We often hear that life is about finding “balance,” when we continuously juggle work and rest, ambition and contentment, self, and others. Yet, “balance” by its nature, is a constant act of judgement. While “balance” can help us manage opposing forces, it can also leave us feeling as though we are always negotiating and compromising. What if, instead of striving for “balance,” we aimed for harmony?
Harmony invites a rhythm of its own. It is not about equal parts or perfect symmetry, but how we integrate. With harmony, the elements of our lives do not compete, they collaborate. The sense of a definitive alignment begins to flow. In Buddhist terms, harmony allows us to move from reactive living to intentional presence. With harmony, there is less control and more consistency.
In a world that constantly pulls us in opposite directions, we need fewer balancing acts. We should strive to find more spaces of harmony where we can simply just be.
My advice for our New Year: Allow issues to naturally vibrate together for a while, and experience the “balance” of harmony.
Bud Megargee is a former senior behavioral healthcare executive; a Washington, DC., healthcare lobbyist; and an independently published, best-selling and award-winning author. He began writing after exploring Eastern philosophy and alternative medicine techniques in the professional treatment of emotional challenges at a Taiwanese Buddhist monastery.