CHAPTER 1
DEVELOPING BALANCE
Balance occurs on all levels of our being: mind, body, heart, and spirit. When we are really in balance, we feel whole and complete. We are happy, healthy, and confident. We are a joyful and loving person, with a positive outlook on life. Every moment of every day is embraced, and we are truly living! However, living in the Western world at this point in history makes many of us struggle to understand what it's really like to be in a state of balance.
It could be likened to a chair, generally balanced on all four legs. However, if even just one of those legs is shortened, removed, or falls off, it is impossible for the seat of that chair to be evenly balanced. We would have an uncomfortable time sitting on it, if we could at all. So it is true with us. If we are fairly optimistic in our mind and happy in our heart and spirit, but we have an unhealthy body, then there's no balance. Or if we have a fit body and mind, but we feel little happiness in our hearts or joy in life, there's no balance. Likewise, if we are healthy in body, heart, and spirit, but we think negatively, then there's no balance there either.
Mind, body, heart, and spirit all individually affect each other, just as one system of the human body directly or indirectly affects all of the other systems. For example, if someone who is generally well receives some hurtful comments and takes it to heart, he or she may start feeling lonely and down in spirit. This may begin to affect their body through altering their appetite, perhaps leading to excessive emotional eating. This person may start to put on weight over time, and if that balance is not corrected then it may affect his or her mind by creating negative thoughts about themself and low self-esteem. The downward spiral has commenced, and that person would start to feel very unbalanced indeed. In regards to this example, the person could be heading for a depressed state.
The good news is that no matter what point we are at on a downward spiral — even if at "rock bottom" — we each have the capability to make choices to stop and instigate change, turning things around completely. Thus we begin to heal and move onwards and upwards along the spiral.
Being fully balanced (that I also affectionately refer to as being in the zone) however, goes much deeper and is quite multidimensional. What I mean by this is that everyone has had a different experience in life and each is at a different stage and maturity. Regardless of age, some have managed to travel fairly lightly with minimal "layers" built up, that may look a little like this:
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- MINIMAL LAYERS -
Others may be a little more built up, looking more like these moderate layers:
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- MODERATE LAYERS -
And some are weighed down with multiple layers, carrying the most; their true selves are often buried deep inside, making them barely visible under the heavy layers:
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- HEAVY LAYERS -
So what are these layers made up of? Basically, they are a sum of our past experiences that we are still choosing to carry — whether we are aware of it or not. They include our burdens, irrational beliefs, hurts, and guilts. It also includes our fears, anxieties, worries, and self-doubts. This is along with any angers, resentments, frustrations, and hates too. Sound heavy? It is not only heavy, but it is often toxic as well. These layers might be of mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual origin and can be deposited in any of these areas of our being, with varying density.
Some layers may be heavy and dark, while some are thinner and lighter. And the more layers there are, the longer and more in-depth the healing is likely to be. In saying that though, some individuals have a determined focus and are prepared to do whatever is necessary. This subsequently enables them to heal at a rather rapid rate! As human beings our ability to self-heal is truly amazing, and each person is in fact their own healer. Yes, no one can heal us — we can only heal ourselves.
Fortunately we are able to release these layers and begin with an awareness of what our layers are. Through releasing them we make room for the assimilation of new, positive, and empowering aspects. You may prefer to but you don't need to go it alone. There are many lovely people in the world who are ready and willing to assist you.
Traditional Western medicine and health care is generally the first port of call, and at times it needs to be sought. However, I'm referring to complementary medicine that is highly beneficial in healing some issues, not limited to the physical body. In order to receive comprehensive healing, a combination of both Eastern and Western medical assessment and treatment is required.
Only we can make the decision to heal ourselves, but we may need some of those lovely others along the way. You may find assistance through a trusted friend or relative, or you may prefer to seek the confidential and professional assistance of a qualified complementary-health therapist or practitioner. When working with "healers", please remember that they don't actually heal you, as their title suggests. They merely hold the energetic space at as high and fine a level as possible for them, and they provide the tools that you can utilise to instigate your own change. You hold the power and ability to change your life in the most remarkable of ways. You get to choose to be who you really are and create the life that you aspire to live because you are your own healer! I'm not sure about how you feel, but I feel full of excitement for you at the possibilities!
Sometimes healing can feel like you are taking two steps forward and one step back. What's important is to keep facing forward! It is said that it takes twenty-one days to change a habit, and small gradual changes will be the most sustainable. It's one step at a time. Then, once those changes have been implemented, more positive changes can be made.
If you get to the unfortunate point of heavy layers, then in order for you to get out of the "black hole," you need to reverse the spiralling and begin your journey back to a balanced state. This takes unwavering commitment and perseverance to achieve optimal results! Obviously the greater the imbalance, the greater the challenge will be moving back to wholeness. But it can and absolutely will happen — if you choose.
At this very moment in your life, you are presented here with a wonderful opportunity for personal change — that could be seen as a crossroads or "sliding doors" moment for you. The question is; are you comfortable and/or set in your ways? Or, are you prepared and able to step up and outside your comfort zone, to take a chance, to see yourself in truth, and to change yourself and your life — for the better? If you are...
