Two Minute: Tension of Opposites

Paradox and contradictions are tough to sit with. They make us uncomfortable. That discomfort frequently encourages us to retreat into the safety of black and white thinking. We abandon a chance at deeper knowing because we don’t know how to sit within the tension of opposites. Being able to withstand the discomfort of that tension allows us to widen and deepen our worldview, expand and explore the “grey areas” of life, and be more open to alternate truths and experiences. In this meditation I use a rather simple and straightforward example - my sadness at cancelling our family vacation and the envy I feel seeing others enjoying the Outer Banks sitting in opposing tension with my comfort and trust that this is the right decision for my family during amid the COVID pandemic. This example felt important for a couple of reasons - mostly that is prevalent in my thoughts these days, but also because it is important to understand that the discomfort from this tension is not just applicable to large-scale ideas and experiences but can also exist in the smallest and most mundane aspects of our lives. Being able to withstand this tension, to be gentle and compassionate with oneself and others in the face of it, is a bold and powerful way of moving through the world. I often wonder how much of our human experience could be healed just by the skilled ability to sit with discomfort and not be held so tightly in the grip of so much all or nothing, black and white thinking: right versus wrong, us versus them, me versus you. Let’s practice together for the chance of connecting again in the glorious tension of grey.