Ultimately

...balance is a challenge for me. For how calm I may think I am, for how peaceful I may feel much of the time, A Dragon Stands Between Heaven And Earth has been kicking my ass back and forth for well over a year now.  (I am so far unable to hold this pose for longer than about 5 minutes.)

Despite growing two kids at the moment, an earthly and elemental activity if ever there was one, I still find it challenging to keep my feet planted on solid ground consistently.

And to keep my fierce fire stoked (parenting is also this: fierce).

When I feel out-of-balance, I have a tendency to be heavy handed in my attempts to stay grounded. I envision structure and discipline as the great enforcers and begin to schedule and plan.

Thus far, this doesn't work. For many many years I would feel bad about myself when it wouldn't work. I felt like I had a deficit. Thankfully, I reject that now. Not only is life too short to spend on self-loathing, but life is ever changing and therefore, living is a constant and active process of Balance.

Observing and noting excess and lack can be done dispassionately, and can inform our intentions to adjust our balance...to heal...to be truly connected, at the cellular level, to the Universe. When we move from an alive state of awareness to a passive rut of un-magical thinking, it is time to find a wormhole to a new state of activation.

A Dragon Stands Between Heaven And Earth is that wormhole, for me.

This morning, while holding the pose, The Dragon Stands Between Heaven And Earth, I was struck anew by the direct correlations between this stance, this state of being, and my Self. I can use this standing meditation not only as a tool, but also as model. I took the picture in a moment of blind inspiration and was immediately charmed by this new visual I have. A vision of who I am and who I continue be.