How to find the middle ground in a world of duality.
Finding that elusive middle ground in a world of duality can sometimes be challenging. But what if we actually existed in the middle all the time, what if the middle was the very fabric of our existence and all we had to do was awaken to its pure awesomeness?
Take a minute and expand your vision and intellect into the cosmos, where an almost infinite number of stars and galaxies reside billions of miles away. They are expanding, colliding and generating spectacular explosions of epic proportions that violently propel the building blocks of life throughout the universe. We (humans) are just these itsy bitsy teeny tiny things that are stuck to a huge sphere that happens to be hurtling through space at 67,000 mph around a massive burning ball of gas and energy, which is also flying through space and orbiting the center of our galaxy at 490,000 miles per hour. Have you ever noticed that the further you expand this reality and sit with its raw awareness, the more mind-boggling our existence truly becomes? (This really puts it in perspective, when you have a few minutes check this out … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udAL48P5NJU&feature=youtu.be)
But what happens if we focus in the opposite direction? Pause for a second and shift your perspective to the microscopic. Narrow your awareness to the level of quantum physics, down to a single atom that is made up of 99.99% empty space, with mysterious protons and electrons that pop in and out of existence while orbiting a nucleus, that is billions of times smaller than a single atom. (Which by the way, is already ridiculously small) I heard that when two physical objects seem to touch, in reality they actually don’t. There’s still empty space in-between the quantum building blocks of the two objects. All of this is happening outside our awareness. So when we ponder it all from this perspective, does our existence become any less mind-boggling? NOPE, not even a little bit, and so goes the adventure of life. (Here’s another perspective builder – a little cheesy but entertaining https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZGINaRUEkU )
So it seems to me like we are here on this plane of existence called Earth, positioned right in the middle. We are literally in between, an endless mysterious universe outside of us and also within in us. As humans, we are definitely not the largest physical things in the universe and we are certainly not the smallest either. We seem, at least from my perspective, to exist right in the middle. Our very observation of this brings our world to life in a kind of balancing act of duality. Large and small, up and down, sun and moon, love and fear, men and women – but in the end, these things actually keep us together, not divide us. We are all united; we are all made from the same energy called life and it manifests in all living things.
They say the way of the Buddha is the middle way, meaning that the path between two extreme opposites will lead us to enlightenment. When we get too caught up in one perspective being right or wrong, we are divided and we eventually discover that both sides hold partial truths. It is the center, where our truth resides. On the middle path, one is able to find liberation, between dueling opposites. In a highly opinionated world, it is not our opinions that matter, but our ability to see things from both sides and find the proverbial middle ground. We access this equilibrium through stillness and can find our own middle ground at our center. The world within us is as vast as the world around us and yet our spirit is located in a place that shows us both sides. Spirit is not forceful and its guidance never black or white, right or wrong. Duality has no place when we are speaking the language of unity. I believe unity within duality is better defined as polarity. Duality is divisive, whereas polarity still requires the 2 forces to work together in harmony. Duality has a sense of right or wrong, good or bad, while polarity is inclusive of both sides having a purpose. This neutral, middle path that exists within us is what ties together the opposite side, such as light and dark, left and right, or up and down. A peaceful and joyous life is lived in this more neutral area, where both sides are respected and can work together. As humans, we can find peace right in the middle, so I guess the middle is our rightful place indeed.
The center is the energy that connects both sides, just like our human experience of being both physical and spiritual beings; we exist in the space in-between. This space is where we belong for now and it can inherently teach us something about living with grace. Where we can find compromise and in doing so we open to other ideas, opinions and ways of being that are different from our own. From the middle, we experience all possible perspectives and can listen to the soft whispers of life. Those sweet whispers will guide you to true peace and freedom. And if you find yourself leaning to far to one side or the other, simply be still, find your center and be patient while the balance is restored to your force.
Nanu Nanu!