My take on balance.

[Kole Fisto]

Balance is key to survival. Balance is not necessarily equal opposites meaninglessly put together. Balance is when you put to opposites together in a way that works. As an example, take the Dark aspect of the Force, as they believe in anarchy, complete freedom, but if the Sith order simply had no regulations then the order would fall apart from sheer infighting! So that is why they take a little of the Jedi teachings on discipline and bend them to form rules that would apply to the Darksiders. In this example there is more freedom then there are rules, but balance is still maintained, because everything works together.

Something I worked on while I was studying Indian meditation techniques was that you must first develop concentration, then openness, then combine them together to form perfect balance in meditation. So just as in using the Force, balance when using the Force would be that you are open to the Force, but you are also concentrated on using it. Although this is the part that is confusing me, which part should you learn first, openness or concentration?

[Empress Palpatine]

Just curious, I'd like to hear your take on this as I have not communicated with too many shadows.

How would a Shadow differ from a Sith? How are they the same? Even Palpatine implied a balanced approach.

[Kole Fisto]

Shadows are more occupied with balance for balances sake while Sith more or less use balance in their techniques and training to gain power. When you here Palpatine talking about balance he is usually speaking of personal gain while shadows do not necessarily want balance for power, but for what ever reason is appropriate for the situation. Also what most people think balance is, is not what they think. Balance is not positive and negative, but whatever combination that works.

[Mrs. Darth Vader]

Kole Fisto
Just to see if I understood you correctly. Balance is a thing of expedience? I thought Palpatine did what ever worked at the time as well? I believe in balance as in the kind of balance in nature. Or the balance that keeps the universe working. If you destroy too many things in the ecosystem nature goes out of balance and she will serve up violent storms like hurricanes or tornadoes to correct that balance. If one of twenty important things like how much electromagnetism or how much gravity were to be thrown off balance our universe would cease to exist. Here balance is very necessary. Or I balance between being emotional and being logical.