“As long as I am this or that, I am not all things.”
-- Meister Eckhart (Eckhart von Hochheim)

In everything, there lies both a blessing and a curse.

I learned this powerful gem of wisdom many years ago but it became more real to me recently as I reflected back on the most dysfunctional period of my entire life. At that time, I was a classic co-dependent. I had given all power to my partner. I groveled at his feet in a desperate desire to serve his every whim.

It was a very difficult, very black time for both of us.

Fortunately, I now understand how the pain of having abandoned myself so completely inspired me to reclaim my power and essence.

But although I had mentally come to terms with that experience, I hadn’t emotionally -- I still felt shame around my behaviour at that time. How could I have been such a wimp?

I’ve finally found healing around that painful memory, thanks to the yin/yang symbol.

Look at the included symbol. Clearly, the black and white halves speak of duality.That black time of my life led to higher consciousness (white). But notice that buried within the black half, there’s a little white dot. That’s the blessing in the curse and we’re always invited to find it.

What was the blessing in my co-dependency? Well, although my emotions and perspectives were out of balance and misguided, I truly loved and valued my partner. More than anything else in the world, I wanted to make him happy. How can such whole-hearted caring not be a blessing?

Now that I appreciate the little white dot in the black half, (and don’t forget the little black dot in the white half!) of the yin/yang symbol, I am more able than ever to release judgment about what unfolds in life. Life is always a blend of what we might call good and bad. Really, life just is. Can we accept the wholeness and fully engage with it?

~ Patrice

“The purpose of therapy is not to remove suffering but to move through it to an enlarged consciousness that can sustain the polarity of painful opposites.”
-- James Hollis

“When you are able to contain both the light and dark together, that is a very enlightening state. It means that you no longer have to choose one experience over another. You do not have to choose love or hate, blame or forgiveness, sadness or joy, anger or openheartedness. You are no longer polarized; no particular feeling boxes you in and keeps you from the light of true self. You then have access to the full range of human experiences you came into this life to embrace.”
-- Martia Nelson