127 The Art of Holding Paradox

Does the world seem increasingly tumultuous and erratic to you?  We’re processing a lot as we try to make sense of our world, one that seems to grow in complexity each day.  Have you been looking for a way to work through the upheaval, whether it’s personal, professional, or through larger themes, such the underlying feeling of national discord or the broader global turmoil that’s intensifying?

A practice we’ve discussed on this podcast is that of holding a question, which can be expanded to the practice of holding paradox.  A paradox is simply a contradictory statement – which is what living life can feel like sometimes – and when that contradiction is explored, we may find elements of truth.

Like: “The more you learn the less you know.”

This practice of considering the both/and view doesn’t ask that we agree with opposing views – but it does ask us to allow the space for multiple experiences, opinions and possibilities.  You may find the more you practice the art of holding paradox, the more positive the effect on your well-being.  And that’s what we’ll be exploring today.

We’ll cover:

• What paradoxical thinking is and what it’s not;

• The benefits of a both/and approach; and

• Practical ways to utilize paradoxical thinking for well-being.

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