Balance

This week in yoga, I had a moment of clarity.

While twisting and I won’t lie–straining–into Ardha Chandrasana–Half Moon Pose–listening and adjusting according to the cues of the guide, this thought popped into my head: breathing is balance. Breathing is the very epitome of balance. It is this innate and graceful dance between the paradoxes of in and out, take and give, inhale and exhale, use and release, mine and yours. It is a force of oppositions in harmony. It is the presence of both the nutrients and toxins, preservation and decay. In every breath–albeit conscious or inherent–there is an embrace of what is good and bad, beautiful and ugly, sacred and sacrilege.

I tend to be a person who dwells in the extremes. Right or wrong, black or white, in or out–I find false comfort in these dichotomies. But if breath is balance, then my thoughts need to turn towards embracing and being present in both extremes. Just as in yoga. In Ardha Chandrasana, well really in any Asana, balance lies in opposing actions. While opening the heart, I am elongated the back foot. While pulling in everything towards the midline, I am releasing the hip away. While reaching forward, I am pulling upwards on the belly. In these embodiments of polarity, I find balance.

In my life, as in yoga, I need to equally embrace and fear grief. Hunger for yet question the unknown. Wander without purpose yet on a path. In balance, in paradox, I can breath. I can be. I can surrender.

Long before my struggle and joy of yoga, this wisdom was reflected in the voice of the Proverbs, chapter 7:

Consider what God has done:

Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.

In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:

the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—
why destroy yourself?
Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?
It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other.

And, not or.

Breath.

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