Balancing Like a Flamingo
Part of our work on the path back to the Lord entails leading a balanced life – supporting ourselves, being a good citizen, and maintain loving relationships with friends and family, all while doing our spiritual practice of solitary meditation.
Masters, through the example of their own lives, show us what a truly balanced life looks like. They have earned their own living, married, had children, and carried out their social and civic duties, all while making spiritual enlightenment their priority. And once appointed as Master, they spend their time doing their seva, which is to shepherd us home to the Lord by way of the same path they have traveled.
They repeatedly tell us that we must detach ourselves from the world and attach ourselves to the Lord through meditation. It is precisely that shift in focus from the world to the Lord that allows us to lead a balanced, detached life. We need to rise above the world so that we don’t get bogged down in the quicksand of worldly attachments.
That is easier said than done. In nature, maybe the elegant flamingo can provide another example. They’re tall, stately birds with long legs. They often stand in the water on one leg, the other tucked beneath their body. No one quite understands why they stand on one leg, but there are a couple of theories. One is that the flamingo, like some other animals, can have half of its body go into a state of sleep, and when one side is rested, the flamingo will swap legs and then let the other half sleep. Another theory is that standing on one leg may allow the birds to conserve more body heat, given that they spend a significant amount of time wading in cold water. While standing in the water, flamingos occasionally stamp both their webbed feet in the mud to stir up food from the bottom so they can catch something to eat. They effectively utilize their legs to rest, restore energy, and feed themselves.
Just like a flamingo, many of us have tried to balance on one leg during an exercise or in yoga class. The teacher instructs us to pull one leg up, one foot pressed into the opposite inner thigh, while folding our hands together in a prayer position. Sometimes, just when we think we’re about to fall over, the teacher may tell us to hold the position for another 15 more seconds. Sometimes we can hold the pose, and sometimes we fall over. As with most things in life, the more we practice balancing on one leg, the longer we can hold the pose. However, sometimes when we’re tired, worried, or distracted, we may lose our balance.
Living in the world while seeking the Lord is just such a balancing act. For example, if we are stressed at our job, that stress leaks into our home life and may affect our relationships and ability to set aside time for meditation. A chain of cause and effect can easily ensue. To stem this chain reaction, we must reset our attitude and regain our balance.
We must stand tall, just like the flamingo standing on one leg. We are marshalling our energy through meditation so that we can function in a more detached manner out in the world. While one part of us is dealing with the day-to-day trials of life, the other is stockpiling our spiritual treasure. Like the flamingo, we may periodically have to stick that second leg down into the world to live our daily lives. Then, as we regain our strength and balance, we can pull back from the world a bit, as we keep building up our reserves through meditation.
Our journey home is assured. Like the flamingo, we may stand on one leg or two, as needed, to allow us to maintain our balance and then rise above the muddy water of this world. Now is the time of our spiritual awakening, as we stand still, calmly focusing on our inner Master.