Autumn Equinox, A Reminder of Balance!

Years ago, I was at an equinox celebration at Lauren Nappens of Original Medicine. She shared how only two days a year does Mother Nature have perfect balance at the equinoxes.  I thought that was fascinating and it made quite an impression on me. We all talk about balance and feel uncomfortable with ourselves for not having enough, yet nature finds full balance only twice a year!

The Equinox does tell us it is a time to re-balance, to consider balance in our lives and create more. It doesn't mean that balance is a consistent state. We are on a moving planet in a moving experience so if we do find balance, it is for a moment. It is more like we go off balance only to rebalance and then go off balance again. We are in a cyclical dance, expanding, growing, recreating ourselves all the time.

The symbology of the equinox calls us to notice where we need to reign in more balance. We know this for when September hits, we are so glad to get a new routine! Summer, where the light is in full swing, has almost burned us out with all the activity. We instinctively seek the  fall clean out, reorder and let go we are all familiar with this time of year. The solstices are when the light (Summer Solstice) or the dark ( Winter Solstice)  rules. We can look at how this yearly cycle goes for  it shows us a greater picture of what is happening and how to use these times and energies for ourselves. 

It is the pendulum swing that we all experience in life! Our learning, our cycles run to one side and we get way off balance, we notice then we slowly center Then another area goes out, we notice and center. Our year runs in this cycle through the seasons having inward and outward times, with the balance inbetween of  spring and fall. Realizing we are in the balance cycle, we innately begin to create this within ourselves.

Most importantly to me, I realize life isn't to be balanced all that often. Yes, I can create routines, practices and ideas to have all areas of life stimulated on a daily basis.  I can't expect that to stick for very long. Inevitably comes a crisis, a situation, a growth spurt, a side adventure that will take me off into an area of family,  career, hobby or philanthropy that will take up alot more attention then the other areas. This is normal when you look at the larger cycle of a year. It gives me a greater perspective on balance. I can notice and see when I get too far off yet it is the way of living to be in this swing and cycle.

It also tells me that my days can have balance in a smaller way. If you take the seasonal year and use the day as a representation of it, then each day I can find moments that I reorder and call in a balance of myself. Times to recenter, to breathe, to relax, to notice where I need support and what I am truly feeling. This is what I teach and how I learned the yoga of living. Using each day to pay attention to all seasons and cycles. Making all a practice of yoga,  noticing, resting, activity, silence, crisis, solution,  Life continues to move along so we learn ways to adjust and move along with it rather than get stuck in what has happened, letting that run us. Having a tool box of techniques to support our centering crucial to this yoga of life.

These cycles support us energetically and give us information on how the world, the physical plane runs. We learn to use its laws for ourselves in expanded and mundane ways to feel ok. There is no true landing spot, only moments of balance activity or stillness. We must learn to work with this movement in a way that supports us to grow, expand, rest and reflect. 

Remember balance is only momentary. It is a dance to use these moments of reflect, activity, balance and rebirth so daily we can direct ourselves.  Also remembering that weekly, monthly and yearly these cycles are simultaneously running in our lives. Nature shows us the blend of these cycles in large and daily ways. It is our awareness that allows us to use them to create a sense of balance within and without.