Balance, balance, balance

Balance. It is a word with a lot of meaning. 

When I think of balance, I imagine those old-fashioned scales hanging just so….. one slight touch and they go off-kilter. Balance is not a static place. It is not a place you can come to, and just hang out. It is a place of constant flux. Physical balance is not about finding that perfect pose and turning into a statue. It is movement, subtle movement. 

With each breath you take, you are creating movement. Inhale: belly expands, ribs swell open, chest rises. Exhale: chest falls, ribs contract, belly tightens. Each of these actions creates a subtle change in your balance. Each of these actions creates movement- Movement that requires the body to adjust, to shift slightly, to engage more in certain muscles and less in others. The breath is just part of what is creating your body. Your muscles are constantly interacting with each other, too. Like ripples in a lake, one small change in the engagement of the muscles creates more changes. 

So how do you stay in a balance? Stay in tune with what is happening in your body. Get to know all the subtleties of your body’s movement. When you come to a balance, take your time. Root into the floor, find your base of support and slowly work your way up. Notice each muscle and how it is working. Notice your breath and all of its inconspicuous movements. Allow the flow of breath to work through you. Feel connected to your base, connected to the air around you, connected to the sky above you. This is yoga. 

Sending Love and Light,

Jill