If you’re the type of person who wants to develop your potential, it’ll benefit you to have a practice for balance.
When I say balance, I’m not talking about walking a wire between two rooftops.
That’s a manifestation of balance.
What I’m referring to is the principle of balance.
That thing—the inner quality—that not only allows one to walk a wire hung between two rooftops, but to have harmony with all of Nature.
This means with what arises at work, at home, at the park, going for a walk, wherever.
Whatever happens outside you—in your environment—you flow with the conditions at hand, instead of confronting them head-on.
This is the essence of some of the most effective disciplines in martial arts—such as Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Aikido.
It’s what Bruce Lee meant when he said, “Be like water, my friend.”
With this central quality, one engages life with the least resistance—they go with the flow.
They let things happen, and what happens somehow ends up in their favor.
How?
Because there’s perfect harmony between mind and body, between Man and Nature, between inside and outside.
The individual is centered.
That’s the aim of practices like Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong.
They’re all spiritual disciplines, based on a subtle science, which focuses on bringing harmony between body and mind—an art and science of healthy living.
That’s what the word ‘Yoga’ means.
It’s derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to unite’.
As per Yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness and universal consciousness. For Christians, this means to unite with Christ, with the Holy Spirit. To have His will be your will. To be in Union with God.
Union means: two becomes one.
When you strip our experience of reality into two, there’s just you and the rest of the universe. You and the rest of existence.
You can identify the things outside you, and you can identify things inside you.
Those are the two dimensions of experience.
Inner and outer.
When you have true balance between the inner and outer, there is no separation between inner and outer.
One dimension flows into the other.
That’s what the slow movements in Tai Chi and Qigong teach—to move in concert with the dynamics of the cosmos both within and without.
When you and the other become just you and you, you have balance—you can say that is yoga.
The presence. Complete mindfulness and laser-like focus. With awareness over capabilities, limitations, and all.
Complete harmony between breath and movement.
A moving meditation.
These practices lead to great inner peace and inner strength.
Which consequently lead to a more pleasant outer softness of character.
If you want to truly develop your potential, access higher awareness, and awaken your true nature, it will greatly benefit you to have this kind of practice.
Or, you can just watch some T.V. and eat potato chips.
Vikings on HBO is pretty cool.
It all depends on what you want in life.
Just know, the time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.
In any case, be water, my friend.