“I am rooted, but I flow.”
– Virginia Woolf

Six Months of “Balanced Flow”

The last one week I have been lollygagging. I’ve been meaning to write, but the odd stupor and laziness take over.

Or, it’s the books that I am reading. One such book keeps enticing me to dive into its world of lightness and being. I’ll tell you about it later in this post.

I’m so glad to have chosen: Balanced Flow as my Word of the Year (WOTY) 2022. It’s mystical how it landed on my being, under a gorgeous tree. Here’s the little back story on Balanced Flow along with the intentions I had put out for myself, early this year.

For now, let me set the ball rolling into my Word of the Year 2022 – Balanced Flow, and on how I’ve been progressing so far. A recap post is must, else the whole idea of working with a WOTY tends to derails sometimes, I noticed. Thanks to dear Corinne who introduced me to the concept of WOTY. She in fact continues to do a review of her WOTY every month.

How It’s Going with Balanced Flow

Sir Terry Pratchett, British humorist, satirist and novelist has a marvellous take on balance and flow that deeply resonates.

“Balance. It was all about balance. That had been one of the first things that she had learned: the centre of the seesaw has neither up nor down, but upness and downness flow through it while it remains unmoved. You had to be the centre of the seesaw so the pain flowed through you, not into you. It was very hard. But she could do it!”
— Terry Pratchett

This quote, to a great extent encapsulates the later half of my February till about mid-May 2022. Months when I was under the weather, not all that upbeat, laid up with a debilitating eye injury. What followed was a tryst with the virus, early May. Mi famila, including yours truly were besieged with weakness, and the body parts felt as though they would disintegrate. And the not so welcome icing on this tasteless cake was the brain fog, but of course (nothing new I suppose!).

The balance seemed fairly topsy turvy, but I continued to flow with what the universe deemed fit, to hand out on my platter.

Did I have a choice? No.

The only choice I had was to allow the pain of healing to flow through me, and not into me. There was a larger picture to it. 

When we are healing, we are shedding the skin of our being, just like a snake would when it moults. Or a larvae would before it turns into a pupae, only to emerge struggling from the chrysalis, into a gorgeous, gossamer winged butterfly.

You can’t cut the chrysalis off to hasten the process before the butterfly emerges, can you? Similarly when the universe takes us through the path of healing, we just have to wait and watch. And be patient with the process.

We can flow and also be the flow. It’s not always easy, but then that’s the only way to remain in a state of balanced flow.

Do we question our joyous days? Or the laughter that broke out in the realms of a very precious moment. We don’t. Right?

Why is it then that every time painful moments, illnesses, challenging days, or tough life experiences come knocking at our door, we ask, “Why me?” How about changing the dialogue to, “Try me!”

Yes, easier said than done, but these experiences are bound to happen. They come to test us. To help peel and shed those layers that no longer serve us, heal us, and then define who we actually are meant to be; or already were deep within, minus the biases and stories we grew up to. 

“What the river was showing her now was that she could flow beyond the brokenness, redeem herself, and fuse once more.”
— Ursula Hegi

 

What it’s Means to Be In Balanced Flow

In the last six months of 2022, I may not have always been in a state of Balanced Flow, but I have learned to embrace and see things as they are.

1. I have learned not to fight the tide, and to flow instead. Then I do have those days when I try to fight the tide, but I acknowledge those battles, only to move on.

On other days I love, cherish and observe where the stream of joy and consciousness carries me.

2. Being in a state of Balanced Flow also entails trusting my inner voice, tuning in to the silent spaces, living in a state of unhindered gratitude every single day, staying grounded and taking it slow and easy, with love in my heart. 

3. I have learned to make the practise of yoga and mediation a discipline that I stick to whole heartedly. On days I can’t, I no longer beat myself crazy, and chose to cut myself some slack. I stay grounded, balanced and continue to flow; knowing this too is one of those days and it shall pass. 

To be in Balanced Flow is to ebb and flow and to stay aglow. Share on X

 

4. I love my time spent in nature, walking bare feet on the dew-kissed grass, hugging trees, having a conversation with them and the plants, birds, and other beings, and infusing them with gratitude that flows unconditionally from my heart. I love to tend to my plant babies at home. Watching them flourish and grow with love, gives me nothing but utter joy.

Nature is a beautiful and constant inspiration to be in balanced flow.

5. Honour my sustainable journey every single day, and do the best I can to love and preserve this planet. Here’s a post I recently wrote about one part of my sustainable journey so far. 

6. I have been reading much more than the last few years. It’s great to have picked up on my pace, after a very long time. I am reading this absolutely adorable YA fiction by Benjamin Alres Saenz. I gorged on the first part, “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” in three days. I’m now on book 2, “Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World”. These two books will take you back to your growing up days, with simplicity and grace. Those yesteryears when we were broken and beautiful, all at the same time. As we continue to be so, even now.

Reading takes me back to my younger days, bereft of any screen time. It has a soothing and calming effect on me. Reading  plays a vital role for me to stay in Balanced flow. It’s a wonderful opportunity to disconnect from screen and just be.

7. How much I love mi famila time. This gives me a great sense of balanced flow every single day. Though the fourteen-year-old now studies in boarding, but she was here for the summers. We all created such beautiful memories together. Going for long walks, just hanging out indoors, chatting endlessly and much more.

We drove down to the mountains in June with our two furry children, Mishka and Laila in tow. It was our first break after over two-and-a -half years, wherein none of us was missing, The last such break was way back in October 2019, to Africa, before the pandemic.

 

The Road Ahead

The only thing I would wish to add for myself while being in a state of Balanced Flow for the next six months months is; a far greater commitment towards writing and publishing. To find my rhythm and to be on a journey where I can go back to contributing to wildlife and sustainability as a writer. All this, while making an abundant living out of it. 

Abracadabra, I repeat again: To the next six months of being in a state of Balanced flow! 

So it is! Tathastu!

Do you have a WOTY too? 

How has it been going the last 6 months?

If you don’t have a WOTY, would you like to pick one now and work with it?

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts and impressions.

 

Sending you unlimited love, light and laughter.

Keep shining your light, all you wonderful people out there. 

Hugs galore,

Natasha

 

 

Just for no reason at all, sharing a lovely playlist by the legend, Leonard Cohen. His music gives me a sense of Balanced Flow, I guess, that’s why. 🙂

 

Linking up with my lovely friends Brain  for Thankful Thursday, Parul’s Thursday Tree Love (that I have sorely missed) Sandee and Keith for Wordless Wednesday,

Cathy and Alana for Monday Mewsic Moves, Corinne for Monday Musings and Trent for Weekly Smiles.