For every spiritual practice, there is one that seems to be exactly the opposite. For example: acceptance and creation; mindfulness and focus; listening and speaking; the power of the word and the power of silence; Love and Law; inner spiritual work and outer action in the world. Often you have a tendency to lean toward one side of the paradox or the other. Your friends and teachers may also make one side primary over the other. Yet both ways are correct in particular moments and each avenue adds something missing from the other.
Balance isn’t trying to live in the middle of a paradox but rather remembering that both ways are true and available to you at any given moment. Maybe this is the time to speak up or maybe it’s time to go within in silence. Perhaps now it’s time to act or it may be time for mindfulness. As you get comfortable which both aspects of a paradox, you put more tools into your spiritual toolkit and you mature in your use of them. Don’t be confused! Let the Paradox Games begin!