Dear Reader,

Whether you are moving into summer like I am or shifting into winter, I hope you are growing and changing well.

I like to look at balance in my life with each shift in season. If you prefer a more playful and poetic look at this topic, you can read my poem A Fine Balance.​

Here is a brief look at my process in case any of it helps as a starting point for you.

Ren Xue's mission is:

Zi Du Du Ren

This means help yourself and help others.

For me, this is a helpful beginning to the topic of balance. Like many of you, I want to help others! And yet if I am not helping myself enough, I have less to give. If I am not cultivating my own practice enough, then I am not developing my authentic understanding in order to help others from a foundation of wisdom - or at least wisdom as I understand it in that moment:)

Zi Du

I've decided that it would be good to give my physical body more attention. I spent many years learning to slow down and now it is time to learn to speed up on the outside while staying calm and still on the inside. To be honest, my internal focus still needs some work during dance class fancy footwork but speeding up my walking in the woods seems to be going okay. I've also changed my moving practice to Xia Yuan (organs and consequently emotions) and Di Yuan (focus and Qi flow).

I'm also working with a poetry mentor. This is fabulous and also keeps me internally connected - that IS where the poetry comes from:) This crosses over into Du Ren because it is often how I receive information for sharing in addition to my own pattern work. It is also a place I can easily spend too much time...

Du Ren

I am focusing on two areas here. The first is helping out with facilitating Level 2 Teachers Training and the second is accepting a role on the Norms and Ethics Council with Ren Xue International. This may look like Du Ren but I am willing to bet it will also provide many opportunities for my growth. I also love it so that's also Zi Du. I like it when there is this much cross over - it keeps me in the center and balanced I believe.

Time

This is normally a topic that requires much of my attention. On one hand, we have many lives to learn. On the other hand, there are only so many years in this life and so many minutes of the day. It's worth my effort to be very conscious of how I choose to spend my time - with myself, family, friends, others.

Of course on the topic of balance, there are also many other areas to examine: food, outside vs. indoor time, finances, reading, relationships, and how about that garden in the backyard ...

This is what brought me to a good belly laugh and a decision to do a sitting practice and write the ensuing slightly cheeky poem. Because after all, I can plan away and still find myself in the emergency room at the hospital at 3 am (my youngest sprained/broke an arm and will be fine). So then it's time to practice acceptance and be grateful for some moments of mommy fluffing which do not always happen with growing teenagers...

I wish you ease, balance, and meaningful moments.

With gratitude for your courage and life cultivation efforts,​
Stephanie

I'm Stephanie Ross, a senior Ren Xue Yuan Qigong teacher, poet, and writer living on Vancouver Island, Canada. You can learn more about me and life cultivation or read some of my poems and articles on my website.

A Fine Balance

I

rise naturally

– give your body the sleep it needs

rise early

­ – give your being the practice it needs

work to meet the basic needs

– and relax into healing and play

eat

– but not too much

drink lots of water

– but not so much you never leave the toilet

enjoy a treat

– but only on holidays ­

and without much sugar or salt

and preferably with a protein

​

A fine balance indeed.

II

we learned balance on the playground...

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What's Coming Up

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Photo Credits. All photos are taken by me, Stephanie Ross, unless otherwise stated. Private Sessions photo: Jax McAllister.

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