Opposites Distract

As mentioned in my welcoming post, our senses are bombarded on a daily basis with lights, sounds, demands etc. We are constantly at the beck and call of technology – calls, messages, emails, voice notes…. Electronic advertising boards and bright lights pollute our vision. People and traffic rattle our ears. Convenience foods over-excite our tastebuds and appetites. Fast, easy relationships satisfy our animal needs. Pollution affects our breathing. So must we live off the land in solitude, where we have clean air, absolute silence and no modern conveniences? No, this too is not practical. We need to find a way to move back to the centre, to find some form of balance. Don't let extremes distract you from the middle road.

We cannot know joy without having felt sadness. We cannot know acceptance without experiencing rejection. For everything there is an opposite. These opposites will always throw us off-kilter, but we should always make efforts to keep our imbalances as close to the centre as possible to live a fulfilled life.

What can you recognise in your life that feels off-balance? What can you do, in a practical, realistic way to bring things back to the centre? The centre brings you peace. The centre is calm. Imagine walking along a rope-bridge, which life sometimes feels like. The further to each side the rope swings, the higher the chances are that you will fall. Give yourself the support to keep that bridge steady.