” ‘How can I make the shift toward true balance?’ I asked the sage.
A fish broke the surface of the pond, sending ripples radiating along its mirrored surface as the sage responded; ‘Go to that quiet place, that still pond inside you. Look. Listen. Pay attention to any ripples in your body or your life caused by doing too much or too little in areas of eating, drinking, exercise, work, or communication.’
As I considered this, another thought arose. ‘With everything going on in the world today, spending all this energy looking inside and finding balance and serenity seems kind of self-centered.’
Smiling, the sage beckoned me to walk with her around the pond. ‘Many people confuse self-centered with being selfish,’ she said. ‘But once, you also find the inner peace and inner power to make a real difference in the world.’
She bent over and picked up a thin, long, straight branch and proceeded to balance it upon one finger. The branch stood perfectly upright at first; then it began to move slightly to and fro, tilting forward then backward. ‘Desires and attachments pull you forward,’ she said. ‘Fear, resistance, and avoidance pull you backward. Extremes of any kind, even taking rigid sides on an issue, can drive you out of that balanced place that values all sides of any issue. Do you understand?’
‘Like all the laws as I intend to share with you,’ she continued ‘the Law of Balance is not just a philosophy but a way of life, with very practical applications. Once you begin to notice what’s out of balance feels like, you’ll begin to notice what’s out of balance in any area of your life; this serves as an automatic signal to you to return to that centered place within. You apply the Law of Balance by noticing your imbalances.’ 
‘The Law of Balance assures us that those who give freely, in the spirit of love and generosity, receive in abundance.’
Just as the egret by the pond can stand on one leg, find balance in your life and in all things. Honor this law, and follow in the footsteps of the wise. Explore the range of human experience, but since habitual extremes create stress, always return to the golden mean, the middle way. Let your actions and words come forth softly, like the changing seasons. From that inner state of balance, you’ll find clarity and peace.’ ”
The Laws of Spirit – Simple, Powerful Truths for Making Life Work, Dan Millman, pgs. 51-53.