Duality, Choice and Creativity

To me, our most common reaction to dualities- this idea that there is always two sides of the coin- is similar to speeding along a major bridge or highway --we begin at one end with the intent of arriving at the other- thinking that there is only one, either completely stagnant or accelerated, way across. But the real breakthrough comes in the unexpected moments when we aren't telling ourselves what to do. Why? If we move too fast, or beat ourselves up when we hit a road block- we miss the oppurtunity to draw upon our attention, creativity and strength.

Let me paint a picture. You know the feeling of speeding across a freeway with your eyes shifting in between the clock and the forward motion of traffic. You're almost across the bridge--and then you hit the traffic that seems to come out of nowhere. You're no longer in full speed- but stopped, and most likely- pissed off. "I didn't plan for this!" you say to yourself. Even worse, not only are you stopped, but everyone is trying to get in "your" lane, which aggravates you even more because you've got an extremely important meeting to get to. Its hot, and the car doesn't have air conditioning. You look down at your clock once again and you're ten minutes late. Suddenly you realize that you're not going to "make it." All that trying- pushing, pulling feels irrelevant because well- the cars will not budge. And then all of a sudden you notice that you're surrounded by this huge body of water. "Has there been a lake here this whole time?" you say to yourself silently. In the midst of these two destinations, the honking cars, and caffeine induced-road raged- drivers is this huge vast body of water- moving creatively and flowing effortlessly.
It is in these moments that we allow ourselves to let go of the "getting there" because in between there is a journey that is much more valuable to our development and growth. This doesn't mean that crossing this bridge over and over again won't happen on a daily basis. But making the conscious choice to let creativity take over- to let ourselves feel what we're feeling and be exactly where we are is a step toward healing.

If were running from darkness toward light, striving to "get there" or "get healed" we miss the opportunity to dive into ourselves. It is inevitable that you will hit traffic again (literally and figuratively) in your life- all kinds of road bumps will come up- but this not a catastrophic event. Its an opportunity. Creativity comes in embracing your feelings- the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is so important to navigate the road in between the process of duality with this sense of freshness: to open yourself to the possibility that there is something magnificent there. The events that often bring up dualities, aren't about a one-time magic realization that you've moved out of the dark and into the light. There is not blueprint for success. It is gradual, its inventive, attentive, creative and often our best teacher if we just choose to let it be and show up throughout the entire process.

The ability to choose is the key, because choice is the process of creation itself. Its that magnificent place that I mentioned before where we say "yes- bring it on!" Making our choices CONCIOUSLY allows us to understand that each choice we make is a creative act of tremendous power for which you are held responsible. Choose to show up!