Finding Symmetry in an Unbalanced World

Last week, I shared the idea that aging isn’t just about time, it’s about tension. This week, let’s go deeper, right to the axis of our being: our asymmetrical core.

At the very center of us lies the diaphragm’s crura: two tendinous “legs” that anchor our breath. The right crus attaches to three lumbar vertebrae (L1–L3), while the left crus connects to just two (L1–L2). This isn’t a flaw, it’s part of our design.

Recognizing that our bodies are born asymmetrical can shift us from judgment to acceptance.

As Thomas Hanna described, the human soma is a mirror to the universe: always seeking balance amidst duality, resonance in motion, and freedom through awareness. Duality is everywhere, from the spine to the stars. Our task as embodied beings is not to fix imbalance, but to continually find our way back to center.

Of course, modern life doesn’t make that easy. Consider how often we:

• Carry heavy bags on one shoulder

• Slouch over screens, favoring one side of the body

• Repeat tasks with the same hand or posture, day after day

• Live with the aftereffects of accidents or surgeries

Over time, these subtle biases accumulate. Muscles tighten, nerves pinch, circulation is disrupted, and vitality drains away. This is what “aging” so often looks and feels like; not the passing of years, but the deepening of tension patterns.

The good news? These patterns can be softened. With somatic awareness, we can sense where we consistently lean or guard, notice differences across right and left, and begin to discover moments of neutral alignment.

Balance, then, is not perfection. It’s presence. It’s the ongoing practice of returning to ease, again and again.

Here’s to finding balance in an imbalanced world through movement, awareness, and gentle attention.