If you’re wondering why I chose this word in particular, that’s because there are so many reasons to aim for life balance — but not necessarily the way you think.

I’m not talking about the idea of balance that the self-care industry is trying to sell us. Why? Because I don’t believe that sort of complete balance is achievable. If life feels like a bit of a roller coaster sometimes, that’s because it is. Think about it: As living, breathing human beings, when are we ever truly still?

The truth is, achieving balance is not the same as equating stillness — there will always be some movement, some ups and some downs.

The goal is to maintain the ups and the downs at our own pace.

Because the only constant in life is change, right? So we need to acknowledge it, prepare for it, and even embrace it. And how can we do that? With balance.

In my opinion, balance is the key to navigating any sort of change in our lives. In fact, that’s part of my mantra for 2021:

Balance is the key to navigating change — the only constant in life. 

But let’s back up for a moment. Where did my love affair with balance begin? With Ayurveda, of course. 

I want to start by saying that I’m not an Ayurveda expert. But I do have some formal training. And because I’m Indian, the Ayurvedic philosophy has seeped into my everyday life ever since I remember. I didn’t know at the time it was coming from Ayurveda. But after my formal training, everything made a lot more sense.

Did you know that Ayur Veda is a Sanskrit word meaning Science (Veda) of Life (Ayur)? This wellness philosophy has been around for more than 5,000 years — long before we began to use modern medicine. (With that in mind, please note that what I’m about to share is only a tiny drop in the vast ocean of Ayurveda knowledge.) 

Ayurveda’s main purpose is to support a healthy individual through prevention, rather than curing someone who has already fallen ill. In fact, those who follow the Ayurveda principals do not use words like “illness” or “disease.” Instead, they use the term “imbalance” to describe sickness. That’s because Ayurveda considers a human being’s optimal state as once that is balanced.

A-ha! Now my friendly obsession with balance is starting to make sense, right?

So in the case of an individual with imbalance, the idea is to help them enhance their life (a.k.a., find balance) in order to heal. 

When we are well — feeling good physically, emotionally and spiritually — we are in a state of ideal balance, and there is no need to change anything.

But when that scale tips too far to one side, that’s when we start to feel that something is not right. It could be a slight tip, a small imbalance. Or it could be a huge dip.

I like to think that the smaller imbalances are caused by natural changes. A good example is seasonal change. For example, we wear a T-shirt in the summer and feel perfectly comfortable. But come winter, we’ve got to put on a sweater… and a jacket! Otherwise, we feel cold. When we feel cold, we are not in an ideal state of balance. Something is off. But this sort of imbalance is expected — and more importantly, we can prevent it by simply dressing for the weather.

But it’s not always so simple. We are human, after all.

When we experience a larger imbalance, this is where Ayurveda helps us heal through life enhancement. This could mean improving our eating or sleeping patterns, prioritizing movement or fresh air, or even practicing gratitude or self-compassion.

And because Ayurveda describes everything in terms of balance and imbalance, there is nothing to cure. It’s about finding our balance again. 

Ready to find yours? Join me in this 5-minute meditation on grounding for balance — each morning, if you’d like! As always, try to find a quiet space where you can avoid distractions, feel comfortable, and connect with Reiki* if you know how.

*for maximum benefit

→ For more info on Ayurveda, watch the full video here.

Ready to get your Reiki on? 

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With love, light & balance ∩(︶▽︶)∩

Nasreen