Springtime Snow - A Contradiction???
We need to rediscover contradiction as a creative force within the soul. … …to have greater patience with our sense of inner contradiction in order to allow its different dimensions to come into conversation within us. There is a secret light and vital energy in contradiction. John O’Donohue (Contradictions as treasures in Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World)
What do you notice about contradiction and paradox? Contradictions in the world? Contradictions between you and that world? Contradictions within? Do you/how do you value these contradictions? Could they be gifts, although perhaps in disguise?
Snow has fallen several times since the calendar announced the arrival of Spring. I wonder if ‘Springtime snow’ is a contradiction and what it may be telling us.
A somewhat startling contradiction in the world caught my attention this week: a letter signed by over 1000 folks involved in the development of artificial intelligence demanding a pause in AI development to identify and address AI’s risks to humanity. At the same time and in seeming contradiction to their demand, signers and companies with which they are associated apparently continue their profit-driven, competitive push to develop AI technology (at least I’ve seen no announcements or stories reporting such a pause).
I’ve long been curious about paradox, and I’ve probably mentioned being dubbed with the nickname ‘pet paradox’ by friends in college. Back then I’m sure I engaged in paradoxical behavior, though only a few witnesses remain who could verify. It was also during this time that I recall declaring that ‘living with and navigating paradox’ would be an increasingly important skill in living with the increasing complexities of life in the future.
Believing that to be quite true today, I was immediately drawn in as I began reading O’Donohue’s essay. His words resonate deep inside in a way that they couldn’t have back in my college days (heck, he didn’t even write them until 30 years ago, two plus decades after my college years). Today I sense that he is pointing to a skill that we need to rekindle in these days of contradiction, controversy, complexity.
For surely as we are more willing and better able to allow and nurture contradictions within, our capacity to be more coherent, more aligned with our values will expand and the skill that we bring to listening, to considering, and to collaboration with others will deepen.
Indeed, as we nurture contradiction, allowing in with care and acknowledgement negative and/or opposing ideas, thoughts, experiences, memories, our choices and our values are likely to become clearer.
In my own life I grapple with contradictions that rise between my desire for comfort and ease and my deep care for Mother Earth and her well-being; for my culturally supported need for financial security as the world defines it and that same care for the Earth and for my fellow human beings.
Such grappling challenges me to examine my beliefs about the nature of life, of Universal law, the true source of security, and such. Gradually, step-by-step, my understanding grows, and I pivot, discovering pathways that honor care and hold the potential, dare I say the probability, of the comfort, ease, security that I desire. In some strange way, my willingness to grapple in the muck of contradiction, leads me to plateaus of peace.
Muse says that about now you may be asking ‘what the heck does this have to do with AI and pausing AI development?’. Or with any other seemingly unstoppable train that truly needs to be examined (I’m sure we can all name a few!)?
Most always, pivots require a pause. Even the sun pauses for a few days as it makes its Solstice pivots. In our pauses, individually and collectively, rests the time, the energy, direction, and the possibility for inviting contradictions to rise and be acknowledged. In the pause is the opportunity to see contradictions with greater light, clarity, and wholeness. And, perhaps, to look beyond the drivers of competition, winning, and profit. In the pause is the opportunity to treasure contradictions and then to choose differently.
Morning View Through the Trees