Dynamic Balance

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Question:

Derek, you often speak of dynamic balance. What does it mean exactly?

Answer:

Dynamic balance refers to a real-world situation where you make constant adjustments to move closer to the point of equilibrium. Think of a trained seal balancing a club on its nose. At any instant the club is slightly off-balance, but the seal moves accordingly to compensate and bring it back around a closer approximation of balance.

Another example is a circus performer walking the tightrope or the highwire. The performer moves forward with numerous, minute adjustments, taking body position, vibration, speed and the wind into account. In essence, it is no different from other feats of balance. The art is in making it look easy and effortless.

High-level Tao cultivators intuitively grasp the understanding that balance in life does not mean a stagnant and changeless state. Instead, real balance is a living, breathing thing. To attain it, we remain perceptive of the situation, the environment, and other people around us. We maintain flexibility and agility, so that we can adjust quickly and calmly from one moment to the next. It may look easy and effortless, but that is the result of practice and mastery.

Derek Lin
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