This is the working program for one of our [[Group Experiences]].
==Balance at The Equinox==
March 20, 2010
===Program===
Opening Words and Lighting of the Chalice
::'''For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:'''
:::a time to be born, and a time to die;
:::a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
:::a time to work, and a time to rest;
:::a time for noise, and a time for silence;
:::a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
:::a time for friends, and a time for solitude;
:::a time for starfaring, and a time to take root on the earth.
::'''For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.'''
::::~based on Ecclesiastes 3
Spirit of Life
Machines by Michael Donaghy
Gather the Spirit
Two Balance Games
Here Comes the Sun with Judy and Steve
Thoughts on Balance and Discussion with Heather
Come, Sing a Song with Me
Closing Words
:Like a cyclist or a harpsichordist,
::may we balance by moving,
::and by balancing, move.
:Blessed be.
:'''Blessed be.'''
===Notes from the discussion===
*Heather is in the middle of trying to discover for herself what balance is or could look like
*Group is asked to write or draw ideas/images that remind us of balance or finding one's center
*Heather's old images of balance
** Shortly after becoming a parent, her first image was a to-do list
** Then a pie chart, dividing up finite personal resources
** Tug-of-war with Heather as the rope (passive)
** "Hats" that she wears at various times, ex. sports, childcare, creativity, career
** Teeter-totter: Balance shifted so far in one direction, toward adapting and accomodating external needs, that she was coming close to burnout
* Heather's present balance issues
** work vs. family
** Kid's book describing how you need to balance caring for body, soul, heart, and mind
*** Main character is too focused on mind (reading books)
*** Body: riding bikes
*** Soul: lying and watching clouds w/ harmonica-playing friend
*** Heart: drawing pictures w/ friend
** Accepting life as it is, vs. need to make changes
** Past, present, future
** Self vs. others
** Flexibility vs. structure (Heather tends to prefer the latter)
** Intuitive vs. logical/linear thought
* Heather's new images
** Standing on one foot while holding the other
*** Hand on your stomach/''center'' helps
** Venn diagram of all areas of life
*** Self and self-study/mindfulness is at center where all circles overlap
** Two that Heather uses w/ clients, kids & families at a mental health clinic
*** Giant wave representing emotions threatening to carry you away
*** Surfboarder riding on top of the wave
* Others' images
** John:
*** Parachute
*** Snowboarder
*** Person hanging on two ends of a rope around a pulley
*** Computer, representing need for balance at his software job
**** He recently started running during lunch breaks
** Shelley: Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill
** Steve (writing): Some oscillation away from balance is usually essential, but you have more freedom when near a balance point
** Judy (poems)
*** "Raking dry leaves in a wind"
**** Last two lines: "Our work is undone behind us as we go on / doing the work because there's work to be done."
*** "Spooning away"
** Lyric:
*** Fractal
**** Within each area of life that you have to balance w/ other areas, there are sub-areas to balance as well
**** Like w/ the Venn diagram, you're at the center
*** Seesaw: using many tiny muscles to keep it level
*** Finding the appropriate/necessary amount for each area (doesn't have to be 8 hrs per area per day just because it's 8 hrs at work)
*** The universe is not fundamentally made of things, but of relationships
*** Christopher Alexander book, ''Patterns'': all aspects of life should be "blended"
** Judy:
*** Does work count as part of life?
*** Other things are more important, but you might not have any of yourself left to maintain it
** Steve: In traditional societies, husbands and wives looked after separate sides of the balance
** Heather and Steve: Seasons, only letting day and night be in balance two days a year, give dynamism that makes our world what it is