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Gifts of the Soul
A Quarterly Column
July-Sept 2005 |
| by Laura V. Hyde |
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Gifts of the Soul
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Balancing Your Wheel of Life
Perhaps too much of everything is as bad as too little.
--Edna
Ferber
Imagine your life as a what the Buddhists refer to as
the “wheel of life” and you are its “hub,” or center.
Each spoke on your wheel represents a different aspect
of your life: relationships, work, health, finances,
spiritual growth, social activities and so forth. Is
your wheel balanced, or are one of the spokes getting
more attention than the rest? Like a wheel that is meant
to rotate smoothly with each revolution, we are happiest
when our lives are flowing smoothly because we are in
balance.
You’ll
know when you’re out of balance; life will feel heavy,
your energy will be lower than usual and your enthusiasm
for life may be missing. The problem may not necessarily
be that there’s anything wrong, but that you’re overly
focused on one area while neglecting others that are
equally important to your well-being. Which area might
that be, you wonder? Well, it’s usually the one that
you’re constantly thinking about, worrying about and
probably talking about. Most likely it’s the one that
your friends are tired of hearing about!
Sometimes we need to put the majority of our focus on
one area while we’re working through something critical.
This might include a recovery process or addressing some
issue or crisis that needs our attention right now.
However, that is usually the exception.
For
example, a few months ago, I delved into a three month
period of intense meditation and spiritual practice. For
ninety days I meditated upon waking, in the
mid-afternoon, before dinner, and right before going to
bed at night. I completely changed my schedule to
accommodate all of the meditations and contemplation
because I felt a strong desire to connect with my
deepest self and to experience some significant internal
shifts, which I did. However, I could not have kept up
that pace forever. After ninety days it was time for me
to reduce the amount of spiritual practice and integrate
the other areas of my life back into my “wheel.”
Spending time with others, working with clients,
traveling, having fun--these are all integral to my
living life to its fullest and having a sense of
balance. The ninety days of intense spiritual practice
was akin to fasting for it allowed me to release what no
longer served my highest good which led to a more
balanced lifestyle.
When
I’m teaching workshops and pose the question, “Where are
you most out of balance?” The response I typically here
is, “I’m not having enough fun.” As summer unfolds and
we’re touched by longer days of sunshine, notice if it’s
time to add more fun into your life. The color yellow
matches the color of the sun and symbolizes the
qualities of humor, playfulness and cheer. It reminds us
to “lighten up.” If it’s time for you to experience more
lightness in your life, be willing to create a better
balance. Develop and focus on the spokes in your wheel
of life that have been neglected. Attaining balance
adds greater harmony and helps us to be hopeful and
optimistic about the good in our lives. Vital optimism
is a quality that runs deep in us; it's a belief that
the best is yet to come.
© Copyright 2005
Laura V. Hyde. All Rights Reserved.
Laura's Books:
Read Laura's Past Columns:
April-June 2005
- "Imaginary Borders"
January-March
2005 - "Witnessing the Truth About Your Life"
October-December
2004 - "Letting Go"
August-September
2004 - "Progressing with Passion"
June-July
2004 - "Deepening Your Spiritual Practice"
April-May
2004 - "Life's Crossroads: Love-vs-Fear"
January-February 2004 - "Faith the Foundation for Every
Dream"
December
2003 Column - "Touching the Heart of Others"
November
2003 Column - "Knowing How to Care for Yourself"
October
2003 Column - "Dreaming a Happy Life"
May
2003 Column - "Living the Authentic Life"
April
2003 Column - "Rising Above the Battleground"
March
2003 Column - "Healing Through Your
Relationships"
February
2003 Column - "Are You Going with the Flow?"
January
2003 Column - "Living the Soulful Life"
December
2002 Column - "The Power to Change"
November
2002 Column - "Peace Begins at Home"
October 2002
Column - "Spiraling to Higher Ground"
September 2002 Column - "Cradled in Nature's
Arms"
August 2002 Column - "Recovering
Your Soul"
Laura V. Hyde is Co-founder of Infinite Wisdom, an organization dedicated to the highest human capacity, and a national author and speaker.
She is also host of the TV show "Relationship Wisdom." As a regular contributor for publications across the U.S. and Canada, Laura writes about human awareness and spiritual growth. Laura is the author of the widely acclaimed books The Intimate Soul and Gifts of the Soul, and the creator and teacher of various programs including the Self-Mastery Program, The Art of Compassionate Forgiveness, Wonderful Women: Reclaiming Our Power, Passion and Purpose, and Cultivating the Intimate Life. Please visit Laura's web site at:
www.laurahyde.com.
As a spiritual counselor, Laura provides assistance in person and by phone. You may contact her for a free brochure at:
laura@laurahyde.com.
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