Balance

Ayurveda is a form of natural/alternative medicine which is considered a sister science to the practice of yoga. In my opinion, it is one of the most fascinating systems and I am currently reading all about it to prepare myself for a yoga training I'll be starting in the coming year.  Ayurveda aims at balancing out the body and the mind by using nature as its guide. This time of year, the dominant dosha is "vata". The cold, dryness and movement (or wind) of the fall, especially in late fall, tend to increase in our bodies as well as in weather. It is also a time of change, where we tend to feel a bit un-grounded.

For this reason, I've been practicing a lot of balancing poses on my yoga mat and working on building heat in my core to keep my body warm. I tend to be cold all the time so this is important for me. As I was contemplating the things I needed to focus on counteract the cold, dryness and movement (warm soups, lots of moisture and slowing way down) it dawned on me that my family was experiencing a bit of an imbalance last week.  My hubby was out of town for work yet again and us girls were having a hard time. This was the second consecutive week that daddy was "missing" from our lives and we just could not get it together. The girls were having a hard time sleeping, we seemed to be late every where we went, emotions were running high and patience was a virtue that was non-existent. The three of us were tired, and not ourselves.

Come Friday, daddy came home earlier than expected after hearing my defeated voice on the phone. He knew that it had been a long week and I believe he sensed that we were out of balance without him here. As soon as he walked in the door, things seemed better. I can't explain it, but they did. Somehow, the girls started behaving in ways that actually mirrored their  chipper personalities and they didn't seem as off. I felt instantly relieved to have my partner back, another set of shoulders for things to fall upon. His strength, his comfort and his laughter filled our home. That night, we all went out to sushi in the pouring rain, and the four of us walked hand in hand from our car to the restaurant. At that very second, I felt the pieces come together. Click. We were again in balance. And so the rest of the weekend we acclimated to having him back and we showered him with lots of hugs and kisses.

Hopeful that he'll stick around for a few weeks (or even months) until he has to pack his suitcase again. Until then, us ladies will enjoy knowing that our little family is complete. Balance. It is such a powerful thing.