Dancing with the Opposition

Think about the word opposition for a moment and tune in to what you have been led to believe about the word. What does it mean? How does it make you feel?

I'd bet that for most people, opposition is a synonym for enemy. And behind the word enemy is the conditioned feeling of fear.

Etymologically, however, opposite means "facing position." What is opposite is in front of us, although we often find ourselves turning our backs to it (flight). If we aren't hiding from it, we typically turn to face it with our hands up, either in offense (we are ready to fight) or defense (we expect it to fight). See here examples of the typical fight and/or flight.)

Fight or flight has been expanded to include freeze and fawn. I just read an article from SimplyPsychology.org where you are "taught" to recognize these responses to learn to use them more positively, but what I found interesting was that there was not a healthy alternative, the one that included meeting the opposition from an empowered Whole Self position, where the goal was knowing and understanding. Honestly, I think that their position does a huge disservice to the inherent wisdom we all have within us to dance with the entirety of our lives.

Isn't it interesting that we think we have two options, fight, or flight, (or now, four options) neither of which are ideal. Note also, that neither option even considers knowing and understanding what is opposite you.

The other day I came across an interesting post from my friend Abby on NoFearAstrology. She presents the value of opposing signs by saying, "This is the nature of the opposition - seeing what we are, what we are not, and all the things we could be." She, in a way similar to John Demartini in his book The Breakthrough Experience, suggests that we "can create balance in the polarity." In fact, the polarity is the opportunity for transcendence through a reconciliation of opposites.

For all the talk about yin and yang, it seems the focus is on the black vs the white, with much less focus on the fact that there is always black in the white and white in the black. Also, yin and yang are not just black and white. Together they form a circle, a symbol of wholeness. The transcendence in wholeness does not come until we can look at the opposites in a holistic way.

I invite you to check out Abby's post. It is actually much less about astrology than it is on reconciling opposites, but of course the latter helps one understand the astrological energies each of us deals with as well.

What are you facing? It is likely challenging, and I will say it is meant to be. It is in challenge that we grow. Do we choose fight, or flight or do we face the opposite and dance with it, in order to know and understand.

Old Soul Alchemy uses the imagination to facilitate the "face-off" through inner work that more often than not, carries over into our outer lives. I hope you'll come play with me. Let's learn to dance!

♥ Runa

What do you think about opposition? Are you ready to rise above the fight or flight (and freeze or fawn) responses to a more empowered YOU!? Are you ready to dance?