I know we've been told that moderation is the key and that the secret to happiness is finding a balance yet it took me quite a few years to understand the deeper meaning of all this. It seems to me that nature, the great metaphor which was intended to be so obvious, has a way of balancing herself should enough time be given. In the forest there is destruction which comes from natural causes, i.e. wildfires or mudslides. Death is given into rebirth and a cycle is completed, 'homeostasis' I believe it is called. Since we are actually human animals imagined from nature's own creation, why should it be such a stretch to believe that we can stabilize ourselves in a similar way?
For everything there is a season..
Yesterday I felt down. It was a bit of creative blockage, the easy to remedy kind, that can be solved with a walk through this ancient town under the warm sun. I'm lucky to live here. When I came back I not only felt a resurgence of creativity yet an almost overwhelming sense that anything I became involved with, guitar or paintbrush, would make something inspiring. Honestly it was almost too much and I found myself navigating through too many options. It felt off balance to me yet the curious thing was that I began to apply this sensation to other aspects of life. I wondered about times I've been sad or bogged down by anxiety, which perhaps I created for myself, or times when I've been in over my head with the world around me and my own interpretations of life's experiences. I feel useless when I'm down and almost out of character. What is really holding me down and why can't I find a balance?
To find a balance one must let go... mindfully
On a seesaw, (teeter-tawter? did anyone used to call it that?) specifically the dangerous ones with springs and poorly painted Disney characters, the metal bar always seems to be level. What happens is that one kid, the older or heavier one, will sit on one side while the skinny kid is hoisted well off the ground with his or her feet dangling below. If the heavier kid is a jerk, he or she will get off the uncomfortable saddle/seat abruptly causing the skinny kid to plummet. I remember that hurting my back.
We're all adults here, close enough, and I wonder what would happen if we presumably matured folk were to be placed back in those metal seats. I'd assume that after a bit of devilish horseplay we'd probably let the lighter person down slowly allowing them to exit the playground unharmed.
Just like life, eh?
What's holding you down and are you letting it go with grace? The secret to happiness is to not be a jerk at the playground.. no really, the secret is to find a balance mindfully. Whatever it is that causes us to feel overburdened with life is not to be taken lightly (no pun intended). These are serious matters that need time and patience to alleviate themselves and we cannot expect to drop them off suddenly with no consequence. It's all about finding a balance and letting go while being mindful of how we reach that balance.
For everything there is a season..
Yesterday I felt down. It was a bit of creative blockage, the easy to remedy kind, that can be solved with a walk through this ancient town under the warm sun. I'm lucky to live here. When I came back I not only felt a resurgence of creativity yet an almost overwhelming sense that anything I became involved with, guitar or paintbrush, would make something inspiring. Honestly it was almost too much and I found myself navigating through too many options. It felt off balance to me yet the curious thing was that I began to apply this sensation to other aspects of life. I wondered about times I've been sad or bogged down by anxiety, which perhaps I created for myself, or times when I've been in over my head with the world around me and my own interpretations of life's experiences. I feel useless when I'm down and almost out of character. What is really holding me down and why can't I find a balance?
To find a balance one must let go... mindfully
On a seesaw, (teeter-tawter? did anyone used to call it that?) specifically the dangerous ones with springs and poorly painted Disney characters, the metal bar always seems to be level. What happens is that one kid, the older or heavier one, will sit on one side while the skinny kid is hoisted well off the ground with his or her feet dangling below. If the heavier kid is a jerk, he or she will get off the uncomfortable saddle/seat abruptly causing the skinny kid to plummet. I remember that hurting my back.
We're all adults here, close enough, and I wonder what would happen if we presumably matured folk were to be placed back in those metal seats. I'd assume that after a bit of devilish horseplay we'd probably let the lighter person down slowly allowing them to exit the playground unharmed.
Just like life, eh?
What's holding you down and are you letting it go with grace? The secret to happiness is to not be a jerk at the playground.. no really, the secret is to find a balance mindfully. Whatever it is that causes us to feel overburdened with life is not to be taken lightly (no pun intended). These are serious matters that need time and patience to alleviate themselves and we cannot expect to drop them off suddenly with no consequence. It's all about finding a balance and letting go while being mindful of how we reach that balance.
The mindfulness is key, I think. I have had so much success recently handling my negative emotions by simply letting them arise, pay attention to them, and then letting them subside. I spent years frustrated with myself about being sad, angry, etc .. . .trying to figure out how to "fix" it. And then at some point I got the message that negative emotions are simply part of the game we're all playing. See-saw goes up, see-saw goes down.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with this, whatever overburdens us should not be taken lightly.
ReplyDeleteI've found that taking it with utmost seriousness and really getting to the roots of the burdens helps a lot more than shaking it off without thinking of the consequence. Anxiety often stems from ignoring these burdens.
Observing, feeling, letting go at the right time, moving forward and balancing oneself is key