{"id":1608,"date":"2013-04-04T08:07:53","date_gmt":"2013-04-04T12:07:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/awakeintheworld\/?p=1608"},"modified":"2013-04-04T08:07:53","modified_gmt":"2013-04-04T12:07:53","slug":"striking-a-spiritual-balance-equal-mindedness-for-all-seasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/awakeintheworld\/2013\/04\/striking-a-spiritual-balance-equal-mindedness-for-all-seasons.html","title":{"rendered":"Striking a Spiritual Balance: Equal-mindedness for All Seasons"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,…The madness of this planet is largely a result of the human being’s difficulty in coming to viruous balance with himself. \u201d- Elizabeth Gilbert<\/em>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Balance is a key to spiritual life. Do you remember what it feels like to ride a bike? For a moment conjure up that feeling in your body, mind, and spirit. When you start out there\u2019s a moment of doubt \u2013 especially if you\u2019re just learning to ride. At first it feels shaky and challenging. But all of a sudden you get<\/em> it. You learn from practice that there\u2019s point where you move forward and magically balance on top of the tires. Everything flows in a smooth motion and you\u2019re filled with a sensation of freedom and joy. Balance feels good. It\u2019s when all things come together in perfect harmony and you can roll with the terrain relatively unaffected by the big ups and downs. Sure you might have to pedal harder if you reach a hill, but there are also times where it\u2019s possible to coast and take it easy simply because you\u2019re in the flow of life and all moves forward naturally like a river.<\/p>\n

The spiritual state of equanimity or equal-mindedness helps to maintain balance on all levels. It helps to keep perspective when life brings troubles and pain and also when we feel over the moon with joy. By staying anchored in the feeling of flow and ease of balance, it\u2019s possible to allow the emotions and events to arise and not get knocked off of that path of peace and joy.<\/p>\n

This week, remember that ease and flow of riding a bike and tap into it. Set the intention to bring more balance into your life and watch what happens.<\/p>\n

Bio:<\/strong> Debra Moffitt is the award winning author of Awake in the World: 108 Practices to Live a Divinely Inspired Life<\/a> and “Garden of Bliss”<\/a><\/strong>. A visionary, dreamer and teacher, she\u2019s devoted to nurturing the spiritual in everyday life. She leads workshops on spiritual practices, writing and creativity in the U.S. and Europe. More at http:\/\/www.awakeintheworld.com<\/a> and on Facebook at: http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DebraMoffittAwakeintheWorld<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,…The madness of this planet is largely a result of the human being’s difficulty in coming to viruous balance with himself. \u201d- Elizabeth Gilbert Balance is a key to spiritual life. Do you remember what it feels like to ride a bike?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":409,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,10,4,26,125,3],"tags":[346,916,345,1106,1105,917,872],"class_list":["post-1608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-buddhism","category-faith","category-inspiration","category-meditation","category-oneness","category-spiritual-practice","tag-awake-in-the-world","tag-balance","tag-debra-moffitt","tag-equal-mindedness","tag-equanimity","tag-equilibrium","tag-garden-of-bliss"],"yoast_head":"\nStriking a Spiritual Balance: Equal-mindedness for All Seasons - Awake in the World<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Striking a Spiritual Balance: Equal-mindedness for All Seasons - Awake in the World\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cThe ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,…The madness of this planet is largely a result of the human being’s difficulty in coming to viruous balance with himself. \u201d- Elizabeth Gilbert Balance is a key to spiritual life. 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