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 catchyou 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!!

Comments

6 responses to “Presence of Paradoxes – A Bane or Blessing?”

  1. murli Avatar

    Transferred from LinkedIn
    Lyndon Berchy has sent you a message.
    Date: 7/08/2012
    Subject: RE: Presence of Paradoxes – A Bane or Blessing?
    Dear Murli

    Thank you very much for sharing, Its this energy of sharing that brings people together, Our Human race is evolving and I believe that we are getting better as a race even though we see all the Paradoxes of strive war and destruction around the world.

    I was a leader for a group of technicans when I worked for Exxonmobil and it was my empathy and love for my staff that helped me to create the positive energy that turned that department around and improved it to a level that became the envy of others, It was simple to be honest, No one treated these workers with Love and Empathy, They found themsleves in a spiral down turn and resigned to the fact that no one cared so why should they care as well, I changed that when I came with my energy and thats all it took to make a difference, Work with emotional intelligence.

    I am embarking on a new role with BP , Similar to the one with Exxonmobil , I value your contribution and thank you for the sharing of great energy and ideas.
    I will continue to send you back feedback and share some of my experiences as we continue to Change Your Ideas and share this with the world.
    There is so much of joy in sharing so Thanks once again

    best wishes
    Lyndon

  2. murli Avatar

    Dear Lyndon,

    You have orchestrated power of sharing very prudently and effectively. I feel indeed grateful to you.

    Very few realizes how sharing can multiply the wealth of their knowledge and joy! Your feedback on how you brought about a Change in the performance and life of your employees through empathy and love is awe inspiring!! It is phenomenal.

    I am sure that your approach would usher in a new perspective to your new role at BP and it would be hugely successful.

    Best wishes and regards,

    Murli

  3. murli Avatar

    Transferred from LinkedIn
    Pranav Vaidya has sent you a message.
    Date: 7/08/2012
    Subject: RE: Presence of Paradoxes – A Bane or Blessing?
    Thanks Mulri for sharing this. It is truely an article that poke’s one mind to think “how hard to try” and at what point “to let go”.

    I was wondering if you would have something for perceptions and how to manage it. Perceptions I feel are a reality of life and to manage it is something one would have to lear. Ant thought on perceptions and managing perception would be very much appreciated.

    Thanks again.
    Pranav.

  4. murli Avatar

    Dear Pranav,

    I really appreciate your feedback and views!

    You have touched upon a very important aspect – “Perceptions”! I already have on my cards a post on “Peceptions, Notions….”; probably in few weeks. Let me share some of my thoughts on this. Perception appears to be a reality, as long as one has it; but it is not a reality by itself. This is because perceptions do undergo changes. For example you have a colleague, whom you perceive today as difficult. One of your peers may perceive it opposite. After working with that colleague, you may change your perception about him! In otherwards, your perceived reality changes but not that colleague!!

    All we can say is perception would always be there and it would influenece our thoughts or the way we look at the things.

    Now, as regards managing perceptions, it is most effective not to have hard notions. Go for soft notions. This would keep your mind always open to keep automaqtically self check is my perception right; is it in line with how others also perceive? As regards where to let go, when you try hard, you would get results. Keep doing that till a stage comes, when you would start to get 1 or 2 glitches. Example – your knowledge in a particular field is making you very confident; but some people your are dealing with start to get uneasy. That is the time to immediately scale back. Actually scale back little more. Here also, your soft notions would be very handy to help identify.

    Please do let me know whether above is making sense. Your feedback would be very helpful to me.

    Regards,

    Murli

  5. Somnath Chakraborty Avatar
    Somnath Chakraborty

    Sir,

    All your articles are really helping us to think about our life differently and also helping us to give a little more importance to few ignored ones.

    Regards
    Somnath

    1. murli Avatar

      Many thanks for your commendable thoughts. Your this approach would accelerate your journey to success and happiness!

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