Exploring Alternative Balances: Moving into Stillness

Balances are always hard on the mind and the body. Partly, perhaps because we expect them to be and so anticipate our failure and then create a self- fulfilling prophesy!

As we have in previous articles, let’s break down what we are trying to achieve with a balance. There is the purely practical issue of staying in position, often relying on a small surface area of the body making contact with the ground and the rest of the body making contact only with itself or the air around us. There is the mindfulness part of the posture, where we need to concentrate on a spot that isn’t moving to keep our position which helps us to focus our minds too. Then there is the spiritual or internal stillness we try to find so that we can fully channel the power of our strength and stillness. Often, we don’t get to this point as we are trying not to fall over.

Working into balances using props such as a chair or the floor, help us to train our bodies to be comfortable in a position, so that we can let go – of the physical support and the mental constraints that stop us feeling strong in a balance.

Tree posture is a prime example of a posture that can be beautiful in whatever plane we do it, whether standing, sitting or lying down. As I’m sure we’re all aware of the Tree done free-standing, I don’t propose to describe it in detail, apart from to say that it is lovely done in a circle so that each person supports their neighbours. It can be done with standing and sitting participants. Ideally, the tallest person doesn’t stand next to the shortest, but it is possible even with this potential constriction in place.

Tree from Standing, Supported by a Chair: