Balance – an Important Life Ingredient?
Gunner Jensen
May 22, 2007
It seems to me that balance is a very important factor in life. Balance between the divine and the earthly. Balance between spirit, mind and body, contemplation and action, rest and activity. Balance between individual and social interests. Balance in what we eat and drink - not being fanatic and not being exaggerating either. Balance in our views - being tolerant but not accepting every injustice or stupidity without trying to fight against it. Balance in religion and politics is a very important topic these days. Religion is a good thing when it gives people faith and hope. When it helps people to deal with losses and sickness, fear and death . . . but fanatic religious beliefs that suppress and hurt others are not acceptable. Politics ought to be the art of negotiations and compromises - not a means of securing extraordinary benefits for some at the expense of others. Having power doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be used to overrule anybody else's rights and interests.
Being on earth we have to participate in the earthly life. If we were all sitting on a mountain meditating all day long we would never have had the scientific development that we have been through. Some people spend so much time in the spiritual spheres that they almost live in their own world apart from others around them. Other people consider their time on earth as a time of suffering, thus spending all their lives awaiting a divine future after their physical deaths.
On the other hand, we live in societies that are fast paced and stressful to most of us. A lot of people spend their whole lives trying to create more and more material wealth, and in many circles the only thing that counts is being number one in everything. In many circles today it is considered a quality when people say: I hate to loose! But if you are playing a friendly tennis match or participating in any kind of social activity, isn't that attitude ridiculous? Are prestige, power and wealth all that matter? Does it help people in any way if they get a serious illness? Or lose a near family member? Does it help them to accept the fact that one day they will not be here anymore? Will it remove their possible fear of death?
A certain balance between spiritual and material life might be appropriate. If we are here for a divine purpose, we must try to make the best out of our lives - accepting at the same time that other people have the same rights as ourselves. Thus a balance between individual and social interests is necessary. Being selfish or egocentric isn't making anyone happy, and sacrificing our own lives for others isn't good either.
All our lives take place between contrasts: hot - cold, sweet - sour, cruelty - compassion, light - darkness, etc. All kinds of experiences are generated from some kind of interaction between these contrasts. Thus balance might be a very important lesson for us to learn while we are on this earth.
Of course, if there is no purpose to our lives at all, if all existence is completely coincidental and limited, then the conclusion might be different.
Being on earth we have to participate in the earthly life. If we were all sitting on a mountain meditating all day long we would never have had the scientific development that we have been through. Some people spend so much time in the spiritual spheres that they almost live in their own world apart from others around them. Other people consider their time on earth as a time of suffering, thus spending all their lives awaiting a divine future after their physical deaths.
On the other hand, we live in societies that are fast paced and stressful to most of us. A lot of people spend their whole lives trying to create more and more material wealth, and in many circles the only thing that counts is being number one in everything. In many circles today it is considered a quality when people say: I hate to loose! But if you are playing a friendly tennis match or participating in any kind of social activity, isn't that attitude ridiculous? Are prestige, power and wealth all that matter? Does it help people in any way if they get a serious illness? Or lose a near family member? Does it help them to accept the fact that one day they will not be here anymore? Will it remove their possible fear of death?
A certain balance between spiritual and material life might be appropriate. If we are here for a divine purpose, we must try to make the best out of our lives - accepting at the same time that other people have the same rights as ourselves. Thus a balance between individual and social interests is necessary. Being selfish or egocentric isn't making anyone happy, and sacrificing our own lives for others isn't good either.
All our lives take place between contrasts: hot - cold, sweet - sour, cruelty - compassion, light - darkness, etc. All kinds of experiences are generated from some kind of interaction between these contrasts. Thus balance might be a very important lesson for us to learn while we are on this earth.
Of course, if there is no purpose to our lives at all, if all existence is completely coincidental and limited, then the conclusion might be different.
Print
Email
