Ever noticed that a word or phrase, once heard, is often heard repeatedly afterward? That is how I feel about life balance. I brought balance up with my professional coach; as a coach, I am coached. One of my desired goals is to find balance in my life. People often look for answers on how to balance work and life. My personal opinion is, given I am only one unique individual, that balance is NOT a matter between work and personal life. The desired state is really finding the space that allows us to succeed in both aspects of our life simultaneously. My coach offered an alternative perspective for me to consider; life rhythm. She planted a seed.
I started to seriously think about my life’s changing rhythm during a pranayama class (yogic breathing). I practice Iyengar yoga, which is rooted in the belief that yoga is a form of moving meditation. As such, both asana practice, along with pranayama, will help us in both our yoga asana and meditation practices. To find balance in their practice, people believe meditation is a necessary part of yoga and mindfulness. This is not so different from finding balance in life. I had not made the connection until that class. The balance comes from within ourselves.
I found that quieting myself, to allow the natural rhythm of my mind to find its flow, is a more accurate requirement for finding life balance. While in yoga practice, I do not try to think, yet some of my best insights come from letting go of guided thought, our daily way of being, and allowing things to flow into consciousness. Now the seed had begun to sprout.
Another aspect of my love for Iyengar yoga, is that it encourages the use of supports. If you are not ready to achieve the asana in its intended state, there are many props or supports that can be used until you are ready. The parallel to coaching is uncanny.
We all need support, even when we are on the right track to moving to our desired state. Learning how to allow our natural talents emerge in our life, and choosing to follow through in a manner which is congruent to our values, is where the balance that we seek emerges. The sprout started to form into a new perception of balance for me.
Today, I practice balance as part of the rhythm of my life. Some days I spend the majority of the day working on my coaching practice, other times on creative pursuits, and there are times I have to refocus my energies to accommodate commitments in my life. I am no different than anyone else. I see an alternative to splitting my work and personal life, now I try to find the natural flow or rhythm required for me to accomplish my goals.
If you want to explore a new perspective on an area in your life, I would be happy to offer a free coaching session. Let us see if we can tap into your natural life rhythm. Please connect with me via my contact page or my email link.
Note: If you are interested in learning more about Iyengar yoga, please go to https://iynaus.org/. If you are local to Austin, come practice with us at http://austinyoga.org/.