Seems like yesterday when my Dad was in town with me and we went shopping with a “grocery list” in a mall. Now, this is the period when the Indian economy was in a boom, shopping malls were an “in” thing and everyone was discussing how our pet small shop owners will be pushed out of business…
Interest rates were at all-time low. There was a competition between cities on how much they could expand. This is also the time new employees were treated like god and goodies that would never stop… But then I digress…
In no time I had my shopping cart full of grocery items (full to the brim) I looked at my Dad and I noticed he was not amused at all… I was not sure what was going on. But then he patiently waited while I got everything billed.
Contended that I had bought everything that was needed this month. Since my parents are here this would be a big relief to my wife too. But I was also curious why my dad had this look all the while I was stuffing my shopping cart.
So I asked my Dad casually…Well, Dad, We have checked off all the things we needed this month and bit more (Me grinning).
I noticed my Dad get serious as he was gazing through the busy traffic. “You should not buy more than what you need”.
Now I was jolted but I kept calm and pretended to have understood what he meant.
I kept on thinking…
Maybe he is not comfortable with the “Shopping Mall” idea… or he can’t fathom the easiness our generation has brought in for everything. Whatever…probably a matter of generation gap.
Since Dad spoke less and meant what he said…I figured maybe I will strike this discussion later when it sinks a bit into me.
Fast forward some 10 years later I happen to read about the duality of life for the first time…
You know the sh#@t:
“Every aspect of life is created from a balanced interaction of opposite and competing forces” and Yet these forces are not just opposite they are also complimentary.
There is no canceling effect but these actually balance each other like dual wings of the bird.
The concept of duality opens a window for you. Through which you can understand the relative effect of an action or phenomenon.
For something to be of value to us, it has to have an opposing force. For example “up” means that because you know what “down” is. Similarly, you have young-old, sweet-sour, fast-slow, bright-dim, rich-poor, male-female, liberal-conservative and so on.
Get the idea?
Worth mentioning the most profound duality is the “Duality of life and death”. That must be the reason we find the idea of death so scary. Since we are alive we will experience death. But then that must be a gateway to whole another nonphysical world.
Life and death make the experience “Whole” and this applies to almost every aspect of life. Most of our value-based conflicts have roots in our inability to appreciate duality.
Just as death is incomprehensible to us. So is our nature to understand other people views or the values they bring to the table.
We lack perception to another side of duality because we were never educated about it. And the worst we were told to stay away from it! (success-failure, correct-wrong, good-bad)
We need to expand our consciousness to understand how this world works and what we are here for…
To live this life to the fullest understanding duality is a good starting point. Why should you not appreciate your life? Be thankful, filled with gratitude and live it out fearlessly while you are at it?
Coming to buying what you need…
Every-time you buy “more” than what you need someone in this world gets “less” than what he needs.
As for my Dad when I mentioned him about duality and that I understood why someone should buy just what he needs… He smiled and kept on with the daily chore. (Will have to catch up with him some time)
But the aspect of duality is much deeper and hidden almost in everything we see and encounter in life. Being conscious of your own and your surroundings are important. And it can help you live a much more meaningful and fulfilling life.
If you are not sure how you can step into higher consciousness, self-awareness and be at ease with your surroundings…
Click the link below right now and book a free 30-minute self discovery call with me.
Where I will help you ascertain your current level of consciousness and what you could possibly do to live a more meaningful and rewarding life. If you like what you learn you may follow them or if not just carry on with your life.