Moving Into Balance
Connecting the Body and Mind
by Laura Harris

We are like apartment-dwellers in our own bodies. Until something goes wrong, we don’t pay attention to where we are living. We make superficial changes to keep the place looking good but rarely invest in renovations. The truth is we are both tenant and landlord of our corporeal home. We have the capacity to maintain a beautiful, well-kept residence and can renovate whenever we need to. All the knowledge and resources for our well-being are housed within: the blueprints, materials, and expertise are literally at our fingertips.

Achieving well-being requires balance in all domains of human functioning. The World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease." The connection between balance and health is also found in aboriginal spiritual teachings. The Medicine Wheel describes four aspects of functioning corresponding to the four directions: the north represents our intellect, the east our social relationships, the south, our body, and the west, our spirituality. It is important to consider where we choose to place our energy and strive to bring into balance that which is under or over emphasized. Everybody values their health, especially when it can no longer be taken for granted. Living in balance is a way to achieve well-being and reduce the risks and consequences of illness and disease.

Intra-personal balance or homeostasis is an indicator of well-being; the absence of balance at the cellular level may be reflected as illness and disease. The science of psychoneuroimmunology has begun to establish evidence of the delicate balance between psychological state and the immune system. It is well known that some stress-related chronic health conditions like insomnia, depression, and lower back pain have a strong psychosomatic component. If we correct imbalances at the macro or behavioural level, we may be able to influence and correct imbalances at the microscopic level.

How do we achieve balance? First, we must remember or discover what balance feels like, not necessarily an easy task, especially if we have become disconnected from our bodies. A way to reconnect with our bodies and experience mind-body balance is through the practice of yoga and Qi gong.

According to Donna Farhi, in Yoga, Mind, Body and Spirit, the path to accessing the innate wisdom of the body is to become still, creating a quiet space within. As a vigourously physically active woman, I was perplexed by the idea of achieving better health by becoming quiet and still. I love to move. Physical activity is a way for me to express myself, to release tension, to stay strong, and to be in control of my body. I have used exercise to help me cope with stress and get through difficult times. How could slowing down or stopping help me?

I began to notice how much time I spent doing, not just physical activity, but also endless and sometimes empty tasks associated with a busy life. Like most people, I equated busyness with success. I realized I was living a bottomless "to do" list, always "doing" and never "being." I was a human doing, not a human being. I knew I needed to learn how to be still. I needed to learn how to be.

Yoga introduced me to the paradox of dynamic stillness–being fully engaged on a physical level (think of the balance, strength, flexibility, and breath control required to hold a yoga pose) and disengaged, or detached, on a mental and emotional level. At first, I experienced yoga only kinesthetically. As I learned to pay attention to the quiet, open space created within me, I could feel my spirit take a deep and grateful breath. When I practiced yoga, the chatter of my mind stopped and I became consciously connected to my body. Mind-body consciousness transferred to my day-to-day life and I became better able to cope with stress because I could hear my body warning me to slow down, or back off, or take a break. I began to treat my life as a moving meditation, rather than a series of time-pressured and graceless tasks and events.

When the student is ready, the teacher will come, and I was soon introduced to Qi gong, an ancient Chinese exercise, combining slow and graceful movements with focused breathing to increase one’s vital energy. According to traditional Chinese medicine, sickness arises when the flow of vital energy is blocked; Qi gong practice frees the energy. The slow, flowing, harmonious movements of Qi gong build strength, flexibility, coordination, and create self-awareness of mind, body, and spirit. Qi gong is a "moving meditation" seeking balance between Yin (still, inward-seeking, receiving, female aspects) and Yang (moving, active, dynamic, producing, male aspects). Qi gong practice is a gentle, mindful approach to ameliorating the physical, mental, and spiritual imbalances so often at the root of illness and disease.

We are in control of our own well-being. We can move into balance by reconnecting with our bodies and making conscious choices about how we invest our energy. Chronic health conditions can be better managed and even avoided by balanced living. Enhancing mind-body awareness through yoga and Qi gong can help us to remember what it feels like to be in balance.

Laura Harris (MSc), of Harris Wellness Consulting in Saskatoon, has been working in health promotion for over 20 years. She uses an integrative, interactive approach to help people re-connect with their bodies and begin the journey toward balance and well-being. To find out more about the Moving into Balance© program and other services offered, contact Laura at (306) 653-2293, e-mail: lauraharris@shaw.ca, and visit www.harriswellness.com.