Finding Balance in your physical body can help you improve balance in your life

Believe it or not, finding balance in your physical body can help you improve balance in your life.  Even if you don’t believe in the power of the mind-body connection, improving your balance in your physical body can only do you good. 

Improving your balance is easy to do with simple practice. Unless you’re a dancer or yogi, you probably don’t often think of practicing balance, OR you take for granted that you have an inherent and strong sense of balance.  

Try standing at the kitchen counter and placing your hands on it for balance. Then stand on one leg and let go with your hands.  

How long can you hold your balance?  Can you move your eyes up the wall to the ceiling and keep your balance?  Play with different positions of your leg – knee raised in front, or leg extended towards the back or side.  Can you find your balance and hold for 30 seconds or more?  THIS little exercise is a great way to practice and improve your balance.

Balance is important to ensure that you stay upright and don’t fall easily.  Especially as we age, we want to be good at finding balance so that we stay upright.  Whenever I take on a day of working in the garden, hiking a trail, going for a walk, moving things, cleaning the garage – the rule is to everyone is “no falling allowed. “ 

Because I like to focus on what we do want, the motto becomes:

Stay Upright.  Keep your Balance.

Many scientists and spiritual masters believe that our physical bodies and our subconscious minds are one and the same. Therefore, I like to think, that as we improve our balance with our physical bodies, we improve balance in our minds, so that we are better able to weather emotional storms and find peace, even in the difficult times. The results are reflected then into our health and lives ~ at work, at home and at play.  

That is why the practice of yoga is said to open our minds and our hearts and change our lives in profound ways beyond a healthier body. As we build strength and balance and increase flexibility, gain focus, awareness and endurance, we will see these attributes reflected in all areas of our life. 

On a physical level, strengthening our ability to balance in our physical bodies by standing on one leg is also shown to build bone density.

This short 14.5 minute video made for the parishioners of St. Mary’s Episcopal church in Laguna Beach during Covid times is designed to help build strength in your ankles, feet and legs while increasing your ability to remain stable while standing on one leg. 

Stay upright and enjoy. After you try it a few times, stay curious to see if this balance begins to reflect in your life as well. 

Then let me know if you notice any changes.  I’d love to hear from you.