2. See How Opposites Depend on Each Other
Many things only make sense because of their opposite.
Example: Freedom and structure seem contradictory, but one allows the other to exist.
Too much freedom can be chaotic; too much structure can be suffocating.
The right balance of rules actually creates more meaningful freedom (e.g., music needs rhythm to be expressive).
Holding paradox: Instead of seeing them as separate, recognize how they support each other.
3. Experience the Tension Without Trying to Solve It
Paradoxes often feel uncomfortable because we want a clear answer. The trick is to sit with that discomfort.
Example: To change, you must accept yourself as you are.
Self-improvement requires effort, but the more you fight yourself, the harder change becomes.
Paradoxically, when you fully accept yourself, change happens more naturally.
Holding paradox: Instead of thinking, “Should I push myself or just be content?”—see that both acceptance and effort can work together.
4. Play with Shifting Perspectives
Sometimes, a paradox is just a matter of perspective.
Example: Is a wave a particle or a wave?
In quantum physics, light can behave as both a particle and a wave, depending on how you measure it.
It’s not either—it’s both, depending on perspective.
Holding paradox: Learn to shift between different ways of seeing things without needing one to be “right.”
5. Embrace the Mystery
Some paradoxes can’t be solved logically, but that doesn’t mean they’re meaningless.
Example: What is the sound of one hand clapping? (Zen koan)
The question defies a straightforward answer.
The point is not to find a solution but to experience the shift in thinking that it creates.
Holding paradox: Instead of looking for an answer, allow the question itself to expand your awareness.
