In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox arrives on March 20th. The Southern Hemisphere celebrates the autumn equinox. Equinoxes occur when day and night are equally balanced. Here in the north, we welcome the increased daylight. In the south, they welcome the calming restfulness that comes will more nighttime. Balance is the theme of this period.
Nowadays, most people consider balance to be the separation between work and home. This is true. However, life balance includes much more. An inner balance of emotions is crucial to health and peace. The equilibrium between mind chatter and stillness is vital to optimal performance of mental and spiritual development. The balance between male and female energy in a relationship is essential to lasting happiness. Balancing the interests of various needs and desires of people, nations, and economic interests is vital to world stability and peace.
Balance is achieved through attention, intention, and respect for self and others. Remember the adage, “Where attention goes, energy flows.”
1. Family and Work: Much has been written about balancing family time and work time since many cultures focus on the value of work, job, and career, ignoring the contribution family friends, relaxation, art, and renewal have on mental and physical health. Yes, at the outset of a job or career, excess time must be devoted to training and learning the necessary skills, attitudes, and outcomes. Even then, taking time to walk in nature, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy life refreshes, renews, and rejuvenates the mind, body, and spirit. The changing job market of the past couple of years when a massive number of workers left jobs due to dissatisfaction due to the lack of respect and unfulfilling nature of the work, shows this attitude is changing. People are discovering living life not living work, is more important than a paycheck.
2. Health and Inner Peace: The relationship between health and inner peace is well documented. Distress, anxiety, worry, fear, and hatred result in adverse consequences physically and mentally. Research studies show meditation, yoga, Thai Chi, and mindful exercise prevent and heal damage to the DNA, heart dis-ease, mental health issues, and increase longevity. At their core, these practices are based on finding the inner stillness and peace within. Calmness, acceptance, trust, and understanding lead to harmony and inner happiness.
3. Male/Female Energy Balance in Relationships: Failed relationships affect the partners, children, other family members, the community, and ultimately the world. Maintaining an optimal balance of the masculine’s creativity, drive, domination, passion, and protective instincts with the feminine’s nurturing, allowing, submissive, supporting, and giving nature of energy is a dance everyone finds difficult at various times.
This doesn’t mean the man’s (or male-inclined partner) holds all masculine aspects and the female’s (female-inclined partner) holds all feminine aspects as these traits are contained in each person. It is the flow between domination/submission, creativity/nurturing, drive/allowing that needs balance. If the partners can permit each other to discover the uncomfortable manifestation of too much masculine (such as ‘Honey, you are trying to control me, step back.) or too much female energy (such as, Sweetheart, you are smothering me.), and the other understands, accepts, and modifies their behavior, then a resolution is possible without continuing stress on the partnership. Without recognition of the issue, acknowledgment of the other’s perspective, and change, the relationship will not survive. This analysis applies to parent/child, brother/sister, friendships, employer/employee relationships too. Which person is acting in the masculine energy, and which is acting in the feminine energy?
4. Yours, Mine, and Ours. Individuals, families, groups, and nations are often challenged in finding the balance among the needs, wants, and desires of each, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Survival needs are paramount. Meeting the basic requirements of food, clothing, shelter, water, and fuel is a basic instinct that drives all humanity. The overreaching, greed, ego, and grasping of more and more without regard to others, leads to conflicts such as the present war between Russia and Ukraine. Conflict arises in more intimate relationships when a family member, friend, or colleague attempts to garner more food, money, attention, regard, promotions, or goods than others in the gathering. This leads to il will, feelings of injustice or unfairness, resentment, or bitterness heading to conflict, aggression, and potentially violence.
Meditating on your own needs, wants, and desires is important to discover the source of those drives. Do you want wealth, power, and control because as a child you experienced poverty, powerlessness, and hopelessness? Once your inner child feels safe and loved, you are able to incorporate the needs, wants, and desires of others in your world and remain whole and safe. Consciousness of the inter-connectedness of all is key to the peace, health, and harmony of the world. If individuals reach this awareness, it resonates with the family. When families chose peace and harmony, the community benefits. As community and local awareness shift, then nations and the world will change.
Spring is the time of balance. Search for the inner balance as individuals, families, and nations. Many are dying as conflicts around the world escalate and the disruption in harmony persists. The world won’t change unless we do. Let Equinox carry you to your inner peace and harmony.
Blessings for health, peace, prosperity, and joy,
Ariann
