I find this vintage image of a Victorian angel entitled “snow angel” utterly charming.
One of the names for today’s full moon is Snow Moon. And as it shines on piles and drifts of snow dumped here on Sunday and another layering tonight it feels like a perfect appellation.
Today was a busy day where I got lots done, although not nearly as much as I hoped to. But I will go to bed tired and satisfied, knowing that there are inspirations percolating in my brain. My body is feel-good tired from several bouts of shoveling. Today I said no to one thing and yes to another, and my heart is happy. Today I laughed long and hard with a friend, and held someone else who is in a tender tender spot of loss. Today a blogging friend posted a picture of a snow angel she had created, and I knew with perfect certainty the world is a better place because she infused her joy into the Earth with that creation. And how we’re all capable of gifting the world with our light and joy, with nothing more complicated than being who we truly are. Today I lived more from inspiration and less from habit, and that in my book, is a very good day indeed.
One of the things I return to again and again is seeking that dynamic flow that is balance – my balance. Which is nothing like your balance, or my partner’s balance, or my neighbor’s balance. We all have our individual dance, our individual centers, our individual soul harmonies, so of course our balance points are different.
I’m pretty conscious of this, knowing that there are gifts and guidance I can accept from others that uplift me and offer some welcome direction or nourishment or respite, but we aren’t always on the same path or the same journey and I don’t have to seek the confirmation of sameness to feel safe or guided or whole.
I think that’s the message this beautiful moon is sending me tonight to remember and to share. There is always room to celebrate each other, to share, to delight, but you must always hold yourself as the sovereign master of your own knowing and walk the path of your heart’s guidance, shining brightly in your own unadulterated light.
Today I found a quote from Alan Watts that I’ve been rolling around my mind and carrying with me as a touchstone:
“For the perfect accomplishment of any art, you must get this feeling of the eternal present into your bones — for it is the secret of proper timing. No rush. No dawdle. Just the sense of flowing with the course of events in the same way that you dance to music, neither trying to outpace it nor lagging behind. Hurrying and delaying are alike ways of trying to resist the present.”
I think remembering this will be a key for me in my continuing journey to hold that dynamic point of balance for myself. And tonight I’m grateful for the reminder.
What about you? What is the moon whispering to you? How’s your hold on balance? Are you honoring your own rhythms? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
What a beautiful post. I struggle to find balance as I feel like I was conditioned to say yes to everything, which leaves me overwhelmed and burnt out. But I find if I just stop, think, and listen to myself, I am able to come closer to balance rather than just saying yes to everything as a knee jerk reaction.
What an excellent insight Melissa, and knowing this I’m sure is really helpful in navigating. Maybe you need to initiate a mandatory pause before saying yes to anything in which you check in with yourself. Wishing you ease and balance!
That quote speaks to me. I tend to rush and I tend to delay, and while I’m pretty good at recognising hurrying as a way to resist the present, it hasn’t occurred to me before that delaying is another side of the same coin.
It’s a thought-provoking concept isn’t it?
This post brings me a great sense of peace. I love how you talk about balance and how our journeys are different and the quote…I’ll be reading and re-reading that over and over again…it’s just that good and deep. Thank you.
Oh I’m glad about the sense of peace Michele! If there’s one thing I think is important that doesn’t seem to get said enough imo, it’s that comparing ourselves to others just isn’t helpful. Even when we do it for what seem to be all the “right” reasons, like finding ways we’re alike so we don’t feel alone. I think we need to hold a kind of neutral attitude (as in not invested) and just love each other up, but understand we all totally unique.
This quote comes to me on a day everything feels out of balance. Ever had a day you couldn’t quite get the handle on? I think stillness and quiet will be the only way I can get there again. Your post and the quote in it can help me then.
Oh indeed Eli – those days can be a challenge. Time to declare a do-over and try again! Hope the stillness did the trick.
What a thought provoking post Deborah! I resonated with what you said about hurrying and delaying being two sides of the same coin. They are both ways of resisting the present, food for thought.
I’ve really been thinking about this lots Nancy. It’s the same when we we’re focusing our attention on the future or keeping our heads turned to the past. It simply distracts us from being in the now. Of course hurrying and delaying are really just actions that we “do” to get ourselves in the future or stay in the past.
Hi Deborah,
Balance a subject that comes up for me often. I can often find it sitting by a body of water, feeling the sun on my face and putting my feet in some earth (when it is warmer). Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog. Susan
Ah, sounds perfect Susan!
I love your thoughts on this moon, Deborah. Just like everyone else, I value balance, my own rhythms apart from anyone else’s. I’m tucking the wisdom of this moon away in my heart for further reflection.
Tucked in your heart for further reflection is a beautiful place to be.
Living more from inspiration and less from habit – that sounds like the perfect prescriptive for balance. I want to remember that. Thank you.
I’m pretty sure I need that one tattooed on my brain so it becomes my standard. 🙂
I’m feeling out of balance lately. Not necessarily in a bad way – although I find myself really questioning my purpose lately. Some recent events in things with which I am involved have not been going well. In fact they did not go well at all. So I’m trying to deal with a small bout of depression over that. Perhaps that is why I haven’t blogged in a bit and have been reticent to get my feelings out on “paper” as it were. Your words do soothe the soul – as I have said before and shed some sunlight on things – which I really need right now. So thank you. 🙂
Oh I’m so sorry – that can be such a tender uncomfortable time! And frankly I think winter can add a layer of hard when we’re not feeling connected to our fullness. Everything, at least for me, feels like it requires more effort. So here’s to more ease and grace Tracy; more knowing that the parts that rub are there offering guidance about what is actually more-preferred so you can lean into that. Wishing you a wonderful week, with plenty of magic to cheer you on!
Lovely post. I love the concept of being my sovereign master. Those 2 words spoke to me. I do feel there are certain routines that are good to do out of habit – it opens us up to more inspiration – clears our minds! I came across this quote while looking into routines – “Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.” Gustave Flaubert. BUT – it is important to know what is a routine/habit! Thanks for the post – thought provoking and uplifting
Oh the Flaubert quote is marvelous Vickie – I’m totally inspired by it!
Balance really is different for everyone isn’t it. I sometimes wonder also if we strive too hard to be balanced? Sometimes creativity and inspiration is found when we are off balance. Maybe we need a bit of unbalance to feel alive?
I think our perspectives are not so far apart Kama. I whole-heartedly believe that self-care is not a one-size-fits-all things and what works for us is not the same for anyone else. But we tend as a society to look for comparisons – she does this so perhaps that’s the right way for me; or try my method, it’s guaranteed to work.
I believe when we’re balanced we’re perfectly in flow – able to receive and able to create – all perfectly fined tune for our particular beingness.
I have not thought about my life in terms of balance for awhile now. I just know I’m feeling pulled in too many directions. Your post made me realize that the tiredness I’m feeling has more to do with my ‘unbalance’ then anything else. Time to ‘take some time’ and put things in order…find my way back to ‘balance’.
Wishing you all manner of ease and grace as you find your way back to your center Debbie.
Deborah- what a great quote you shared on timing and balance in art. I find that so true in my own work. It is very difficult to force a painting session. But I do find that sometimes just dabbling with the paint or playing some music switches my brain and slows me down enough to effect my balance.
Thanks for sharing this.
What a perfect way to express that Sue – switching your brain. Here’s to balance that helps us always remain vibrant.
Hi Deborah,
Oh, I love Alan Watts. As I was going through my books, his Watercourse Way made my small list of favorites. He certainly lived his words. Funny reading this post right after Naomi’s latest one. She wrote about balance as well and I found myself wondering about my own balance. Although life is busier this month than many of the past, I feel like it is in balance. Perhaps because my home has so needed me and I am finally making the time to spend there and it feels really good. Somehow doing that has helped me to feel a sense of equilibrium about everything else that is going on, even though I am doing the blog challenge this month on top of the SoulSpace group! There is room for it all when your pile of ALL is small enough and special enough, I guess.
Thank you for writing about the moon. Such a lovely reminder each month to look up at the sky.
Oh Amy – this is such a perfect example of balance! And the fact that Watts’ Watercourse Way is one of your faves makes me smile. He knew a thing or two about flow! And what is balance except right-fit flow.