Wednesday, September 06, 2006

True Balance: How Did I Lose My Balance?


I'm currently working through True Balance by Sonia Choquette as a part of Melba's True Balance Project. I am loving this book. It is practical and concise considering that it's dealing with something as esoteric as chakras. This is an area I have been looking at developing as a structure for a coaching program. It really takes you through your whole self in such a healing way.

The first chakra is your root chakra. It sits at the base of your spine and is associated with the colour red. Not surprisingly, it deals with our foundations, our basic needs, our sense of safety, security and well-being. I love doing first chakra work because it's so clear that when you make an improvement in this area, it reverberates through your whole system.

The book recommends that you check-in and take a look at your own foundation and asks the question "how did I lose my balance?" I found this a powerful question because it encouraged me to get conscious about what kinds of things throw my off kilter.

Things that have thrown me off balance in the past:
  • Moving from Roxboro to Toronto when I was 12 and the resulting culture shock and loneliness
  • The painful time in my family before, during and after my parents' divorce
  • Going away to university for the first time and getting repeatedly ill and knowing that my family was falling apart at home
  • My dad's rumbling, grumbling temper
  • A co-dependent boyfriend
  • Feeling out of synch with my peers

Things that have thrown me off balance recently:

  • Being in the wrong job and staying there
  • Overindulging in stimulation - food, drink, busyness
  • Taking a leap into running my own business
  • Getting older

What throws you off balance?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

well, I'll restrain myself from my litany of unbalance, but I appreciate reading your thoughts on this book. I've out it back on hold, and am going to give it a second chance...

Unknown said...

Hi Jamie,
A pleasant recap of a dense chapter. When I read your lists of things that leave you unbalanced, I thought, "Wow, she has really pinpointed things exactly." And then I felt kind of out of sorts myself, empathetic ungrounding. The one that hit me was "staying at a job that didn't fit me." That's where I am now. Thanks for pointing it out -- I had not pinpointed it until now. I secretly hope you publish a list of stuff that grounds you.

Suzie Ridler said...

Fabulous post! Got me thinking, thinking, thinking. I will borrow this idea for later if you don't mind.

I agree, moving to Toronto was one of the worst experiences for our root chakra Jamie. I'm glad you managed to balance a life there that makes you happy.

Thank you so much for your comments, they've been so encouraging and helpful. I really appreciate them.