We are in a time of great divide with little common ground. If life were a pendulum it would be in the extreme forward or reverse direction, depending on one's point of view. Every category of life seems to be up for regeneration in this edge state of cultural evolution. Change is already here and will continue as it always does and always has. We are both awakening and pivoting to a different way of living without much time to pause. As with any type of upgrade, change takes time and effort, while it's hard to let the old systems go.
I offer here no answer to eliminate extreme divisions. It seems humanity is both burdened and built from them. But I hope to inspire and offer insight to a method to consider along the way.
The path of yea and nay is not new or complex. It is simple. The most difficult part is our ego. In this situation the ego is a separate individual and personal story that identifies with itself through a lens of accumulated experiences and accepted truths.
We do not see the world as it is, but we see the world as we are.
The path of yea and nay is an expansive system of checks and balances for the ego. It is an equalizer, sometimes called the middle path. Yea and nay can be interpreted as yes and no, as well as addition and subtraction. As the space between the two opposites gets larger, a third way appears. This third way is contemplative and open to continual revisions as it remains fluid.
Division and opposition are opportunities for growth; they each give birth to the other. The differences in the way we see things has always been and always will be; this isn't something new. The ability to evolve requires every type of angle and as we evolve, we expand those angles. While not losing sight of the big picture, ideas can be tested. Feedback gives us insight into what is working and what is not. Often, we cannot know until we try. If we come from a middle path, we give ourselves room to regenerate again and again. When staying independent and neutral for the betterment of all, sometimes the right decision is not obvious. But the next steps are revealed as we patiently take the first steps.
So how do we do it? How does one live with being proactive, while at the same time turning inward, creating more spaciousness and stillness? What quality has the capacity to hold both? What is simple, innocent and intelligent? If we could describe this method with just one word, the concept might become diluted and misunderstood. But that is the way we converse. There must be a word that can be widely understood. It's called humility.
Humility can be the alchemy of division. It is the living presence within that allows us to weave back and forth fluidly and to fully embrace all parts of life. It is what can connect us to one another as we see deeply that we are not what divides us but what brings us together. Those are the elements in which we can find common ground. We are all the same kind, one tribe. As we subtract the part of ourselves that is contracted and open ourselves to other possibilities for the highest outcome, we all gain.
Humility is being present, undivided and receptive. The space between the yea and the nay is life itself. Humility is what can allow us access to it. Humility is the invitation needed to return us not only to each other but to a greater version of ourselves.
Tim Hahn and his wife, Molly, are Springfield natives and have been running a wellness center since 2010. They have two small children with one on the way. He teaches and is an avid student of spiritual psychology and personal growth.
