author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. www.jackcanfield.com
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. www.huffingtonpost.com
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. www.squidoo.com/linchpin
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. www.yogaforyouth.org
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. www.normanlear.com
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. www.leilanimunter.com
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery’s penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. www.freetheslaves.net
mom. TED-talker. no-bullsh**er.
Sophie Chiche, founder of lifebyme.com, is the single mom of an amazing 16-year-old, Leah, and wicked step-mom of 22-year-old, Sarah. They all live in LA. You can find them boxing, cooking, collaging, hosting brunches, laughing their head off or bickering over who’s washing and who’s drying the dishes.
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. www.TheDailyLove.com
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. www.lizphair.com
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. www.tutu.org
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. www.womenforwomen.org
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He’s a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. www.timetostand.com
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. www.kiamiller.com
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. www.simonmainwaring.com
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. www.getupgirl.com
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He’s a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. www.candytangerine.com
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
balanced
Caspar Poyck
therapist. conscious chef. wave balancer.
Chef and Culinary Coach Caspar Poyck’s business, Consciously Culinary, is well-known throughout the central and southern California coastal regions. www.consciouslyculinary.com
We live in a world of binaries, of dichotomies: light and dark, love and hate, savory and sweet. When there’s uncertainty and fear some tend to focus on extremes: becoming orthodox or dogmatic seems to provide us a sense of safety.
When I was four, my father had a stress-related breakdown. His body shut down because he’d been completely out of balance and that led to disease. When he got better, he became a yoga teacher and started his own yoga institute. The symbol for the institute was a scale, with a moon on one side and a sun on the other.
One of the most meaningful things in my life is staying balanced. The safety and security we find in extremes is an illusion. Each extreme may have a philosophy or a teaching that can shed light on our experience – and sometimes I think it’s valuable to put things in harsh contrast for the sake of learning – but once we start empowering those extremes to be literal paths for living our lives, we end up losing touch with reality and the dogmatic becomes exclusionary.
The definition of polarization is to divide into two contrasting sides. To remain balanced, we must acknowledge both. Light can’t exist without darkness. The mind can’t exist without the heart, nor the heart without the mind. Happiness is sweeter against the backdrop of sadness.
I don’t actively seek to push my life into the balanced space between the highs and lows, or to keep it there. I don’t aim to be balanced moment to moment. I like to taste life and to push boundaries. I’ve pushed myself to great highs and dropped to deep lows. It’s like a sine wave. As long as my highs and lows match each other though, the line through the middle is the steady growth path of my life. That growth path comes from oscillating on those ups and downs. Life finds itself on the median line.
From a picture of a man on a ladder it’s hard to tell if he’s going up or down.
To me, what’s important is that when I take a step back, I recognize that the rise or fall of the moment is just that…a moment…the long walk is the search for balance at the end.
- Caspar Poyck
Explore More Meaning
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color mixer. mother. naked explorer.
Kimberly Brooks is a contemporary American painter who exhibits internationally. Her studio is in Venice, California. www.kimberlybrooks.com
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storyteller. question asker. catalyst.
Antonio Neves is an award-winning broadcast journalist and the founder of THINQACTION, where he coaches young professionals to transform potential into performance. www.thinqaction.com
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business consultant. coach. productivity maven.
Personal coach and business consultant Lisa Peake founded Peake Productivity, offering productivity coaching, training, and workshops to professionals and organizations seeking a better way to work. www.peakeproductivity.com
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author. spiritual transformer. teacher.
Jonathan Parker is an author and spiritual counselor with more than 30 years of experience teaching energy healing and enlightenment. He founded Quantum Quests International, Inc. www.JonathanParker.org
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creator. truth seeker. jourrneyer.
Joan Barnes was the principal owner of YOGASTUDIO. She also founded and was CEO of Gymboree. She continues to be involved in creative recreation for all age groups.
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creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. www.simonmainwaring.com
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rapport advocate. honorable minister. mender.
Honorable Aloisea Inyumba is Rwanda’s Minister for Gender and Family Promotion. Prior to that appointment, she served as a Senator in the National Senate of Rwanda.
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doctor of optometry. life coach. holistic balancer.
Robert Dirksen is a life coach and doctor of optometry who specializes in holistic care. His passion is helping people balance all aspects of life – mind, body, and soul. www.DrRobWellness.com
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