Find Hope: Many Things Are True At Once

“Polarity exists so that we may discover the truth beyond this world of duality, which is the ultimate purpose of life.” ~ Dashama Konah Gordon

Around the globe, many are experiencing deep frustration, pain and despair right now. And, some are staying curious and exploring radical new ways of being and seeing. Most of us are dancing with both.

Yesterday, I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time. She asked how I was doing. I paused (I’m a get real or go home gal). I recalled feeling down this morning after reading a news article … and experiencing excitement yesterday after hearing about my friend’s new nonprofit (and receiving joyful emails about my women’s April creativity conference). I smiled, recollecting these highs and lows, and said, “I’m remembering that many things are true at once.”

While many of us are concerned about seemingly illogical policy changes in the U.S., my colleagues and I in the field of women’s empowerment are also seeing women rise up like never before: writing books, taking action to support children’s rights, discovering hidden artistic talents, speaking out against injustices, collaborating with other women and more. 

The concept of living with extreme opposite feelings—or what I like to call polarities—is not new. From as far back as we can remember, we’ve been fascinated with the balance between light and dark, contraction and expansion, life and death and how close tears are to laughter. Polarities are everywhere.

In fact, many of my colleagues in the field of mindfulness, neuroscience and leadership believe polarity—creating consciously from wholeness—is the key to unleashing enormous untapped potential.

Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, says, “The dualistic mind is essentially binary, either/or thinking. It knows by comparison, opposition, and differentiation. It uses descriptive words like good/evil, pretty/ugly, smart/stupid, not realizing there may be a hundred degrees between the two ends of each spectrum. The dualistic mind limits our ability to feel fully as it cannot process things like infinity, mystery, God, grace, suffering, sexuality, death or love.”

If we are able to hold opposite feelings and experiences: frustrations—that are very real—and our highest aspirations, we open ourselves up to a vast space of possibility: to the great wide open.

I encourage you to pause and be open to the many gifts that can come from this thinking. Pull up two chairs and invite the extremes you’re experiencing to tea. What would they share? As you consider the concept of polarities, you might ask yourself:

• What are the current polarities I’m observing in my life/career/relationships?
• Which end of the spectrum do I tend to gravitate towards (continuously hopeful/optimistic or chronically negative and discouraged)?
• Am I comfortable holding extreme emotional states in the same space or do I want them at opposite ends of the building?!
• If I were to describe this dance (of extremes) would it be a waltz or Michael Jackson’s “Thriller?”
• What opportunities might come forth from “being” with both extremes (i.e. shifts, new perspectives, ideas, etc.)?

As you compassionately examine areas of your life where polarities exist, consider what brilliant breakthroughs might be awaiting if you’re willing to start pausing, become curious, listen more, and include “and” as often as you include “or” in your debates. Many things are true at once.

Warmly,

READY TO MAKE YOUR SELF-CARE A PRIORITY?