“What is joy without sorrow? what is success without failure? what is a win without a loss? what is health without illness? you have to experience each if you are to appreciate the other. there is always going to be suffering. it’s how you look at your suffering, how you deal with it, that will define you.”
― Mark Twain

Life begs for balance, both outward and inward. We see the proof of this in the natural world, in the wild kingdoms and in our own sacred spaces. We watch the animals migrate and move with the seasons, we watch as the flora responds to climate and we watch as the waters and winds change, complimenting the heat of the sun.

Little do we consciously attune to our own inner shifting, to maintaining our own spiritual balance.

And so we should..

In a mindful lesson we can learn that a balance is needed of both positive and negative forces. These are the great builders of life, mind and spirit. These are the compliments that shape our world.

About a months ago, as an exercise, I took it upon myself to create a routine of becoming mindfully aware of my thoughts as they arise. To my surprise, many of these thoughts were responses to fear, doubt and confusion. Many focused on the past, and more focused on the many possible versions of the future that I hope for.

Not many were based in the present moment at all, and as a result, many were negative, and this clouds the mind.

As part of the exercise I also began writing a gratitude journal, listing  and contemplating on concepts and other intangible gifts that I’m truly grateful for having in my life, and in doing so, something magical happened.

I began to notice my thoughts, and consciously began to change them. Immediately, I felt the restoration of balance overcome my heart and mind. I began to feel the moments of gratitude that I wrote about in the present sphere, and I began to smile at the moment in understanding that it is truly perfect, always.

If we attune our effort to our present unfolding, to our inner feelings and our evolving thoughts, we then notice them as points of awareness. In doing this, we can change our experience. We can make the negative transform and balance with positive thought, and positive feeling.

This is the conscious effort to change. This is the way that we find our inner balance, our inner and outward harmony with the life that we share with one another.

We all have moments of unrest, of despair, pain and sorrow. We all have moments of confusion, anger and frustration. But these do not move us, they do not make us and they do not dictate our lives.

They are simply moments to recognize, accept and let go of. They are but tools to help us learn and teach us patience. These tools bring us to a greater understanding of our spirit, our passions and our true purpose.

They exist to create the balance that we desire, all acting as compliments to the greater truth that exists within us all. But it is up to us to make the shift, to create the balance within.

We must become mindful of these moments. We must understand that our power to see the darkness is just the same to become the light.

The choice is always ours.

Place this life on the scales of truth and gratitude, and you will move to the space within, to the higher vibrations of this world.

Build the balance within your heart, and watch this life shine with brilliance that never fades.