Embracing Balance
It is often a challenge to give yourself permission to vacate from the left side of your brain for a much- needed hiatus with the right side of your brain. You can often become consumed in logical thinking and focusing on any given task or goal. When you are in your yang environment, moving your energy out into the world, helping or engaging with others, you feel powerful. It is so easy to remain in your yang because who doesn’t like to feel powerful. You may feel that you are most creative and strong in your masculine energy. Single parents, both male and female, for instance, often get caught up in their yang energy and forget to be attentive to the yin (feminine energy). This can occur quite often when there is no partner to reflect the opposite energies necessary in your space. This is when an imbalance occurs.
When you take the opportunity to acknowledge the right hemisphere of your brain, you are in your feminine realm; you’re soft, nurturing, and intuitive. You create intimacy with your children, partner, and other family members. You cook, bake, hug and kiss your children. You flow. Your feminine energy beckons you to get back in tune with your feelings, emotions, and you must admit, you don’t often like to get in the feelings mode. Nurturing feminine energy requires patience with self and others, reflection, and processing of emotions. And in today’s fast-paced, over-stimulated society, who has time for that. Sometimes you can be at peace with your yin and nurture yourself. Other times, you may feel that if you allow your yin to take over, it will slow you down from completing tasks and achieving goals from the yang energetic environment. What you must learn throughout the years is that if you flow with the energetic presence of either, there will always be conflict or feelings of unfulfillment eventually. However, if you learn to blend both energy sources successfully most of the time, there is no actual yin and yang. There is only a continuance of energy. There will be a symmetry created that will balance the yin and yang diminishing the harsh distinctions and simply creating peaceful coexistence of opposite energy. Your body will accept intuitively when each energy source is to become prominent to remain productive and to maintain inner peace.
If you begin to respect both the yin and yang presence, you allow yourself to reach your full potential and optimal functioning level. You create the balance of the yin balancing out your yang so that are neither too logical nor are you excessively emotional. You can compromise more when you invite your yin energy into your space. This is productive in making decisions, creating plans and projects and moving your yang energy outwards to help others. You are more aware of the energy of your thoughts. For example: Are you behaving stubbornly? Are you responding too logically? Is your behavior an emotional response? Are you being one-sided?
How do you know when your yang energy is out of balance? You can feel imbalance when you can’t sleep. Your circadian rhythm is out of balance. You are not responding to the universe. You are not flowing. You may also experience an inability to remain still. You may become distracted with daily stressors and lose sight of your goals. Inspiration may decrease and positivity can become scarce. Conversely, if yin energy is deficient, frustration sets in and you can feel burnt out. You lose your fluidity. You are not receptive and become easily agitated. There is no peace.
The key to regaining balance in the absence or lack of either state is to begin to become mindful of your thoughts and behavior. There are a couple of ways to become more present with your thoughts and emotions which include practicing mindfulness and conscious awareness. Learning to meditate can also be a helpful tool in creating presence and the ability to tune into your energy levels. If you are not in the habit of practicing self-reflection and being in tune with yourself, this may take some time.
If you are feeling down, lack motivation, and sad, consciously change the flow of energy. Go to the gym. Get outside. Engage with a friend or loved one. Keep your body moving. However, if you feel as if you just cannot get off the tracks and you find yourself huffing and puffing with activity, you need to “stop.” Get of that train. Have a seat, relax, breathe. In Radiant Soulutions, you will learn to tune into your internal energies. You will practice remaining present. You will be taught meditation techniques. Different breathing exercises will be implemented into your daily schedule. You will learn to respect your yin and yang energy so that they can move continuously in sync with one another and not stagnate. You will achieve optimal performance in your daily life.
Ashanti Shakir, LMFT
