Balance is a skill we all possess from birth, one that should be enjoyed! It is the ability to feel and control our center of gravity for a prolonged period of time. It develops as we learn to trust ourselves and our body, from our first steps to our last, it is always with us. When people say they’ve “lost” their balance, what they’re really saying is, “I’ve forgotten how to trust my body.” This can be a tremendous hurdle for moving freely with ease, because when there is a lack of trust there is behavioral fear, tension, and aversion. Avoidance of movement can eventually lead to deconditioning, not just of our balance systems but of our musculoskeletal systems as well. Eventually, a lack of faith in our own abilities becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as our body loses the capacity to move well. So, if your balance is feeling “lost”, try these five key practices to rebuild trust, conquer fear, and restore faith in yourself.
Turn Inwards
The first step towards reclaiming your balance is to simply turn your awareness inwards, feeling into your body, with an objective observer mindset. Allow yourself to remain open to feeling any sensation, noticing any emotional reaction you may have. Nothing lasts and everything changes so do not avoid unpleasant sensations or linger on pleasant ones. The goal of this exercise is to practice indifference and detachment, even as you allow yourself to fully experience the world within, including gravity’s pull. Progress through your body in a systematic fashion to ensure no part of you is left wanting your attention. Eventually this will become a natural process that you do automatically to inform you of your body’s condition, like a pilot checking their gauges before take off.
Steady Your Breath
Your breath can be a great place to begin feeling into your body as well as an excellent focal point for centering yourself anytime. Our breathing rhythm reflects our emotional state, as the two are intimately connected via our autonomic nervous system (the nerve pathways responsible for heart rate, blood vessel dilation, alertness, and the like). Luckily, it’s a two way connection so not only does our emotional state affect our breathing (ever caught yourself holding your breath while nervous?) but we can control our breath to adjust our emotional state, if we have the presence of mind to do so. But that’s why we practice! So, keeping your attention on your breath, guide your breath to become as deep and long as is comfortable, trying to create an even inhale and exhale. The more you practice, the easier it’ll be to find your calm, focused center.
Effort Well
While the act of feeling into our bodies and breath is a prerequisite for balance, there is a strength component as well. We rely on our muscles to stabilize our joints to maintain an upright architecture. Our bodies organize their architecture around the effort we send through them so building strength becomes a matter of repeatedly efforting correctly. With regards to balance, this is especially important for our spines and legs. When you sit, do you press down into your seat to lift your head and shoulders up or do you slouch? When you stand, do you press through your feet to be as tall as you can or do you arch your back and slump? Efforting is the key here, and efforting well means aligning your body and effort with the pull of gravity to minimize overall work while maximizing efficiency of movement. A dancer carries themselves in such a fashion, and so can you.
Let Go
Now that we’re familiar with feeling into our bodies, steadying our breath, and efforting correctly, we can choose an attitude to unite and guide these practices for application in our daily lives. An attitude of surrendering or letting go of control is just the ticket. Why is that? Because such an attitude is an exercise of trust and trust in ourselves is exactly what we need to balance effectively. To practice this attitude, try a simple exercise that challenges your balance safely: either sitting unsupported or standing with your back to a wall (but not touching), close your eyes and let your body balance itself. Continue feeling the pull of gravity, stay connected to your breath, and effort well but let your body keep itself upright. Adjust the exercise as needed to make it challenging, yet achievable. Some will need to practice sitting, some standing with feet wider, some narrower, and others may be able to stand on one leg. Do what feels right for you.
Hang Loose
Imagine how a surfer feels riding the perfect wave. Present. Relaxed. Focused. Flowing. Engaged. Balanced. Their nervous system reacts almost instantaneously to every perturbation from the water, much faster than their mind can process. The surfer reduces themselves to an intention and allows their body to become one with the wave. When we let go of fear and doubt, and replace them with faith and trust, we empower our bodies to move in a way that is fluid, graceful, and efficient. So, the next time you find yourself looking for your balance, remember that what you seek lies within. Our bodies will balance themselves, if only we can trust them.