30 Nov The Hidden Gem of Polarisation

I don’t think there has been a word more frequently used over the past five years than polarisation. It seems as though the divisions are greater than ever, but I feel that polarisation itself hasn’t increased; we are simply now seeing its true extent. This is the blessing and the curse of awareness. Once we direct our consciousness towards a subject, it is illuminated, and we begin to consciously experience its real magnitude and intensity.

The same applies to polarisation. On an individual level, interpersonally, and on a global scale, we see the degree of conflict. For that is what polarisation essentially is: a conflict between extremes, where we are not only dealing with opposing forces but also with the tension field between those forces. Logically, as the opposites become sharper and more distant from one another, the tension between these extremes also increases.

The mind—the theatre in which this wondrous interplay of forces unfolds—seems more vibrant than ever. Let’s face it, the world is on fire. Across virtually every aspect of our lives, the contrasts are so sharply highlighted that we are confronted with the imbalance within ourselves, and thereby within the greater whole. And this is not something to be surprised about; it is simply where humanity finds itself now. It would be naïve to think otherwise. It is just that now, the visibility is so stark that many people look on in shock, asking themselves in astonishment how things could have come to this.

The question of how things got to this point is simple to answer. What we are seeing and being presented with is the collective shadow of humanity, brought to the surface and yearning to be healed. It confronts us with the insight that humanity has been out of alignment for a long time—with ourselves, with each other, and with the larger context of our environment. Naturally, the consequences of this are disastrous, for we cannot survive without connection to our natural ecosystem.

The question is how we can use this exposed polarisation to help us move beyond this impasse of growing oppositions. When we approach this dilemma through the mind, we immediately encounter the dynamics and limitations of the mind, because it is inherently dual and polarised. This is precisely why there are still no truly sustainable solutions or transformations for our major challenges. Part of the problem is that we operate from the mind to reject and banish whatever doesn’t fit our idea of what it means to be human. This leads to a form of exclusivity that results in even greater opposition and tension.

Where we, as humans, need to grow is in the understanding that we are not merely beautiful, loving, and cuddly beings. We are also the dark, ugly, and destructive aspects of life—just like nature itself. Instead of eradicating one or exclusively cultivating the other, we are being invited, in this phase of human evolution, to both acknowledge that all these parts live within us and accept that they are us, and to develop the ability to endure these oppositions within ourselves.

This is something the mind cannot achieve due to its rules and limitations. Your compassionate heart, on the other hand, is the perfect place where this can be done. When you are able to bring the extremes of any conflict, including the tension it causes, into the space of your compassionate heart, you reverse the process of increasing tension.

The release of accumulated tension occurs, and all seemingly opposing aspects of the conflict are embraced with equanimity by the heart. This is the great difference between the mind and the heart: the heart exists beyond time and space and is always in a state of unity and wholeness. Therefore, the heart can resolve any conflict by fully experiencing and recognising it for what it truly is.

By being present with what is without needing anything to change, the heart gracefully endures the entire conflict. The magic lies in the fact that the heart does not perceive it as a conflict at all, but rather as a natural interplay of forces that gives life its vibrancy. Furthermore, it is also the way life moves us forward, brings clarity, and provides the energy to do what is logical, harmonious, and natural.

Those who realise this also understand that polarisation itself is our greatest opportunity to move forward. A chance for innovation from within, born by bringing the oppositions within ourselves and between each other to a place of wholeness, enduring them there, and allowing something new to emerge—something that, when it appears in our consciousness, will make us say: hell yeah!