Tag: Balance

Two Chopsticks Cross a River… a conversation with Lao Tzu on Balance

by Jennifer, posted in Ascended Masters, Channeling, Lao Tzu
Wooden bridge crossing river with villagers walking in a green mountainous village
Villagers cross a wooden bridge over a river in a lush mountain village

Jennifer Channeling Lao Tzu, June 19th, 2026

Jennifer: 

So, okay, I’m really intrigued with the application of Balance in everyday life, and I think I understand it, and I love it, and I use it, and sometimes stuff gets out of balance, but then I get back into balance.

So, what about a situation where you have a tendency to just plain carry too much, try to balance too much, try to juggle too much… Am I jumping ahead and trying to be multidimensional when in fact I’m just struggling and fearful of dropping?  I’ve got all these eggs in there (let’s try another metaphor) and I’m afraid of dropping any of them! It’s really hard to even set them down. They all seem really important to me. I’m trying to keep them all in balance, but it’s honestly too much. It would be really good if I just went back to one, sometime, and I don’t know how to, how to do that. So there’s where I’m seeking some guidance from Master Lao Tzu, if you would like to channel with me? 

…I’m getting an image of two chopsticks crossing a river… [thanks to AI for the digital image].

Portrait of an elderly man with a long white beard, wearing traditional robes, smiling gently against a light background.
Master Lao Tzu

Lao Tzu: Greetings, this is Lao Tzu. I am pleased to be invited into your presence on this day. This is not completely unfamiliar to you, Jennifer, although you think it is. It is just that you have been for many years glued to your impression that the Masters of the West were the ones you were closest to. In the story of your many lives, there has been a balance between East and West, between North and South, between this world and other worlds.

You are well acquainted with the concept of balance. It always intrigued you as a child. You were interested in ballet which is greatly dependent on balance, and other forms of activity. This is the human challenge when in the body and you are, while a multi-dimensional being, definitely committed to your physical experience and expression at this time, for many reasons. 

One of those is to to master balance in the physical, and part of that is what you are forgetting: emotional balance, mental balance, physical balance, of course, which is the literal level, and spiritual balance. You are, you are attempting to bring into your daily life an ascended perspective, which you are not practiced in, and you are also trying to control it. 

So, what is happening is… you, ultimately, are balancing a multitude of things in any instant, and a part of you knows this, and you are seeking to align with that part of you, but the human part is going, “Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that’s not going to work,” and you do not wish to embarrass yourself by falling flat on your face. Or -and this is another one of your terrors-  letting anyone else down. 

What you are sensing is the natural flow of things at a higher speed, and you are applying this seeing into a space where there is still a great deal of resistance, because all of the practical wisdom you’ve received in your life [says] that you have a tendency to do “too much”, you have a tendency to try to accomplish more than is comfortable, you have some beliefs around this, you have some experience around this, and certainly some wisdom. And so it continues to surface for you, to recur and to confront you. 

What are you going to believe now, if you are interested in a path of ease, a path of balance? Because, being in a state of balance is most comfortable, truly. Then you will want to feel into each choice, into each day, and to also feel into the love that you have for yourself, which you would extend to another who lost their balance temporarily or many times in a day. 

Would you be loving and understanding, or would you be critical and harsh? Think how you would practice this on yourself, would you be loving and understanding, or would you be harsh and critical? Which is the higher vibration? This is always your choice. You will realize there are times when you are playing in a lower vibration again. Would this be an opportunity to beat yourself?  You see, it is clear.

This is just “what is,” this is just the momentary experience. This is just the contrast, because you do live in a physical world, and there is much contrast present to guide you, to show you the way forward. 

You can always – and you have already begun to do this – you can always ask for greater ease, ask for greater comfort, ask for greater calm, whenever you notice that you’re in some discomfort, or you’re in some “choppy waters”, as you like to say,. 

So this is Balance: to see yourself as a living being making choice, moment by moment, for the most graceful path forward.

And you are capable of this. You are each of you capable of this. You, Jennifer, are just apt to run along ahead and try to do it before anyone else, or to fuss about it if you deem yourself incapable yet. 

Be kind to yourself, see yourself as that little child who wants the validation or… who wants the experience of being able to test your abilities and succeed. Realize that this can be done privately to great effect, though, of course, your brothers and sisters will often give you feedback, and that is especially true for your biological brothers and sisters! [LOL] Yes, they will often give you feedback for when you are out of balance. This is most useful. 

All of this learning is most helpful. So proceed, proceed, be kind to yourself, be gentle, ask for the gentleness, ask for the reminder of how to balance in your kindness, how to carry kindness. Replace all of those sticks of sugar cane [the burden on the little burro] with gentle elements, lightweight elements. And when you notice things are a little harsh or a little difficult – you will notice – then shed a few of those, save them for later. 

We’ve been most pleased to have these moments with you, and most grateful for your willingness to continue to grow. We will be watching and encouraging from our space of greater grace. With much love, I say farewell. 

Smiling older woman with glasses and light gray hair, wearing a blue sweater and scarf, outdoors with greenery in the background.

Jennifer:  Thank you, Uncle Lao Lao (grin).  

Channeled by Jennifer Joy Donaldson, June 18, 2026, in Maine, USA.

Lao Tzu on Balance: As Above-So Below, As Within-So Without

by Rob Loveland, posted in Channeling, spiritual guidance, spiritual info

[This is the first of a series of six messages related to the Infinity Keys, the pairing of the Keys to Self with the Keys to Heaven, which will be the subject of a series of workshops to begin 29 Aug 2026.  Stay tuned for upcoming announcements. — Rob]

Lao Tzu

Rob: Well, if we’re going to talk about balance, then Lao Tzu would be the right choice. So we’ll go meet him in our Zen garden, with a stone bench sitting by a pond and green grass and cherry blossoms.

Okay, Lao Tzu, thank you for receiving me today and starting this series of going through each of the Infinity Keys. So let’s start with balance. Any words of wisdom to share?

[Laughs] Sorry, he’s teasing me. He said, “Greetings, Grasshopper!”

Lao Tzu: Yes, hello Rob. Hello, all. It’s always good to start these sessions with a laugh. It keeps the vibration high [and] allows the connection to flow more smoothly, does it not?

So this idea of yours, having differentiated the Keys to Self from the Keys to Heaven, that balance comprises two parts: As Above-So Below and As Within-So Without, it is an interesting idea, an idea that has merit. But I think you probably would agree that As Above-So Below and As Within-So Without, they are the same. Same, same.

For what is within you IS the above, IS the below, IS the without. It all starts within you. This is where you find that Heaven on Earth that you are seeking.

So you witness the chaos around you — what you call chaos — and you understand that it is only chaotic when you interpret it that way. Everything happens for a reason. The universe is not in the business of creating chaos. Events are what they are. They transpire as they need to be. Whether it is chaotic or not is your interpretation of those events based on an imbalance within yourself, within your own belief system.

So if it feels chaotic to you, then, as was expressed several weeks ago, that emotion of feeling chaos is an indicator to you that there is an imbalance within you. There is a conflict. There is something happening in the world that is contrary to your belief about what should be there, what you expected to be there. This is the within and without. What you see without does not match what is within you, the deepest part of you, the part that knows the divinity within you.

And as soon as you restore that back to its state of balance, that you understand why it is the way it is, then you will find the As Above-So Below. And the As Above follows, in reality, the So Below. The below happens first, which means you reconcile that imbalance within yourself to find that state of heaven — as above.

So you have paired all the Keys to Self with the Keys to Heaven, and rightly so. This would be a valuable exercise to continue as you have for all of them, but for balance, they are the same. What is heaven? What is self? It is all the same. It all starts with balance within yourself, within your own belief system.

So you are also correct that this is the starting point for finding that Heaven on Earth. All of the keys — Keys to Self [and] Keys to Heaven — must be within balance. And if any of them are causing you any difficulties, then it is that indicator to you that you are out of balance, and there is something to address.

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Mother Mary on Maintaining Balance

by Rob Loveland, posted in Channeling, Mother Mary, spiritual guidance, spiritual info

Rob: I see myself walking on the roadway in my sacred landscape, and, of course, Mother Mary joins me and takes me by the arm. She’s just enjoying that we’re laughing so much.

Okay, over to you, Mother.

Mother Mary: Hello, my children, all. Yes, it is such a joy watching you laugh, having your conversations about the tumult in the world and how it need not affect you.

You are all learning to find that place of balance, and that is the key. It is all about balance, finding the balance within yourself, the within and the without. It’s not just above and below, but within and without [as well]. What is in the outside world must be balanced with what is within you, your own spirit, your own sense of centeredness – as you just said, Rob, to care about what happens in the world, but not allowing that to affect you and take you off of your own center.

We commend you, Rob, for the place you are at the moment, in a place of more balance. Not to say that you’ve solved all the world’s problems, but at this moment, it is a good day. It’s been a good week, a good month.

Of course, all of this is helped tremendously by that wonderful grandchild of yours. Nothing will help you find the balance within your own life more than the beauty found in the eyes and in the smile of a small child, reminding you continually of what life should be about – the never ending sense of wonder, of exploration, of finding what’s new in everything that’s right in front of you.

So yes, as depicted in the Tarot’s Two of Pentacles card, you are in a place at the moment of acknowledging the chaos in the world, but staying within yourself and finding that place of joy that allows you to dance. And it’s all centered in that place of balance. You have found that balance for the moment. Yes, there may be times when you are pulled off, but you understand enough now how to bring yourself back.


Enjoy these moments when life seems to be easy, and even when faced with rather extreme expenses in the financial side, it doesn’t seem to affect you. It doesn’t faze you. This is the way of things. This is the way of balance. You know all will be taken care of. You will be taken care of. We, the entire Company of Heaven have your back, as it were. All will be well. Just allow, but more importantly, just have fun!

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Archangel Raphael on the Reasons Behind Pain

by Rob Loveland, posted in archangels, Channeling, spiritual guidance, spiritual info

Rob: I’m inviting Raphael to come join us, to come talk to me. So as my teammates and I were talking, I raised the question about why the need for pain, both physical pain and emotional pain. Why is this so prevalent in our lives? It must serve a higher, a spiritual purpose. Help me to understand all of that.

AA Raphael: Greetings, all. This is Raphael. It is always such a joy to join you in this way, in this direct way, to have a conversation directly with you … not that we are not always with you, but it is a bit different to interact directly, directly with your mind, with your consciousness.

We understand your question, and yes, I think you do know [that] the notion of pain, as you said, is a mental construct. The feeling of pain, the feeling of whatever level of agony, if I could use such a strong word, that you may feel is in direct relationship to how you feel about the notion of the pain, [i.e.] what is behind the pain. Whether you feel it physically, or whether you feel it at an emotional level, it is the idea that you give it that causes your feeling of how you feel about that.

For the physical body, the pain is a manifestation of an imbalance within your system, within your physical system. And in that sense, it is a good thing — [it is] just letting you know that there is something that is out of balance that should be addressed for optimal health. There is something there that should not be or not there that should be. There is some imbalance.

Your body sends you these signals to let you know that there is a problem here, something to be addressed and to get your attention. You interpret that as pain, for the pain will get your attention. So again, it forces you to focus on something that you need to focus on.

The same can be true at an emotional level. Something has occurred in your life that is contrary to your belief system about the way things should be. This causes an imbalance. You are fighting against yourself at that point, against your own beliefs, and so you interpret that as a form of pain, as being hurt.

But again, whether you choose to interpret that as painful is entirely up to you. As soon as you change your belief systems about the way things should be, then you will find that that pain subsides and drifts off to become a memory.

So yes, pain is an interpretation of an imbalance, one way or the other.

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El Morya on the Usefulness of Separation

by Rob Loveland, posted in Channeling, spiritual guidance, spiritual info

Rob: I jotted down several topics a couple of weeks ago, and the idea of separation was one of them. I never really covered that in full detail. And given my team’s conversation about the difference between the masculine and the feminine, it strikes me that that’s just another example of separation. Perhaps we could talk about that?

El Morya: Greetings, all. This is El Morya.

The whole idea of separation, as you well know, is an illusion. It is a creation of the physical realities, the realms of physicality, for in the higher realms, there’s no need for such separation. But it is useful here in the realm of physicality as a teaching tool.

Now, some would have you believe that the separation, [i.e. the] human separation from God, was in some way an act of hubris, an act of rebellion, but this is a false notion. This realm was set up to enable all of you as co-creators, fully endowed with the full creation ability of God, to express yourself.

So life in the physical requires a separation of male and female … well, it doesn’t require it. It serves a purpose. It is useful. Having done so to enable God to experience Himself/Herself/Itself/Ourself through the expression of separated individuals, the difficulty is that you separate yourself from God so that you could see firsthand as a very real experience the laws of cause and effect. The realm of separation, of feeling individual and separated from all others — including time, with one minute separated from the next, progressing in a linear fashion — allows you to experience cause and effect in a very real way.

The notion of being lost and being separated from God is a false notion. You can never be separated from your Source. You live within that energy. You ARE that energy. The illusion of separation comes from BELIEVING that that is your natural state, that that is your real state, and forgetting who it is that you really are.

But the value of relearning who it is that you are, while still in the realm of duality, simply means that you are learning to integrate all aspects of yourself — the masculine, the feminine — and returning that to balance. For God is all things, so all parts that you see around you that are seemingly separate, one from another, are all parts of God, are all parts of that creation.

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The Magdalena on Hope

by Rob Loveland, posted in Channeling, spiritual guidance, spiritual info

[Since my last posting was Lao Tzu talking about the Balance between Hope and Connectedness, it makes sense to me to follow up with a message on each of those individually — this one on Hope (from Mary Magdalene).  — Rob]

Rob: I drew a card earlier on Hope from the Magdalena, so I’m thinking we’re going to have a conversation with her. Magdalena joins me from my right side. She’s almost skipping — kind of jumping — her way over.

Mary, thank you so much for joining me. You’re clearly in a good mood today. Do you have any messages for me?

Magdalena: Oh yes, Rob. Thank you so much. This is such a great day! I hope you spend the day in a state of joy, for what is there not to feel joyful about? You’re with your dear friends; you’re having a good time; communicating with all of us: what’s not to enjoy?!

You drew the card today of Hope. I would like to say a few words. Hope is intimately tied with the feeling of Joy, for in the feeling of Hope, how can one not feel joyful? Hope is rooted in the understanding that you ARE One, that you are part of the Mother’s Divine Radiance, the part of that Universal Love that animates everything. That knowing is inherently hopeful. All will be right with the world, with your life, with your relationships, your partnerships. It all comes from the same place.

And, yes, as you surmised, it’s all tied together with balance and humility and alignment and surrender and your deepest passions. I embodied all these qualities, and so do you. So do all of you. Go within as often as you think of it, and feel them. Feel each of those. They’re all tied together.

But just as the Keys of Heaven are all rooted in Love, the Keys to your sweet Self are all rooted in Hope, that you are one with each other and with heaven.

Again, I come back to the beginning. How can this not fill you with a sense of Joy with each and every breath? Life is meant to be fun. And it can be, will be, it is, as soon as you accept this — your role in it, in the world, in the basis of your very existence. You are here to be an expression of Joy. And in sharing that with everyone enough, you are then an expression of Hope.

We love you all dearly. And we are so happy for the progress you’re all making in rediscovering yourselves.

With that, I throw you all the biggest hug! With our love, farewell.

Lao Tzu on the Balance Between Hope and Connectedness

by Rob Loveland, posted in Channeling, spiritual guidance, spiritual info

[This conversation is a prime example of how easy it is to ask the Company of Heaven whenever we have questions and difficulties which allude us — they’re always there and always willing to help. All we have to do is ask. — Rob]

Rob: Thank you, Lao Tzu, for joining me. I wonder if you can talk to me some more about the connection between Hope and Connectedness, anything that I can use to better explain this connection within the Infinity Keys? It’s always been a weak area for me.

Lao Tzu: Thank you, Rob, for joining me today here in this beautiful setting, this serene setting. You got the card today on Hope; it’s a good theme for this time, this time within the ages of humanity. It should be a time of great hope.

So yes, as you describe it, it is the deep knowing that there is a Heaven, that you are part of it — that we are all part of it — living from the perspective that there is no way to be separated from that state. The card itself talks about being able to pierce through the illusions. That is so important these days. There’s so much that’s going to come to light that shows everyone just how much of an illusion exists within this physical reality.

So Hope is being able to stay centered in the midst of all of that. Archangel Michael often reminds you to stay centered in times of chaos, and as you learned the other day, chaos is really just the state of change. And the big change that everyone is going to have to wrap their heads around is just how much of an illusion so-called reality actually is. So Hope is living from the perspective of understanding the big picture of where you are headed and staying centered. And staying centered is really another term for remaining in balance.

As you know, Balance is the final step within the Keys to Self. It is the top of the loop comprising the self, immediately after Hope. Really holding on to that knowing of your role within Heaven brings you to the point of balance. Yes, balance is centered within your own heart, but it is also the top, the apex, the crown of the Self, coming to realize that the Middle Way is the path to Heaven. But at the same time, Balance is also the base of Heaven, the foundation on which all the other Keys to Heaven rest.

And the whole notion of Hope, why you have that knowing is because inside you know you are connected to everything else. There is nothing in the universe to which you are not connected. You are part and parcel of that same energy. This thought, this belief, this understanding is what brings that hope. It’s the mechanism that allows all of the revelations of heaven to happen. But it’s all based in a state of balance, again, the foundation of Heaven.

I trust that this has helped to some degree, at least to give you something else to think about, another aspect. As you are aware, there is so much within the Infinity Keys diagram that continues to unfold for you, and we encourage you to continue to seek additional revelations. There’s always more.

So with that, I’ll be quiet for a while and see if your teammate has any questions for me.

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