Somewhere Between Dharana and Dhyana, Balance is Possible...
The effort of trying too hard is like Sisyphus rolling a rock uphill on a Farm. Roll too hard and you just wear yourself out, not hard enough and you will never get there. I struggle between my mind and body every time I try to achieve handstand. Am I warmed up enough yet? Will I fall flat on my back and get the wind knocked out of me again? Where is my drishti?
If we
work on doing something right, eventually the pattern makes it easy and the once difficult discipline becomes its own
reward. This lesson can be drawn into life as well. With work, play and relationships. Balance is the key for success with all.
When it rains, Mataji
suggests helping the displaced earthworms find real ground. I try to carry it from my yoga poses to every day life. Helping others find fertile soil, healing where you can and letting nature take its course.
Helping others is also a pattern that can be created. Sometimes it's frustrating to watch the worm we just tossed into the grass make a bee-line back to the pavement, then balance becomes a matter of knowing when to let nature take its course.
Finding the pivot point is learning how to use momentum without overdoing it. Each endeavor has its own unique balance that we must find through trial and error and hopefully some luck. The main ingredient in finding balance is practice.
Eventually, when no one is looking, I manage a little hang time. Having found that perfect moment in space, where my legs pivot over my body and I balance in the air effortlessly for a few sweet seconds, before I start thinking about the worms and crumble back to the ground.
