Respectful Relationships

Happy Fall. The Equinox is the perfect balance of light and dark. The sun and moon holding court equally, representing the masculine and feminine polarity.  There is a joy in the harvest of all the seeds we planted in Spring. (Think back to your intentions and see how they have played out. Notice the fruits of your labor.) There is also an inventory to take. Did I succeed? What could I have done more gracefully and where was I thrown off-balance? How might I shift things today, to avoid harsh conditions? If the past two years have not been all fun and games, they have certainly held some major lessons in responsibility and respect. Both for ourselves and others. Relationships, like balance poses, are in constant flux. A balance pose is anything but rested and peaceful. It is dynamic. The stillness is the holding point that contains the energy of opposites.  

In balance poses we can learn how to set our gaze on a point that does not move, so as not to be distracted by the external bright and shiny objects that may derail us and take us on circuitous paths. When the gaze is still, the mind is still, teaching us not to be swayed by what we see. Particularly when we compare ourselves, or second guess our decisions and listen to our thinking minds, we face unnecessary self-doubt. You will notice that if you follow your thoughts when in a balancing pose, you will literally fall. Focus on something constant. Your internal rhythm. Your breath.

To maintain balance, we must also commit fully. Equal grounding and extension. When I look at trees, I remember I heard once, that the roots extend as deep into the earth as the tree is tall. That reminds me, in order to grow, I must ground. Ground into my self, my life and my home. This way, when the opportunity arises to get out into the world, I am ready for the growth spurt and outward expression. Meanwhile, I stretch myself and extend as far as I possibly can towards my goals. The extension being the masculine, and the the grounding is the earthy feminine.

Balance is never static. Relationships are a dance. What I am able to do is to show up. Stretch myself. Keep my gaze steady. Focus on my breath. Remember myself in the face of the other. Face my dark and my light. Give and receive. Be responsible to myself and respect the other. Be open to change, yet stay steady. And eventually...I will Fall. Just as we do this cycle again and again. Just as I try the pose again and again.