Heart of Sufism Book Notes Regarding Balance

(These are direct quotes from the book, but are compiled in a way to provide a summary for the chapter on balance.)

Success and failure are caused by balance and by the lack of it.  Progress and lack of progress can be explained as coming from balance and lack of balance.  However, perfect balance controls movement too much, bringing it to the pitch of inertia.  If the right and left leg were equal, one would not be able to walk.  The ordinary balance, which is not complete, brings about success.

Balance is naturally there, so there is no need to attain it.  The question is only how to maintain balance.  By keeping a few minutes for a process of meditation, of silence, we can touch complete balance for a moment, and then, naturally, in our active life a balance is maintained.  Complete balance in meditation makes one capable of maintaining the balance necessary for activity. 

Once balance is lost, it’s very difficult to bring it about again.  It is just like a clock getting out of order; it cannot work as long as it is not brought into a proper balance again – and the same is true for the condition of the soul.  To be too sad, to be too busy, to be too lazy – all these things are signs of a lack of balance.  All that can be called too much, is always out of balance.