Welcome to the Equinox, a moment of equal light and darkness, and a moment to mark the transition into Spring (or into Fall, in the Southern hemisphere). Depending on where you live, the balance of day and night might not be literally equivalent right now, but the energetic call toward balance (or perhaps a sense of walking the tightrope) is there nonetheless.
What does the idea of “balance” mean to you right now?
I have come to dislike the concept of “work-life balance” because it sets “work” in opposition to “life.” More accurate for me is the understanding that work is part of the whole of life, along with physical health, mental health, spirituality, family, community, hobbies, and more. To feel balanced overall, as a person, I need to gently tend all of these components, like a garden.
And to be honest, three years into this decade, “gardening” has been a challenge. I feel off-balance much of the time. So I’ve gotten into the habit of reminding myself of what I learned practicing contact improvisation(CI), in which a continual re-balancing, in relationship to gravity and to others, is the constant. CI dancers hone their skills through the full range of subtle to daring interpretations of rolling, falling, and flying.
Balance in the world of CI is not a single position established independently, but rather a continually evolving state of affairs, rediscovered again and again through an intimate interdependence with others and the earth. This feels truer to me than ever these past few years.
I like to ask myself two simple questions to tend my life garden and rediscover my sense of balance on a regular basis. Here they are:
What do I need more of?
What do I need less of?
If these simple prompts help you reset this Spring, I’d love to hear about it! And if you’d like a bit more support finding your balance and tending your own life garden, please reach out to me about coaching. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have.