
It is important to have self-control but it is equally important to know when to loosen up and let yourself go a little bit. Sometimes it can be difficult to be centred within but if you know how to put yourself in a calm state with a clear mind you will be able to find that balance in life. Only if we have a still mind, at least once in a while, we will realize our natural state. If you feel drawn to extremes, I highly recommend you to start a daily meditation practice. Move your body first, then it will be easier to sit still. The stillness will give you the needed space in your head to find answers and regain your balance back. Ask yourself what you really need in your life. Is there something that you could or should reduce? Do you want more of something? Where can you add onto or diminish?
You will know what you need and how to create a peaceful and balanced life.
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