I was moved last evening by the 8 minute 24 second, live spot you see embedded to the left, by a friend of mine, Darius Wright, who lives in New South Wales, Australia. A yoga instructor, personal trainer, fitness and wellness educator, Darius is also a genuinely nice guy. At 22, he resonates like an elder in his winter season. How he got that way is a mystery to me. I’ve known quite a few individuals throughout my life who were wise beyond their physical years, but Darius is different. I’ve never been able to quite put my finger on what his “it” factor is, but when you meet him his presence is undeniable; kind, sincere, ever-calm, mindful, and introspective, while retaining a desirable, child-like quality for embracing the exuberance of everyday life. His business, KTS Wholistic Fitness, has taken off, and those who attend his live training sessions in NSW are forever changed.

I was there the day this photo to the right was taken, on January 7, 2017 (AU). Well, in full transparency, I was with his partner and her cousins, hanging out at the nearby Byron Bay. We did, however, arrive during what I’ll call the acholades segment; doting students dripping gratitude all over his fit physique, to which Darius responded humbly. Clearly, this dude has excellent physical control while in the throws of a handstand. Yet, as amazing as Darius’ talent is, his true equilibrium lies in his unwavering ability to maintain an even, liquid flow of spirituality. Balance of mind, body and soul. That’s Darius’ gift to himself, and to all lucky enough to cross his path.

So why expand on the wonders of a 22 year old fitness guru?   B a l a n c e .

I’ve been keeping notes on the topic of balance for the last few weeks, and hopefully, one day, I’ll be able to shift, shape, and share the more than a dozen video clips demonstrating what I feel is the primary focal point of balance – that which is seemingly overlooked when the subject is mentioned. Spiritual balance.

There’s financial balance. Emotional balance. Judicial balance. Societal balance. The juggling of home and work, lack vs. excess, haves to the have nots. All, it seems, resolve to the yin yang of scale no matter the primer. Yet, of them all, the one that blankets the lot is spiritual balance; and Darius examples that with each breath he takes, and the egoless offering of self he gives the world.

I used this photo of Darius, also taken at his event in NSW on 1/7/17 as the banner / blog page placeholder image for a recent article here on 1HP called Deep Listening. I did so because of Darius’ abilities in that area. Another demonstration of how spiritual balance permeates the general well-being of one’s demeanor in the physical reality we experience. Take a moment, click on this photo and zoom in. Look at the expression on Darius’ face. He’s really listening. The woman who is expressing herself has his full attention and she knows it. Values it. That’s balance!

Then, look at the humor of the banner image herein (also shown below in full). That photo was taken on December 14th (AU) while we all were flopping around in the waterways of Whian Whian Falls. Darius and his partner, my best girlfriend at the time, took me there for fun, for the pure pleasure of being, and it was exquisite! This composite demonstrates Darius’ good sportsmanship in all things. I was being me, a bit obnoxious with the camera – shooting anything that moved. Darius was on a bank quite far from me, exploring for the sake of entertainment. I pointed the camera, set it to auto click, and called out his name. He turned and I shot. This series is his natural reaction to my meddlesomeness. Taking it all in stride. Enjoying every moment of eternity. That’s balance!

So, the next time someone says you need to balance your checkbook, your mood, your time, or any other point outside the etherial, ask yourself, What would Darius do?

click for larger view