The duality of humanity

                                                             The envy and the inspiration

                                        

Duality is an undeniable aspect of our existence: good and evil, yin and yang, matter and spirit, light and shadow.

This concept is also present in our lines of thought, choices, decisions, and, consequently, actions.

Suppose we simplify our way of thinking while simultaneously expanding our perspective on duality. In that case, it will become clear that we can reduce all our mental confusion, the repetition of useless cycles, the surrender to suffering, and the difficulty in making decisions due to fear of consequences to just two paths.

What do you consider fair? But what if you’re not fair or right?

A combination of who you are and what you’ve learned to be defines your "software." Within it, we store various information and codes to make our choices.

The point is that we search these two files for information when we need to decide how to think or act.

There was a time when I believed that who I truly am, or my spirit, had the answer to everything, and this is not untrue. However, while it may have all the answers to all my questions, it does not have all the solutions.

I came to understand the value of the shadow, of what we learn to be—the ego—when, in a moment almost stripped of it, I felt the same shame as Kafka when he realized that life is a masquerade ball and he attended with his true face.

When we become aware of the duality present in human nature, we become more capable of being assertive in our pursuits, making choices that bring us peace and make us proud because we feel that, regardless of which file we consulted, the internal coherence achieved is a sign that we chose the right path. The opposite of this is hypocrisy—the incoherence of actions in relation to one’s inner self, the incoherence of words and deeds.

By contrasting the duality of things in search of coherence, we achieve greater mental clarity about the choices that imperceptibly shape our daily lives and lead our destinies.

If we contrast envy and inspiration, we’ll see that they derive from the same source, but when we reach the fork in the road, we have a choice.

Those who choose the path of envy simply believe they are victims of injustice because they are prisoners of their past.

They believe that those who have or are what they wish to have or be are privileged for not having had the same past, the same sad stories, the same people and situations to blame. So they become indignant and stagnant and do not move toward what they want, angry at themselves for believing they will never deserve such a thing.

The complex comparison also defines this path. Those who lack deep self-love become fragile at the slightest perceived deficiency in themselves, as lack incites desire, and desire allows us to recognize that lack.

Instead of seeing this lack of guidance on building what one does not yet possess, they face it as the pain of impotence.

But is this a genuine desire for what the other has or achieved, or is it just their comparison complex and lack of self-love trying to prove to their ego that they too can be chosen? Loved? Praised? Seen?

Perception has the power to change things. Why not take the path of inspiration instead?

Fans and haters part ways at the fork, and this will define the course of their lives.

While one will say that someone has or is something because they made a deal with the devil, the other will learn about themselves, about their hidden desires, and feel grateful for being surrounded by what fills their eyes with admiration. They will be thankful for the opportunity and motivation brought by inspiration, which, in turn, will transform and evolve their own lives.

The inspired ones will make the envious seem small. They will use the same source to transform their lives instead of chasing the empty satisfaction of the ego.

They focus on learning from others and taking responsibility for their actions, not allowing the past, people, or situations to justify their failures. Unlike the indignation felt by the envious, they will feel gratitude for having had the opportunity to hear or learn something about themselves, granting them the strength to achieve their desires.

As part of nature, though increasingly distant from it, we forget what it teaches us.

The moon has no light of its own; we can only see it because it reflects the sun’s light. But we see it as we do because Earth has an albedo three times greater than the moon, meaning Earth reflects three times more light than the moon.

If we fragment human consciousness and draw an analogy to this physical parameter, we could consider Earth as the decision-maker, the moon as the shadow side, and the sun as the light side of each of us.

See how intelligent nature is.

It teaches us how we reflect on others. It shows us that we can better see our shadows and others when we use our light.

We cannot live in the sun, as it would burn away Kafka's masks, and the world is not yet ready for that. We could choose to live in the moon’s darkness, longing for Earth’s brilliance and greatness, or we could live here, letting the sunlight in so we can observe the phases of the shadow and, in doing so, continually expand our vision through what we are capable of reflecting.

Light and darkness can cause blindness, but inner brilliance is like a pair of glasses, for in the end, we can only reflect what we receive and emit what we genuinely possess.

Thiara Màtos.