The Principle of Balance

The Principle of Balance
Stability in Movement
"Find in every thing the happy medium..."

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Balance is a concept that we find in all spiritual teachings and most religions, the physical and mental concept that is easy to understand and difficult to apply. In the Taoist system of which we speak today, one first tries to understand and master the physical balance; that will bring us easily to the mental balance. Once again, we start to work on the body before the mental. We do it this way for a reason: we can rarely deceive the body whereas we can always deceive the mind. Incidentally, if you understand what you must reproduce with your body mentally, as you will do it - you will know if it is real or not. If you try solely to acquire the mental balance, without going through the work on the body, then the odds are you will not recover quickly from the illusion: you will not have any reference to know whether you are in the real or fake.
One will become aware here of the three energizing centers that shelter the instinctive, emotional and spiritual. These centers are as well physical as they are energetic. By precise exercises, Chi Kung and meditation, one will learn to wake these centers, become aware of them and utilize them on daily basis.

We will try to balance the three centers that we discovered in the previous stage to arrive at our being's global sensation. It is an important stage where one is not going only to try to practice occasionally but to practice in a continuous manner, in every instant of his life, while keeping the developed stability. The awareness here is of our movement in space, falling in every step but controlling our movement and the transfer of our gravity center. This is done in order to put the body not to a precise place in space any more but in all the space.

The Chi Kung will be the work on movement. Each of the measurements explored will let us verify the tensions that always exist within us, the lack of stability that we suffer once we leave the static position. The movements start with "the basin", then "the wave" and finally encompass the whole body. The movements of the basin produce different circles in different measurements in order to loosen and soften this usually stiff part of the body. The exercises of the basin are recommended to increase the circulation in this region. The wave is a curling produced by the foot on soil and that reverberates in the whole body, along the backbone, finishing in the nape. These motions are done very slowly at first, like a dance, to arrive to brief and exploding movements that go successively in all directions.

In meditation, we will become aware of three circles; the existence of the three energizing centers of the body in relation with the internal organs and emotions as well as the meridians of acupuncture. We look at the lower center, which corresponds to the Yin, to the animal instinct within us and to the Earth; the middle center, which corresponds to the Man and emotions. The highest center, that corresponds to the Sky, to Yang, but also to the strength of the Divine Spark, which is within us. In the meditative practice, we will want to feel and open those centers. The latter will be possible through meditative exercises. Every opening corresponds to a "small enlightenment" on each of the three levels: physical, emotional and spiritual. These changes may put a churchgoer to a rough test; nevertheless they remain a necessary stage.
We realize during this period that walking is a succession of falls forward, with no awareness on our side. Thanks to the practice, one is going to change it and to learn again to walk appropriately and consciously. Identifying where our weight and center of gravity are, we will learn to feel them and put them to a test. All transfers of weight will then be made consciously. This very soothing practice first takes place in a straight line, then in a circle. The Taoist idea of the three powers (the Heaven, the Earth and the Man) helps us find that if the Heaven and the Earth are steady enough, the Man on the other hand is in pain to hold on to his own legs. This practice allows us to change that and as a pupil said, "acquire new legs".
In the fighting arts or Chi Kung, the ground is the source of all strength. The use of hip strength is a first stage that brings us to return to the origin: the ground. The expression of movement, the fact that we occupy our space and that we "lean" on the Earth - it is the Man's expression. For the tie between the Heaven and the Earth to be strong, it is necessary that the Man is strong as well. The energy can only circulate in the absence of either physical or emotional tension. For the energy to circulate between the Heaven and the Earth while passing by the Man, it will be necessary therefore that this last will be simultaneously strong and flexible. In every movement, the expression of the three Taoist powers will be present.
It is in motion where we see that for the perfect balance to be acquired, we do not need to follow rules but that it is sufficient to find "the happy medium". It is the concept of re-creating after the effort, the decision to work better. A Taoist concept says it is necessary to take a rest before work, necessary to relax in order to be receptive. For that to be applicable in our complex life, it is not important to follow rules but always know how to find the balance. We explore the excess and the extreme so that we can find the stability of the center better.