Basic Balance

Most of us suffer from problems of asymmetry and imbalance. The irregularity and imbalance create a lot of stress and strain in our body. At times, it also leads to injury, pain, or just simple discomfort. If you are also one amongst the sufferers, don't fret, try some time with yoga. Yoga creates symmetry throughout your body, making you stronger, flexible and balanced. It also draws a balance between the mental urge to push, control and be assertive, with the impulse to yield, submit and be passive. Practicing various asanas, concentrating and meditating improves the overall being of any individual.

Awareness of the body's position in space, or orientation, is a complicated interactive process. This complex function relies on multiple sensory inputs from the eyes, the fluid in the ears, the sensations of the world around the body, and the interaction of various body parts in space. It's no wonder that feats of balance are often part of the Cirque du Soleil's repertoire! When we see acrobats accomplish almost fantastic moves in space, our brains' circuits are almost overloaded; we recognize the difficulty and appreciate the marvelous control exhibited before our very eyes.

I remember (way back when!) climbing up to the top of the Campanile at Pisa's Campo Santo. The circular stairway was only a few degrees off horizontal at the beginning of the trek. But the time I reached the top of the structure, it took a great deal of work to keep myself upright and not to list toward the "leaning" side. Small increments make a huge difference when we resist the force of gravity and try to balance.




Benefits Of Yoga

Improvement of balance is one of the major benefits of Yoga. Improved balance is referred not only to the sharp physical coordination, but also to the balance between the left and right, front and back and high and low aspects of one's body. As far as balance of the body is concerned, hardly few of us have proper balance. We may be stronger on one side, but definitely fall short of strength when it comes to the other side. The same is also seen, while turning or twisting the head. Whilst we can easily twist or turn on one side, the other is always a problem. Also, though most of can bend forward with ease, bending backwards is a big problem.

Yoga helps us attain hormonal balance by producing a nice positive charge. This is important from the female point of view, especially for pre-menopausal and menopausal women, who want to find ways to balance their hormones naturally.

To attain good balance, you need not be physically strong, but you must work on the mental agility to focus. Yoga's balancing poses demand concentration, an awareness of your body in space, breath control, and patience.

There are a number of asanas that aim at achieving balance in the body. The essential pose is Tadasana or mountain pose, which requires you to stand straight with your legs slightly apart and eyes closed. Tadasana helps you realize which side of your body is more powerful and where do you tend to concentrate your weight. If you suffer from scoliosis, you know how challenging it is to stand with your hips level and your full weight evenly distributed. Try standing in Tadasana during small occasions during your everyday routine: in line at the market or post office, whenever you have a chance to work on your posture. Not only will Tadasana root your energy inward, the pose will improve your breathing and nourish your spirit.

In addition to Tadasana, you can perform various one-legged poses. These are generally done to achieve center balance. The longer the duration of the pose, the better are the chances of improving balance. One effective asana is Vrksasana, or tree pose; it strengths the leg and calf muscles, making it easier to balance the entire body. You don't need to do a full-fledged tree pose every time you think of it. Just practice stand on one leg; for example, try standing on one leg while you are doing the dishes (the counter's close by for support if you get wobbly). Be sure to give both legs equal time. The goal is to give both side of your body an opportunity to get stronger and for you to gain more confidence in your abilities.


Although we don't do acrobatic stunts in our practice, balance is a complex skill and needs ongoing maintenance. Sixty-five percent of individuals older than 60 years of age experience dizziness or loss of balance, often on a daily basis. In our practice together, we devote about one quarter of our time working on asanas that require balancing our entire bodies in space. For many of us, the process of balancing when standing on two feet may be automatic and unconscious, but when we move all our weight to one leg, or when we close our eyes, or when we move into unfamiliar positions--then all our concentration and focus is needed to maintain our balance.


In our practice, physical balance extends not only to the outward aspect of ourselves, but also our emotional and spiritual balance. Strive to keep your balance no matter what life brings your way, and if you should lose it, come right back into balance once more. 


Namaste,
Nancy