Awakening to Wholeness is a series of prompts, reflections, and teachings about how holding the tension of opposites can help us to heal division and experience wholeness. If you feel moved to share your own reflections, we invite you to email us with the subject line “Wisdom of Opposites” or tag us on social media with #EHoPWisdomOfOpposites.
This is a guest post by EHoP community member Dianne Schlichting, in response to “Light and Dark.”
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Many of you might have taken a class, been on a retreat, or read about something called The Enneagram. On retreat recently, I had an opportunity to explore the value of this understanding in my life. The tension of light and dark is within each of us in unique ways: both sides of this tension can lead to blessing if we are attentive to the Spirit within.
One aspect of the Enneagram involves looking at Totems; mine are the peacock (the small-self side) and the eagle (the transformed side). Both are present.
There exists the side of me that is vain, deceitful, and desires that others only see the beautiful in me. Knowing this about myself helps me be attentive to places within that are in need of God’s mercy and healing (a gift).
I can also be grateful for the qualities that resemble those associated with the eagle: the strength, the freedom to soar, the inspiration that I am able to bring into the lives of others. Light and dark are both gifts on our spiritual journey! Praise God!
Join the conversation! If you feel moved to share your reflections—either in response to one of our posts, or on the topic of the wisdom of opposites more broadly—we invite you to email us with the subject line “Wisdom of Opposites” or tag us on social media with #EHoPWisdomOfOpposites.
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Dianne Schlichting
Dianne is a member of EHoP; she and her husband John value the opportunity to share contemplative prayer and outreach with others who make the House of Prayer their spiritual home. Dianne is a wife, mother, and grandmother who loves spending time in nature, especially canoeing with John.
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