Image courtesy of Gustty
Balance is something that is often mentioned in personal development and well-being circles. It is said you should eat a balanced diet, live a balanced life and seek a good work/family balance. But what is balance? What does it mean to live a balanced life and why does balance seem like such an elusive concept?
“It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: And this, too, shall pass away.” - Abraham Lincoln
Life really is one thing after another. The physical environment we each live in is in constant streaming flux. Physically when it’s cold we shiver to bring our body temperature up. When it’s hot we sweat to bring our body temperature down. As living organisms we live in a constantly changing environment. Our bodies are well adapted to this state of affairs and respond appropriately when conditions deviate from their optimal state. This ability of an organism to maintain equilibrium (balance) by adjusting appropriately to the external environment is known as homeostasis.
And there in lies the key to understanding balance. Balance is the taking of appropriate action when circumstances dictate so as to maintain equilibrium. It is said that the great achievement of the sages of old was the achievement of great balance as human beings. How did they achieve great balance? In the present moment, when things would come up, they would respond accordingly.
“There is no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves.” - Frank Herbert
When it comes to a concept or principle such as balance it is important to understand that between different people and even from moment to moment the locus of balance is always going to be different. For example, what constitutes a balanced diet for one person may be completely different for another. Both diets may be very healthy in their own right but it is the context of the individual that makes them so. This is probably the key reason for so much disagreement and confusion in the field of nutrition. There is no one size fits all. No mass-producible solution. A difficult business model indeed and so another diet book comes off the press and another wonder product hits the shelves.
“Food is an important part of a balanced diet.” - Fran Lebowitz
Finding a sense of balance and harmony at some point in any aspect of life will soon turn to disharmony and loss of balance if you try to hold on and freeze that moment forever. Such action is futile and will only lead to pain and your own suffering. The only constant is change. The waves come in, break and recede. Then they roll on in again. Instead of fighting and being tumbled painfully ashore, feel the waves coming and ride them out.
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.” - Thomas Merton
About the writer: This article was written by Stephen Cox. Stephen writes daily at Balanced Existence where he shares the knowledge and insights gained from his personal journey of holistic health and wellbeing.
Originally posted at PickTheBrain a weblog dedicated to self improvement and motivation.
译文:
平衡的生活意味着…
在个人发展和良好生活规律方面，平衡一词常被提及。据说你应该平衡饮食，和谐生活及平衡生活与工作两方面。但平衡究竟是什么？什么是过平衡的生活，那又为什么平衡看似如此难以理解？
“据说，一位东方的君主曾经选了他身边的聪明人，帮他造出一个在所有时间场合都正确并且适用的句子。他们说：这个句子应该不存在了。”——Abraham Lincoln
实际上生活是独一无二的。我们每个人生活的外界都处于一直变动的状态。天冷时，我们会发抖以便驱寒。天热是，我们又会出汗以使身体降温。就像活动着的有机体一样，我们在一直变化的环境中生活。当身体不适应外界环境时，它会对各种情况做出相应适宜的反映。这种机能包含了对外界变化适应调节的能力，也就是体内平衡。
所以这就是理解平衡的关键。平衡就是在情况不适宜的条件下采取相应措施以达到均衡的目的。据说老一辈哲人的成就在于能达到人的最佳平衡点。他们如何才达到如此境界呢？就是他们能对最近即将发生的事做出相应的反映。
“平衡并没有秘密可言。你只需细细体味。”-Frank Herbert
当涉及比如平衡的观念或原则时，对不同的人，甚至同一场合中不同的时间段，平衡的意义都会不同这一理念就尤为重要了。例如，平衡的膳食因人而异。两种膳食可能对他们都有益，但却是个人环境造成这一结果的。这也许就是在营养领域人们会出现异议的关键所在吧。就像没有一个适合所有人尺寸的尺码一样，没有适合所有问题的解决方法。一项困难的生意模式确实是犹如 一本食谱减轻压力， 另一奇妙的产品打击了原有的架构。
“食物是组成平衡膳食的重要部分。”-Frant Lebowitz
在生活的任何方面，如果你在某一时刻找到平衡和谐的感觉并想紧紧抓住这瞬间以便永远拥有它，它将会很快变得不和谐并失去平衡感。这种行为是徒劳的，而且只会给你带来痛苦和挣扎。恒久就是改变。浪花来了，中断又退却。一直如此下去。而不是在岸上对抗又痛苦地翻倒，感受着浪花来临并忍受煎熬。
“快乐并不是一个强度的问题，而是有关平衡，整齐，节奏和和谐的问题。”-Thomas Merton
作者信息：本文作者为Stephen Cox，他在日报上刊登《平衡生存》一文，以此与读者分享他在整体健康和幸福之旅所货获得的个人见解。
最初来源于一篇名为《智慧精选》的网络日志。此日志以个人修炼及动机为主题。