This morning while meditating, I sat with my hands open and slightly cupped, palms facing upward, in a gesture of being open to receiving. I immediately had a sense of holding something very heavy in both hands. Because I have been feeling overwhelmed of late, my immediate thought was that I was feeling the weight of responsibility and obligation that I have been carrying around. But then in the next moment, I also sensed that I was experiencing the heft of my gifts, blessings, and opportunities. I realized that I was ‘holding’ equal parts of struggle and joy, the yin and the yang of life.
In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang describe how seemingly opposite forces, one dark and one light, are interdependent and necessary for harmony in the natural world and life. In other words, equal parts of negativity and positivity, or in my case struggle and joy, are necessary for balance. My morning experience was a beautiful reminder to acknowledge and appreciate both the light and the dark aspects of my existence and to celebrate and be grateful for both.
