Walking The Middle Path

Finding balance amidst the extremes of life

Apr 07, 2024

Hey It’s Jenny, your home yoga hype girl!

Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I share personal insights & the best online yoga resources, handpicked just for you.

Welcome to Change: Week Two.

This week we are reflecting on the middle path and what it teaches us about balance, harmony and change.

The featured practices are a mixture of asana & meditation classes to help you find balance on & off your mat.

What’s your approach to life?

Do you crave novelty, never truly happy unless the scenery is changing? Are you a free spirit, relishing life’s tidal whims and eagerly diving back into the ocean after every crash against the shore?

Or, do you prioritize familiarity? Are you a creature of habit, content to tread the same, familiar paths of your comfortable life in one big, repeating loop?

Maybe, like me, you fall somewhere in the middle.

In a lot of ways, I’m a free spirit. I don’t over-schedule or plan my life. I prefer to wake up and roam freely through my day. I enjoy the spontaneity of last minute coffee dates, spur of the moment road trips and impromptu dinner plans.

On the other hand, I thrive in routine. I am deeply devoted to the supportive, morning and evening rituals that bookend my days. They are reliable, but also flexible. I’m able to show up for them no matter what is happening in my life.

I balance my dueling desires, for adventure and stability, to create harmony in my daily life. I wasn’t always like this though. I used to vacillate wildly between extremes.

I was either an out-all-night, life-of-the party girl, or a borderline agoraphobic homebody.

I went from owning a small yoga studio to not teaching a single yoga class for three years.

I battled eating disorders for decades. Starting with a feeble attempt at anorexia, followed by full blown bulimia and eventually orthorexia - a debilitating obsession with “healthy” food. I finally burnt out in my late thirties and start feasting on Cheetos and frozen chicken nuggets.

It took me a long time to learn the value of balance.

These days, I socialize during the day and spend my evenings at home. I channel my inner yoga teacher by writing this newsletter. I eat what I want, when I want to eat it. I do enjoy a good nuggy once in a while - I just eat it with broccoli now.

The Middle Path

I try to walk a middle path. Which - according to many ancient and modern scholars - is the sweet spot.

As you can see, from the graphic above, the concept of the middle path has been interpreted and applied in many different ways, by many different people, throughout history.

Simply put, the middle path is the balance between extremes. It is a powerful perspective. It’s also an invaluable tool for coping with impermanence. AKA - change.

Our world is a pendulum of polarity: hot/cold, light/dark, hard/soft, life/death, etc. We naturally swing back and forth from one opposite to the other. Day turns to night, we’re hungry then we’re full, we clean something and it gets dirty again. Babies are born and loved ones die.

Walking the middle path helps us navigate these swings. It’s like that famous quote: You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

What it means to walk the middle path

When it comes to change, walking the middle path means:

We don’t cling desperately to preferences and attachments. We don’t need things to be a certain way, or stay the same, to feel safe and satisfied. We aren’t grasping, striving or struggling for what we do not have.

We who walk the middle path, do not fear change and we do not force it.

The middle path has had a profound affect on my quality of life. I’ve settled into an easeful existence and I am happy.

Don’t get me wrong. I am affected by life’s up and downs, often deeply. I get sad and mad and manic sometimes. I’m as volatile as the next person. But I’m learning to make peace with all of it.

It’s a balancing act.

It’s the middle path.

Standing Flow For Balance - 15 Minute Lower Body Focus | Jessica Richburg

15 Minutes | All Levels

We don’t practice yoga to get better at yoga. We practice yoga to get better at life. Everything we do on our mat prepares us to go out into the world and move through it gracefully.

This balance class is about so much more than standing on one foot. Approach it with a playful, curious attitude. Notice where your mind goes when you fall. Pay close attention to the feeling of swaying back and forth, side to side, as you find your center.

I enjoyed this gentle flow very much, but I wouldn’t recommend it for mornings. The sequence starts standing, which works best if you’re already warm. I practiced it in the evening, after I had already gone for a walk and been active all day.

Meditation for Mental Balance and Grounding | Yoga With Adriene

17 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly

Sometimes, all you need, to find your center, is a time out. This guided meditation is the perfect opportunity for that.

I’ve only ever done Adriene’s asana classes, but I’ve been curious about her meditations for a while. So, when I came across this class, I knew I had to try it.

Adriene’s trademark is her relatability. Her presence is so reassuring and that energy translated beautifully to meditation. I loved this offering and I think you will too.

Spring Into Movement | 15 Min Spring Morning Yoga Flow | Wake Up & Unwind! | Yoga With Shaunneka

17 Minutes | All Levels

Spring has definitely sprung and a lot of online teachers are honoring the vibrant, rejuvenating energy of the moment with spring themed classes.

This class from Yoga With Shaunneka is a wonderful addition.

I was surprised and delighted to discover a lot of new (to me) movements in this sequence. Shaunneka has a unique approach to asana and I am here for it! I felt so good after practicing this class. Like…aaaaamazing.

The whole flow is seated & supine, so it is a nice way to start the day with gentle, easeful movement.

As you can see, I’m still playing with the visuals. What do you think? Do you like the solid “reflections”, “put it into practice” and “final thoughts” banners from last week? Or are you vibing with the more playful banners I included this week? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.