August 19th, 2010
Balance, Biofeedback, and Happiness
As a spiritual principle, balance is something that can hardly be overrated. While there are plenty of philosophies that focus on finding the meaning of happiness, there are few paths that actually teach that happiness should be at the center of all things. In fact, it could be said that some of the world’s great teachings suggest that happiness is as illusory as anything fleeting.
It could come down to a matter of definitions, of course. The western definition of happiness is bound to be quite different than an eastern interpretation. For some cultures, material possessions signify happiness, while for others, the word would be very similar to peace. In a number of teachings, from the east, from West Africa , and from indigenous traditions in the Americas , balance is the central value that makes a life meaningful.
In the contemporary world, where obsessions can run back and forth between objects, there is also some attention to looking within. Recent work in yoga, biofeedback , and other forms of alternative health and living, do stress balance as a way of being in the world. It means neither happy nor sad, but holding the potential to respond to the situation that arises with the proper attitude. Still, for anyone who’s experienced balance, it does feel remarkably close to happy.
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