12. Everything Exists Only Because Of Its Opposite

12. Everything Exists Only Because Of Its Opposite

One attains any quality by eliminating its opposite quality. All things have a balancing opposite in order for them to exist. Hot and cold, soft and hard, anger and love, guilt and innocence, fear and confidence all only exist because of their opposite.

Eliminate greed and one becomes generous. Eliminate self-centred behaviour and one becomes selfless. Eliminate attachments and one becomes free. Eliminate arrogance and one becomes humble. Eliminate wrong actions by following morals, and one eliminates guilt, which leads to inner peace.

Reduce one and the opposite automatically increases.

Exercises

Observe Contradictions

To increase your awareness of contradictory beliefs and increase your consistency, notice each time you’re feeling a certain way about a situation you recently felt differently about.

Record your observations in a dedicated file or notebook and carry it with you at all times. Notice how many times a week you change your opinions and beliefs.

Discover Opposites

Observe how everything exists by the existence of its opposite. Bring this view to your inner experiences if you feel attacked or think the world is out to get you. Identify your opposition to the current situation and take the opposing view to flow with the situation instead of fight it, and guide it to a better outcome without resistance.

By seeing the opposing force, other person’s opinion, we get a clearer understanding of any situation and can quickly reduce our stress and find a harmonious solution.