When I think of balance, I automatically think of a scale. A large, cumbersome scale with weights. I picture how the scale starts off with one side higher than the other – weights are added or removed – until balance between the sides is reached.
Then I think of how the body and our energy systems are often discussed/described:
– Male/Female
– Right/Left
– Back/Front
– Light/Dark
– Positive/Negative
– Yang/Yin
– Sporadic/Continuous
– Clockwise/Counterclockwise
Male vs Female
The back and right side of our body is considered Male
The front and left side of our body is considered Female.
Female qualities are dark, cool, damp, internal and negative.
Male qualities are light, warm, dry, external and positive.
Yang vs Yin
In Traditional Chinese Medicine each of the 5 elements – Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood – consist of a Male and Female meridian.
The Yin or Female meridians work continuously – heart, pericardium, spleen, lung, kidney and liver.
The Yang or Male meridians work sporadically – small intestine, triple warmer, stomach, large intestine, bladder, gallbladder.
Clockwise vs Counterclockwise
And then there is Chakra theory. I learned that the 2,4,6 Chakras spin in a clockwise direction when in balance for Females and in a counterclockwise direction when in balance for Males and visa versa for Chakras 1,3,5 and 7.
Balance embraces the concept of Paradox
Balance is such an interesting concept as it not only means embracing qualities that are opposite – contradictory – paradoxical – but, embracing these disharmonious qualities in equal proportions to achieve a state of perfection – balance.
Consider the truth of these popular paradoxical quotes…..
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” Carl R. Rogers
“Here is the paradox of it: the more of an individual you become the more you realize we are interrelated, that success of one requires the success of all.” James Rozoff
“The paradox of reality is that no image is as compelling as the one which exists only in the mind’s eye.” Shana Alexander
“The great paradox of the 21st century is that, in this age of powerful technology, the biggest problems we face internationally are problems of the human soul.” Ralph Peters
“The paradox of trauma is that it has both the power to destroy and the power to transform and resurrect.” Peter A. Levine
“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.” Lao Tzu
Balance is black and white in equal and opposing proportions
With respect to balance, I can only say, there is no black or white. There is only black and white – negative and positive – female and male – in equally opposing proportions.
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