”Eu fiz um acordo com o tempo…
Nem ele me persegue, nem eu fujo dele…
Qualquer dia a gente se encontra e,
Dessa forma, vou vivendo
Intensamente cada momento…”

~Mario Lago

I had another realization today of the unconscious flow that happens when I work with stone balance…  The flow was not part of my conscious awareness at the time, but looking back, it seems that somehow I am tapping into an intention of beauty inside AND outside myself… at least for my own enjoyment and bliss, if nothing else… little more than a vessel for the desires of something greater than myself…?

Anyway, I’ve come to believe that most, or all rock balancers are unconsciously drawn to certain locations at certain times to balance… through an infinitely complex “system of wiggles” or circumstances, or whatever.. something quite incomprehensible.  All I know is that I am absolutely drawn to balancing rocks… as if possessed at times… here I will attempt to illustrate the small nuances that led to a final balance of the day, perfectly aligned with the sunset twilight itself..

The day started with a regular visit to the creek.. and a rather ordinary balance.. :) but through a series of obscure nuances, my awareness jumped around to and from a variety of things..  With the first balance completed, I began my usual photography of the work, despite the sharp sunlight, making less than ideal photo conditions… I’ve always been keen to small details, especially in my photography… I’m very particular to precise angles and distances to achieve what the best possible result… Shooting the first balance was rather mundane… just some regular pictures… however, a small imperfection in the water surface caught my attention in the distance… a very small twig, barely visible reached above the surface making an unwanted ripple in the reflection… so…. being a slight perfectionist… I went to remove the subtle distraction..

In the process, I stumbled across another larger rock nearby (in the background of my photo) that was causing another slight unwanted ripple… so I picked it up, not giving much thought.. and threw it to the side without care.. :P  BUT, the image of the rock crashing into the water *crystallized the interesting shape into my brain… from that point, the rock had found it’s own way into my awareness… perhaps for a reason… I didn’t think much about it at the moment… but some time later, I finished photographing my balance and decided I could elaborate on its complexity (all while keeping the nice top rock i found :)

It was later when I decided to rearrange, that the crystallized shape came back as something I could implement into a more elaborate design… so I went and searched for my previously discarded ‘nuisance’ rock. :)  The rock turned out to work seamlessly as a trunk to a wonky counterbalance… I worked with my counterbalance for at least an hour… frustrated at times… but KNEW it was possible. and had the intended possibility already in mind as something that excited my spirit… so i worked… and worked… to make it happen. Finally it was realized… I shot some pictures and decided to abandon to go home and eat.. and say hi to a special someone.. <3 :)

afterward I decided to return to the same balance to see if it remained in the waning daylight on such a beautiful day… normally i experience a certain enchantment surrounding sunsets and rocks :)  today was no exception… however, my balance collapsed during my absence.. and I had to rebuild… but this time i perfected the process and tweaked the angles slightly to get my ideal design :D  and it came back together in about 5 minutes :)  ***PRACTICE ;)

but this time it was more beautiful than before… and the sky was now overcast for perfect photo light… though the sun was just about to peak through a cloud gap.. so I started shooting photos and basking in the shifting light.. AWE INSPIRING BLISS…. purely in the moment.. :D

There is always such an inspiring feeling when I create a certain design through rock balance :)  it just happens, and my intuition identifies the beauty IMMEDIATELY.. :)

Along with the series of nuances over the course of the day… the final and perhaps most spectacular realization for me, was shooting the above photo.. :)  The image jumped out at me as a somewhat metaphysical realization or transition of seasons… The Spring Equinox (in a physical sense) was nearly a month ago, but Boulder has received the majority of the year’s snowfall just recently…  so mental processing of the seasonal shift was still in development… Through this picture the shift jumped out at me, as one side (south) of the creek was still covered in melting snow, while the North side began growing green grass on the banks.. All with a beautiful balance along the divide… the observation was profound for me because in my mind it finally felt like the last of winter conditions and a fresh start approached… since this moment… inspiration has felt infinite.. and refreshing <3

I shot pictures of the balance for at least an hour, catching all kinds of magic ;)  and then, interestingly, after darkness fell, I decided to pack up my gear… within 2 minutes of stopping the photography and packing up, the balance suddenly collapsed on its own, completing the cycle :) and giving me a very happy feeling <3  like I was completely aligned with the universal flow somehow :)  I felt some extreme gratitude in these moments… that continued into the night and on my bike ride home…. :D

In my mind… the tiny twig on a regular day was one of many small nuances that inevitably led to my realization and feeling of seasonal shift. and PURE BLISS. <3

“The person who is a master in the art of living makes little distinction between their work and their play. Their labor and their leisure, their mind and their body. Their education and their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which. They simply pursue their vision of excellence and grace in whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing. To them, they are always doing both.”

I can’t emphasize enough the value of following your own sacred intuition.. those deep down feelings and spiritual excitements. By doing this I have learned to relax in the face of uncertainty, to exist in the moment more easily and throoughly… Balancing Rocks teaches many disciplines.

The balance pictured here took about an hour, maybe two, to realize.. All I know for sure is that it took so long that I almost gave up several times. Not because I was doubtful of the possibility. Rather, I was certain of it’s possibility. However sitting still with arms raised and bracing the tension, in a freezing creek, definitely speeds up fatigue.

The most difficult part of this balance was the slippery faces of the rocks.  They really do not cater much to flinching and small slips… barely even for small adjustments.  The smallest rock in the middle was the most crucial piece and the most slippery. Placing it just right to support the huge weight above consumed much of my patience… BUT. it FINALLY worked.

Actually the four top rocks collaborate into an extremely complex, system of balance… One peice slightly adjusted by fractions of a millimeter will yield collapse… mostly because the top rock is so massive in comparison.  (and BEAUTIFUL)

Photography and perspective plays an integral roll in recording the elegance of a balance.. For this one, I was able to capture the best angle on ALL the balance points by shooting from far away with a minor telephoto lens.  Shooting from far away will always give a better perspective on the collective balance.. and for me the telephoto view seems to give a more intimate character in the balance..  Not a rule, just a pattern.  If you feel like trying, just go out and do it and I imagine you’ll discover a new enchantment. :)

Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back.

~Plato

I thought this was a special moment.. after about 45 minutes, i changed this balance from its original arrangement mostly on a whim. then 5 minutes later, the leaf fell from one of the trees overhead, landing perfectly on the counterbalanced rock, and letting me know i wasn’t alone.

“Il n’est pas certain que tout soit incertain.”

~Blaise Pascal, Pascal’s Pensees

Gravity rides a very fine line through these rocks. It required adjustment of all three simultaneously in order realize the final equilibrium. Due to a variable direction balance line, I consider this balance more unpredictable, as to what strength of wind it can handle. Some are remarkably wind resistant, but this style of balance is among the most temporary in my experience. Which is good. I have grown to prefer that my balances fall within a day. Or ideally, while I’m still with them.. Certainty is nice sometimes.

Accepting both certainty AND uncertainty is an integral part of learning this art.  At no point can the balancer have complete control over the stones. Therefore, a high level of care, awareness, and patience must be maintained throughout the process. Certainty also plays a major role in achieving an intended balance. There is either a viable point of contact, or not. Even with the finer point balances, I often KNOW it is possible before I decide if I can do it. However, I also encourage TRYING things that have a level of uncertainty. Many of my favorite balances, and indeed experiences in life, have come out of trying unknowns and existing purely in the moment.