Keeping in Balance

About the following article, 'Keeping in Balance'

Below is an article that I started in 2004, and then put aside. But in recent weeks--in 2006-- I have been observing my friends buzzing around, burning a hole in their brain and driving themselves to exhaustion, like a hamster in a wheel, becoming obsessed with trivia, repeating old patterns with a frenzy, and generally looking backwards instead of forward. I was astonished at the similarity of activities in these people all across the country and wondered why they were obsessing—and knocking themselves out—over non-essential activities. My curiosity overshadowed my sense of frustration for them, and so I thought about it.....

Then it dawned on me that they were likely reacting to the momentous transit of Pluto conjoining the Galactic Center. Pluto is, among other things, about obsession. Pluto is not rational, nor is it practical, but it is surely intense and its purpose is to transform the human soul into that of a Light Being soul. However, most people cannot assimilate Pluto’s tremendous energy. Instead they react by going into a mental, emotional, or physical frenzy, of feeling—but not understanding—the energy. They become obsessed with something—anything—mundane, to distract their mind from the real purpose: personal transformation.

Pluto conjoining the GC is a huge cosmic event, unprecedented in our lifetime and, in this case, even throughout history. Because we are approaching the portal-year of 2012, the year when all of humanity—well, those who survive the prior testing years—ascend into the 5th dimension, we are making history just by living in these times. Pluto has crossed the GC before; about every 250 years, in fact. But never before has it led up to a portal of energy such as what we have in a few short years.

The Galactic Center is located in space at 26 degrees Sagittarius, 58 minutes—2 minutes shy of 27 degrees, and moving forward slowly. This point is the center of our galaxy, as the name implies, but what is important is that it is a black hole containing tremendous energy. “In the late 1960's, astronomers finally honed in on the GC (Galactic Center) with radio and infrared instruments. They were astounded by the immense energies to be found there. A huge Black Hole is thought to be at the center, about the size of a large star, but containing the mass of four million suns. The staggering amount of material being drawn into the black hole radiates energy at many frequencies." See Aquarius Papers.

What this means is that we have volunteered to be here during this phase transition, to participate--by being part of the solution or part of the problem. If we choose wisely we will be on the solution side, and hopefully reach spiritual enlightenment in the process. It’s a tough job and only the fittest survive and flourish. There is an old expression, often spoken by gurus and saints, saying ‘Be on the Earth but not of the Earth’. That means we must live here on this planet to survive, but we need not buy into the mental state or value system of the masses. We can, and are expected to rise above. Especially now.

To learn more about the Galactic Center, I recommend visiting the website of Eileen Nauman, MD, holistic healer and astrologer. Eileen has been around for a long time and has a great deal of wisdom.

You might wonder why I am the bearer of this news. With my 1st house Sun precisely on the GC and my 9th house Jupiter exactly trine the GC, I'm very linked in to this process. It means that my teaching (9th house) and my spiritual philosophy (Jupiter) are also exactly aligned with the galaxy. Pluto confers enormous energy to the recipient of one of his transits, and if the person in question allows themselves to be transformed by the experience, they receive benefits. I do not have a choice about the transit. It is already here. But I do have a choice about my co-operative spirit during the process, and how I use this power.

Keeping in Balance

~Developing Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Balance in Your Life~

Perfect balance is enlightenment. It is contentment of the mind-body-spirit. ‘Balance’ is that quality which is sought by all gurus, saints, and spiritual adepts, for it brings with it release from the karmic wheel. The center-line of perfect balance is also the place of infinite energy and where we can manifest goals.

Balance of the mind, body, emotions, and spirit is attainable but it requires daily vigilance. It requires a certain degree of awareness of one’s nature and how, when, and why one is out of balance at a particular time. To remain in balance requires one to avoid the seductive tendency to engage in ‘busy work’ in order to keep from thinking about what is bothering them. Alternatively, keeping in balance also means avoiding the equally-seductive vice of co-dependency. When we co-depend (lean) we are literally leaning on someone else and throwing out our balance.

The entire physical being is in a rhythmic cycle of ups and downs that is normal and even desirable, from the standpoint of collecting and releasing energy—like breathing in and out. These cycles involve physical energy, mental and emotional energies, and even intuitional and spiritual energies. They are known as biorhythms because they encompass all the biological cycles of the physical form.

In a perfect world we could maintain perfect balance with little or no effort. One’s awareness would tell them immediately if they were overdoing a physical activity or over-reacting to an emotional situation, or exhausting the mind. Conversely, if we have energy it is good to use it productively, and not let it dissipate in front of the TV or through worry and anxiety. The wisdom is in knowing how much is too much and where to draw the line. The ‘line’ is actually already drawn—right across the middle of our biological rhythms, but we need to develop the awareness needed to sense, and heed its advice.

Keeping in balance has always been desirable, but now it is crucial to integrating the cosmic energies coming into our sphere by way of the Galactic Center during the years 2006 and 2007, and beyond. Pluto conjoining this point is opening a portal: it is not the end point; it is the beginning.

What does balance look and feel like? Inner peace. Restfulness of the spirit and body. Bliss. Spontaneous right action. Lightness. A sense of freedom. Happiness. Detachment from desires. Freedom from anger. A sense of ‘completeness’.

How to achieve balance—what to do and what not to do: Observe yourself. Cultivate awareness of your body’s needs and stop before you are exhausted. Set realistic goals for your body. Be aware of your age and physical condition and don’t push your body beyond its constitutional ability (using caffeine is pushing your body). If you are in your 20’s and in training for athletic activities, it is acceptable to push the body a little, but it is still necessary to use good sense. If you are older it is important to accept your age and not fool yourself into thinking you can do what you did in your 20s or 30s. It takes much less activity to exhaust your energies when you are in your 40s, 50s and older.

Do not fry your mind with useless data. Think about your situation and know what is important and what is simply mental gymnastics, and overload. Make lists for reminders instead of trying to keep it all in your head. Take deep breaths to regain balance and perspective. If you find yourself worrying in a mindless way ask yourself what is the core issue of this worry. Then stop and think about what choices you have, to eliminate the worry and do it. Worry is a complete waste of energy.

Do not react to emotionally charged situations. Stop and think it through. This can take some serious reflection in calmer times to determine where your weak areas are and what pushes your buttons. Extreme emotionalism drains enormous amounts of energy—energy that is vitally needed to keep you in balance and to be put into spiritual pursuits. Emotional over-reaction tears holes in your aura—which is like the shell of an egg to the human body—and thus allows energy to drain away for days or weeks afterwards.

Do not waste your energy on dysfunctional relationships. People who are severely troubled, sick, depressed, or disturbed, or are making weird life-choices, are operating at a low vibration. That means they suck energy—from you. This is not to say that you must avoid all these people, but use your head and make intelligent decisions about how much time (and energy) you are willing and able to give to them. People who drain energy are always going to drain energy. They do not change.

Do practice mantra meditation. Meditation helps to bring great awareness, awakens kundalini, and it fosters a contemplative lifestyle. The serious meditator uses his/her energy wisely. If you do not have a feeling of prioritizing meditation then do as much as you can in that direction. Reiki is somewhat helpful but it does not activate kundalini, nor is it predisposed to bring intuitive glimpses. Tai Chi is helpful in bringing balance to the body, but it, too, does not awaken kundalini. Massage therapy helps integrate higher frequencies into the body, and that in turn helps with balance.

Do wear rudrakshas, for their electro-magnetic frequencies assist in the integration process of cosmic energy. They do not necessarily awaken kundalini, but they greatly amplify its energy once it has been awakened by meditation techniques. Rudrakshas can, if well cared for, serve as a ‘guide’, by directing the wearer’s attention towards the things he/she needs to know to be a better person. This happens only to the degree of awareness of the wearer, however, and if the person is blocking the ‘messages’ through busy-work, TV, computers, dysfunctional relationships, and such, they will miss the point. One needs to be receptive to input if they wear rudrakshas, and that requires a significant amount of peace and quiet in the life.

Rudrakshas have been worn by saints and gurus, and their disciples, for thousands of years. They have never been intended for the ordinary householder who has no interest in, or makes no time for, spiritual pursuits. Using one’s energy for spiritual attainment is a personal choice, as is the wearing of rudrakshas. Using one’s energy to party hard or run a marathon or become a construction worker, or be an ordinary householder, is a different choice. Do not confuse the sublime with the mundane. If you fall into the latter category, then you are not a true spiritual adept and you would display wisdom by knowing yourself, and avoiding rudrakshas. To wear these holy beads when your goals are not in alignment with their purpose causes confusion in the psyche.

Energy is a precious commodity. We are born with a pre-programmed number of heart-beats and breaths. When they are used up, we die. We have only so much energy at our disposal, throughout life. It can be wasted and re-generated up to a point in youth, but it dissipates quickly as we age, and cannot be re-charged so easily. Make intelligent choices about where you put it.

As yourself this question: “What is the highest, best, most humanitarian, holistic thing I could possibly do in this life?” or “What is my highest purpose in this lifetime?” For some people—sick and dysfunctional people—it might be just getting through one day at a time. For others it might be finding a cure for cancer. Others might think it is about winning at hockey. Some would think it is finding their soul-mate. Some would say it is to reach perfect enlightenment in this lifetime. Where do you fit in?

Learn to think outside the box; stretch your aims and goals. Do not think about what you do now, or within ‘reasonable limits’. Expand your mind to the greatest goals you could possibly have. Think big. Think humanitarian.

Then ask yourself what you would have to do to aim your life in that direction. Ask what kind of people you would like to have as your friends and colleagues, with that goal. Ask yourself who, among your current circle, are supportive of your highest goals, and who are not.

Learn to say ‘no’. ‘No’ is one of the most powerful words in the dictionary if used judiciously. Saying ‘no’ does not being a stubborn, resistant, self-absorbed individual. It means, first of all, saying ‘no’ to yourself (no, I will not stay up till midnight tonight; no I will not have that coffee and donut, no I will not burn myself out doing housework/gardening till I drop, no I will not over-spend on a new trinket when I have one that is fine, no I will not engage in energy-draining relationships, no I will not repeat old unhealthy patterns, no I will not…, well you get the picture). Define healthy boundaries for your own well-being. Use the willpower God gave you and make it work on your own behalf in a personal way, to define and enforce your own holistic goals and boundaries.

Learn to say ‘no’ kindly when refusing unhealthy offers, requests, or demands from other people. Be aware of what is a balance between your energy and theirs, between your needs and theirs. Know the difference between ‘need’ and ‘want’. Be aware of how much you have to give and what will ultimately drain you. There are always exceptions to the rule, and occasions when it is necessary to stretch your boundaries. But by now you have lived long enough to have a good idea of your limitations. You are past the age where you need to prove yourself. Don’t torment yourself over and over again by repeating past mistakes. That is what keeps you reincarnating.

Don’t let yourself be seduced by the usual hooks in life: needing to feel ‘needed’ is a big one. Co-dependency is a very common hook and one that always drains off a lot of your vital force in the long run. The ‘disease to please’ is a common hook that appeals to those with low self-esteem. Stop and think before you do something you really don’t want to do when you are tired or just need space. That is not a selfish consideration; it is wisdom. Any activity done without a whole-hearted feeling contains resentment or anger, and that ultimately leads to loss of your own energy and a build-up of negative energy within yourself, as well as the potential to blow up when you reach critical mass. * I am including an article from a mini—book called ‘Your Power to Say NO’. Years ago, I copied it in it’s entirely because it is well-worth reading.

Do ‘contemplate your navel’. Ok, that may sound strange and you wonder what the point is anyway. Actually it is a simple balancing technique. Try it; focus your attention on the area between your solar plexus and navel. Not the heart center, for it is not the same energy, and is, in fact, hard for most people to access anyway. The ‘hara’ at the navel, is the center of gravity of the human body and it is the seat of prana, or vital force. This is the area where the soul resides and it is the best place to become aware of your own energy and centeredness because this chakra is open in everyone.

Try it. Sit upright, head straight ahead and eyes closed. Now just bring your mental attention to your navel area. If you have even a little bit of kundalini moving within you there will be a noticeable sensation of blissfulness. It gets stronger the longer you hold the focus. But even if you do not feel blissfulness, you will generate energy in your center and bring some degree of balance. There is another perk to this action: you will become more in tune with your body’s needs and hence make better decisions towards your healthy well-being. You can also increase your intuition from this point. That may sound strange to those who think their intuition resides in the third eye. It does not. The expression ‘gut feeling’ is about what you feel in your belly, in your soul, and in your body. It is much more revealing than straining your forehead to ‘see if you can see’ something that is invisible to the physical eye.

Energy is a commodity, like money. Use it wisely. There is only so much to go around and when it’s gone, it is gone. That is why we sleep. And meditate. If you want to have a more productive life, a happier life, or a more personally fulfilling life, you need to think about where you put that energy. Let’s say you have a high-energy day because you ate right, slept well, have high biorhythms, no planets are stationing, and you have avoided a lot of the usual pitfalls the day before. Now you have a choice. You can burn yourself out scraping paint off the floor for 12 hours and go to bed exhausted. Or you can watch TV all day and drone off into oblivion, with some energy to spare but no real accomplishment at the end of the day. Or you can do a little of both and feel better, with energy to spare for the next day. Balance—and wisdom—is in knowing where to draw the line and how to pace yourself.

When I began this article on ‘balance’ I felt inspired to speak on a subject with which I am reasonably familiar. With my Moon in Libra—the sign of balance—I have worked on achieving balance for a long time. But recently I had a series of huge energy days and ended up wasting it all on housework, gardening, and errands, when there was no pressing need to do all that. So I decided to reflect, before I felt qualified to finish this article.

We all have Libra somewhere in our charts, and that house indicates an area in need of special attention regarding balance. If there are planets in that sign there is even more need to balance energy. For those born from 1942 to 1956 Neptune was in Libra and that makes us the ‘Looking for Mr. or Miss Right’ generation. Neptune is about illusion and is an often confusing energy, so those in this age group feel confused and under the illusion (spell?) that the perfect partner is out there somewhere. Unless, that is, you have recognized that trait within your psyche and have short-circuited it before it can keep you on the treadmill indefinitely. In buying into the illusion of the perfect partner that Neptune lulls us with, we waste a lot of energy. And time. And potential. And balance.

Neptune is unstable. It rules the sea and the sea is ever-changing. Neptune in Libra means there is a constant undercurrent of balance instability. To counteract that, one needs to cultivate vigilance and rationality, which fortunately, can be done because Libra is a rational sign.

With Pluto conjoining the Galactic Center in December 2006, and for the next 18 months, achieving and maintaining balance in our lives is not just desirable; it is crucial. We will all be buffeted around when Pluto makes exact contact (it has not yet done that; only came close last winter). If we think the news on TV is bad now, wait till the rest of Pluto hits the fan.

For our own sakes, as well as to help the world keep as much balance as possible, we need to pay much closer attention to our own energy. I implore you to be watchful of your goals and your present activities. Anything not in alignment with the highest good of all humans on the planet will meet with great upheaval. Any thoughts, words, or actions, not in alignment with your own highest good will meet with personal upheaval. All negative energy returns to the sender. Out-of-balance energy leads to greater imbalance.

It is not possible to live a mistake-free life. But it is possible to learn from mistakes. To do that requires a painful amount of self-analysis and introspection: What kind of person am I and what work suits me best? What are my goals, short term and long term and are they holistically oriented? How can I conserve and use my energy for my highest good? What am I really looking for? Why?

Many years ago, long before we were in this maelstrom of intense and obsessively-compulsive energy, my spiritual teacher said, “When the energy out there speeds up, you slow down”. None of us had any idea what he was talking about then because life was much slower-paced. Now we know. It is easier said than done to learn about balance and the pacing of energy. But it is not impossible. We begin with one step at a time. Slowly.

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