Presence of Paradoxes – A Bane or Blessing?

In previous Post of 28-June-2012, we have seen how glaring paradoxes in our life are. Let us look at some more to gain deeper insight.

1. Everything that we observe, including ourselves, has been created by nature out of Nothing!
2. Science has developed devices to receive and relate signals from billions of miles away; but has failed to figure out what happens at distances smaller than billionth of a millimeter!
3. Things that you live through every moment are least known to you.
   So, do not be surprised if scientists, philosophers, gurus and others have not been able to evolve through ages, correct definitions of Space, Time and Life/ Consciousness.
4. Medical science has gone to lowest level of Molecules to understand living bodies; but is completely clueless about Mind.
5. Constant discovery of new medicines, investigation techniques and treatments have added years to life, but not life to years!
6. “To think” is easy; but “not to think” is not!
7. Your biggest virtue runs the risk of turning into biggest vice.
8. Length and breadth of your information have been increasing; but depth of your knowledge has been depleting.
9. Your high focus can only come at expense of your flexibility.
10. Lot of surfing (on net) keeping us on surface and killing our ability to dive.

Why Paradoxes and what do these mean?

A close look at above 10 paradoxes and 15 earlier one (previous post) would reveal following realities:

1. Nature has nicely paired parameters, opposite in characters!
   It is because of this, we have plus and minus (electric charges, events and enumerable things), right and wrong, good and bad, strong and weak and so on.
2. Very existence of one parameter depends upon second and opposite one.
   Therefore, if some where is pleasure, elsewhere has to be pain. Strength has to bring weakness associated with it; that is why we say “your biggest strength is also your weakness”.
3. Parameters in each pair are canonically connected, which means that if you focus or observe one, you would correspondingly lose sight of another!
   As a result, if degree of your passion goes up, your peace of mind goes down. If you chase perfection, you also chase close mindedness and you would be less flexible and less open.
4. We and what we see around exist because of parameters with opposite characters!
   Hence every matter or normal part of our body has equal number of positively and negatively charged particles. To become a hero, you necessarily need villain/s. A leader has no relevance without followers.
5. When pair of parameters are together or close in equal number, overall effect of pluses and minuses is equalized and you witness peace, little activity or turbulence.
   That is why we witness many times pleasant places and peaceful people.
6. When parameters with opposite characters move apart (does not necessarily mean physical apart), that is when Paradoxes start to build!
   That is when you find that what you want does not often happen and what you do not want can happen. A Beauty creates a Beast.
7. Parameters with opposite characters; but apart could build individually up to a certain limit, beyond which these would collapse into each other creating turbulent or violent conditions, like lightening from 2 sets of clouds in sky!
   Easy example to understand this is to consider an airtight chamber with central partition. To begin with, it is all quiet inside. Now, we put a mechanism to suck air of one part and pump into second. Vacuum (-ive parameter) would build in 1st and pressure (+ive parameter) in 2nd. We can build vacuum/pressure up to a certain limit, till the partition can hold itself, beyond which it would collapse creating violent disturbance inside chamber. Remember, nothing came from outside of the chamber!
   This is how Adversity brings Excellence; the Best in you can bring the Worst!!
   Above example of chamber also exemplifies how nature can create Something out of what we perceive as Nothing.
   One of the greatest paradoxes is that “There is nothing like Nothing!!!”

So, how can we manage Paradoxes?

Following are four keys:

1. Paradoxes are and would remain inherent part of your life. Accept this reality.
   Hence, do not react or resist when you experience a paradox.
2. If you want to have uneventful, quiet and simple life, keep “pluses and minuses”, “good and bad” together. You would be least impacted by paradoxes.
   Be careful in understanding meaning of above – what it means is “live around the center of “plus < –> minus” scale”. So, do not be too dynamic or too dull. Desist from craving to have a lot; but do not resist having what you need.
3. If you want to have eventful, extra ordinary, imaginative or invigorating life, you have to pull “your pluses apart from minuses”, “virtues away from vices” and build on the same.
   If you want to be a popular leader, you have to be people friendly, passionate, positive, pragmatic and pushy, and build on. Likewise, callous and cruel leaders emerge by building on negatives! In each case, be prepared to face Rewards and Risks!!
4. Now comes a prized catch – you want the best of both worlds? You can’t get it; actually nobody gets it! It is only a phrase and not a possibility!!
   What you can get is only good of both worlds. You can pull apart pluses (from your minuses), build on same step by step towards the Best. But, you have to stop before Best starts to Bite you. You must not keep building on the Best; give up at the right time. Then, you have the best chance to stay put; otherwise you would definitely drop what you have picked.
   See how this evolves –
   From shy n shaken person -> conscious efforts -> confident -> very confident (now, if you don’t stop) -> over confident -> arrogant

To conclude, Paradoxes in our life are a reality. And a reality cannot be termed as bane. It can turn to be your Blessing, if by this time you know what and why it is and how to manage!

You, now, know one of the top secrets of your life!!