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The more we practice embracing paradox,

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the more we can expand

the contours of our own

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consciousness to see

reality, see our own nature,

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and discover our life.

When I let go of what I am,

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I become what I might be.

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Hello and welcome back to

Remember Why You Are Here,

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a podcast for seekers and sensitives

where you can relax, receive,

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reconnect yourself and

remember why you're here.

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I'm Asia Suler, author,

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earth intuitive teacher

and paradoxical person,

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and this podcast episode

today is all about allowing

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yourself to be the paradox that you are.

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This episode is here to

give you permission to be

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complex, contradictory,

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to be a paradox. There's this

level of reality in which we are

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meant to be all of the things that we are,

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that no part of us is out of place,

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that every part of us has a role to play.

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And I truly believe that part

of our goal here on this planet,

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part of why we're here is to

embrace the paradoxes that we are,

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to embrace our multitudinous nature,

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and that it's really through embracing

our own diversity and complexity

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that we can bring the diversity and

the deep nuance and complexity of

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our gifts to this world.

Embracing your own paradoxical

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self is an act of service for this world.

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It brings healing to our planet,

and of course within our own lives,

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it brings healing to

ourselves. So in this episode,

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we're going to explore what a paradox is,

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why it's at the heart of basically

every major mystical tradition on the

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planet.

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We're going to look at this

idea of paradoxes as portals

and really see the way

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in which we are all paradoxes. I'm going

to tell a story from my life that I

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always harken back to illustrate

this and really guide you to start

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seeing and embracing the paradox within

yourself because the paradoxes that you

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carry have encoded within

them the energy of the

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gifts and the healing you're

meant to bring to this world.

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So let's get into it.

So what is a paradox?

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A paradox is a contradiction

that is nevertheless true.

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It is something where there's

seemingly two opposingly opposite

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truths or ways of being that

coexist at once and that

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they're both authentic, they're

both true at the same time.

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A paradox is a way of being in which

there are these two qualities or

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characteristics that seem as if

they'd almost negate each other,

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or that they couldn't coexist at once,

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and yet it's actually through embracing

that they're both real and that they're

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both true that we grasp

and connect to ultimate

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reality.

Paradoxes defy our logic,

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and yet we can grasp

them through our wisdom.

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Wisdom tells us that

paradox is at the heart of

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reality and that, actually,

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if we want to grasp

the truth of existence,

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we do this through embracing paradox.

Paradox is at the heart

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of reality here on our planet.

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It is at the bedrock of this

experience of physical reality.

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It's everywhere you look.

It's darkest before the dawn,

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that decay and death leads to new life.

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That earth as a mother gives and gives

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birth and nourishes us and also

takes away-that initiates death,

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initiates transformation.

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All of these things are true at once here,

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and it's part of what makes

this planet so interesting,

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such an interesting place

for our souls to come,

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such a dynamic place to come learn,

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is that paradox is built

into the fabric of our

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reality.

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And this is a big reason

why the embracing of or the

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cording of paradox is at the

heart of every major mystical

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tradition that we see on our planet.

Paradox,

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it bridges us beyond

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our logical mind.

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It bridges us beyond

the duality of thinking,

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this black and white view of reality,

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and helps us touch the

numinous nature of reality.

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It brings us closer to the mystery.

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Mystery is the bedrock of our existence.

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Everything is made up of mystery.

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There's more that we

don't know by leaps and

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bounds than we do know. It's

like the bulk of a mountain,

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the bulk of an iceberg,

is beneath the surface,

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and that's the nature of reality.

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That mystery makes up our

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existence. And so mystical traditions

really valued and enshrine the

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paradox as a tool for helping

us connect to the mystery,

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to connect to the deeper

tides of existence,

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and to understand our

existence here on this planet,

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the way that this planet

operates and functions,

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the beautiful in some

ways non-dual nature of

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that dichotomy exists,

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but within that dichotomy is always

the paradox. Paradox will show

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you where the deep meaningful

stuff exists. This is why,

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in our true nature,

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all of us are paradoxes because this

is where the deep and meaningful

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stuff lives. It's only through

paradox that we touch the nature

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of reality because

reality is such a paradox.

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We are these eternal beings who

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come here to live and die,

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who come here to forget about

our eternal nature and have these

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temporary experiences on this planet.

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Has there ever been a

greater paradox, right,

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that we are both eternal and mortal?

So

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there's this level in which paradox,

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it helps our brain to transcend

the limits of our thinking.

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It helps our consciousness to expand.

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The more we practice embracing paradox,

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especially embracing

paradox within ourselves,

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the more we can expand

the contours of our own

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consciousness to see

reality, see our own nature,

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and discover our life outside

of the bonds or the confines of

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what we think is possible.

I love this quote by Carl Jung and he

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says,

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"the paradox is one of our most

valuable spiritual possessions.

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Only the paradox comes anywhere

near to comprehending the

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fullness of life."

Life is so powerfully

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full of all the feelings,

all the experiences.

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And yet the human mind

often tries to put things in

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certain boxes.

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And we live in a time right now

where that categorization and that

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delineation, that and or thinking,

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versus the both and thinking, is

kind of at the center of our culture.

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And so embracing the paradox

that is us, within us,

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helps us also expand the

potential of what we can

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create in this world because our

consciousness expands as well.

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And this is really at the

heart of why paradox is at the

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center of so many mystical

traditions on our planet.

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For example,

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Jesus was considered to be both

fully human and fully divine.

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That's a paradox. Or in Hindu mysticism,

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you are both the drop and the

ocean. You are both at once.

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Or in Daoism,

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the Dao that can be spoken

is not the eternal Dao.

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At the heart of so many of

these traditions was this

awareness that paradox is

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a portal.

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It's one of those inbred

portals to existence where

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when we learn how to embrace it,

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it opens up another way of

seeing and being on this planet.

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I think in a lot of ways we came to

earth to experience the delight of

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paradox. As souls who are in the

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spiritual world and not embodied,

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there's no opportunity for there to

be paradox in the same way because

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everything exists and

is. There's no opposite.

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There's no contradictory forces, there's

no dichotomy. There's no yin and yang.

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And so I think on a soul level,

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we're actually really delighted to

come here to this planet and like,

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let's experience the juiciness of paradox.

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Let's experience the juiciness

of being in a place on a

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planet at a time where it seems

like there's opposites and

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polarities.

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And yet somehow this process of

separating out into two parts

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actually brings us back together into

more wholeness. And this is a big

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part of the origin story in Daoism,

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this idea that out of

the void came something,

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the one thing, and this one thing, energy,

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decides to split itself,

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literally split itself

into the yin and the yang,

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into these two opposing forces.

Because it, the presence,

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the whatever you want to call

it, wanted to learn about itself.

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And it knew that through separating these

two pieces, could come back together.

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And when they came back together

after this experience of polarity,

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when they came back together,

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they create more wholeness and more

integration than existed before.

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And this is so much of what

we're doing when we embrace the

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paradoxes that we are.

We are moving towards greater

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integration and wholeness within us.

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And this is also why I

really name this reality that

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we bring wholeness and healing to the

world through embracing our own inner

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paradoxes,

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through recognizing that there's going

to be parts of us that don't make sense,

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that seem to be completely

opposing, that don't fit the script,

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that don't fit the paradigm of how we're

expected to act or who we're expected

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to be or even who we expected ourselves

to be or who we think we should

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be. That all of this is such rich, juicy,

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important terrain.

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That paradox is a portal and it's a

portal within your own life as well for

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reaching new levels of

integration and self-awareness and

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possibility. We are all

paradoxes, every single one of us.

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It's really just a matter of how tuned

in you are or not to the fact that you're

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a paradox. But know this, that

our healing, our wellbeing,

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the expansion of our consciousness

is dependent upon embracing this,

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that we are complete paradoxes.

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And within the realm of this

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earth and this reality,

it's irreconcilable.

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And I'm putting that in air quotes

because it's not meant to be reconciled,

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it's meant to be enjoyed

as textures of two energies

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coming into play with each other.

So I have to tell this story of...

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from my own life that really helped

me see and embrace the paradox

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within me.

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I always get a kick out of the story

and hopefully you will enjoy this too:

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So I was at a gathering, the

primitive skills gathering,

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Earth skills gathering.

And at this gathering,

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there's always a mead circle. So

people come, they bring their meads,

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everyone tastes like a million different

meads and everyone gets a little bit

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tipsy, as I'm sure you can imagine.

Well, I came late to this mead circle,

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and so everyone was already deep,

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like several hours deep into tasting

every different kind of mead you could

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imagine.

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And I roll up and there's

two people there that I

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know and have known for a long time.

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At that point I've probably had

known them for at least a decade.

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And I sit down and they're

very jolly and they're very

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talkative and just open,

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and we're having this really

heart-opening conversation.

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And it was a man and a woman. And as

we're talking, the woman says to me,

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Asia, when I first met you,

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I thought you were completely different

than you actually are. And I was like,

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that's interesting. And then the guy says

the same thing. He's like, oh my God,

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I can't believe you just

said that, because that was

exactly my experience too,

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that when I first met Asia,

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I thought she was completely different

than how she actually is. And I'm like,

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okay, tell me more. What do you mean?

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How did you experience me then versus

how you experience me now? And so the

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woman who was my friend was

like, oh, when I first met you,

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I thought you were this vivacious, sexual,

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sensual, party girl,

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just like this person who threw this

lavish parties and was embedded in this

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sort of erotic atmosphere. And she

said, but then I got to know you,

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and I'm like, oh,

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Asia is actually so deep and spiritual

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and holds this wisdom and

is really this channel

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for this sort of grounded,

peaceful, spiritual information.

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And is like this teacher.

And I never saw that.

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And in her mind these were

two contradictory things. And

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then the guy was like...

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I could just see his eyes skim back and

forth in his jaw open. And he was like,

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it was the exact opposite for me.

He's like, when I first met Asia,

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I thought she was this ethereal,

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kind of angelic, cottage core,

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innocent, Anne of green gables. Like,

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come with me to the meadow and I will

show you, help you speak to the flowers.

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And he was like,

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it wasn't until I got to know you

that I realize that you have this

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really vivacious side to you,

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that you have a raunchy sense of humor,

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that you know you're sarcastic,

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that you have this sensuality to you.

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And it was just this moment where I saw

them look at each other and realize,

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oh my God, we had these completely

opposite experiences of this person.

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And I'm just here kind

of laughing, also in awe,

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also thinking about how funny it is to

have people who know you from the time

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that you're 23 to your mid thirties.

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But it stuck out to me,

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and it was one of the first times

that I remember being like, ah,

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I am both. In whatever ways

you think those two sides are

paradoxes: 00:15:27

the part of me that

paradoxes: 00:15:31

was for years like a pole dancer,

as my hobby I loved pole dancing,

paradoxes: 00:15:36

and I competed in the Atlanta Pole

competition and won second place in my

paradoxes: 00:15:41

category. That that was happening

at the same time that I launched

paradoxes: 00:15:46

my big program, Intuitive Plant Medicine,

paradoxes: 00:15:49

which was really that more

paradoxes: 00:15:53

spiritual, in the garden,

the flowy dresses,

paradoxes: 00:15:57

and the big hats, and the quiet listening

and all these things that people,

paradoxes: 00:16:02

I think, think of as paradoxes,

but coexist within me,

paradoxes: 00:16:07

have always been with me: that I've

always been both of those things,

paradoxes: 00:16:10

that I am both introverted

and I love being at the

paradoxes: 00:16:15

center of a party.

I don't know, it doesn't make sense

paradoxes: 00:16:19

that I'm an introvert and I'm

in some ways shy and private.

paradoxes: 00:16:22

And yet part of my whole life

thing is to put myself out there in

paradoxes: 00:16:27

the world and to perform

and to express myself.

paradoxes: 00:16:31

And I share this, not to

go on and on about myself,

paradoxes: 00:16:36

but to illustrate for you

that you contain these

paradoxes: 00:16:40

paradoxes too. And that,

paradoxes: 00:16:42

while you might not have had two

people who maybe had a lot of mead

paradoxes: 00:16:47

openly admit this to you,

paradoxes: 00:16:49

you have probably had this experience

happen to you in your life where people

paradoxes: 00:16:53

meet you, they see one version of you,

paradoxes: 00:16:55

they see you inhabiting a

certain side of yourself,

paradoxes: 00:16:57

and they sort of assume

that you are a certain way.

paradoxes: 00:17:02

And yet you contain these

incredible multitudes.

paradoxes: 00:17:05

I also think that we get

stuck in these traps too.

paradoxes: 00:17:08

I can't tell you how many times

in my life I felt like, oh,

paradoxes: 00:17:11

I need to be a certain

way. I need to be this,

paradoxes: 00:17:16

whatever it is, straight

A, kind of studious person,

paradoxes: 00:17:21

and that that's at odds with this person

who wants to throw it all away and just

paradoxes: 00:17:25

be a poet and not go to school

that day or whatever it is.

paradoxes: 00:17:29

That we're constantly at odds

with the paradoxes within us.

paradoxes: 00:17:33

But the whole point is to embrace

that they're all meant to be

paradoxes: 00:17:37

there.

paradoxes: 00:17:38

That these paradoxes are meant to exist

within us because it's like the flake,

paradoxes: 00:17:42

it's the seed of the divine within us,

paradoxes: 00:17:44

to have these multiple facets of

our being that coexist at once.

paradoxes: 00:17:50

And when you stop resisting

the diversity within you,

paradoxes: 00:17:56

even when it seems like they're in

conflict - the part of you that wants

paradoxes: 00:17:59

something and the part of you that

doesn't want something -when we stop

paradoxes: 00:18:03

resisting that and we're just with

it, we open up so much energy,

paradoxes: 00:18:07

we open up this potential for all

the energy that exists within us.

paradoxes: 00:18:11

If we stop resisting,

paradoxes: 00:18:12

maybe the part of us that wants to

stay home and cozy up and be in our

paradoxes: 00:18:17

blankets and read our fantasy book,

paradoxes: 00:18:19

and also the part of us that wants

to go out dancing and wants to be

paradoxes: 00:18:24

seen and wants to kiss someone

cute. This is just one example,

paradoxes: 00:18:29

but it's like when we stop resisting

that we actually open up this big energy

paradoxes: 00:18:33

potential of who we really are,

paradoxes: 00:18:35

which is this beautiful complex

mix of all these facets of

paradoxes: 00:18:40

our being, of a spirit, a soul,

paradoxes: 00:18:44

that is beyond this human form

that comes in with all the

paradoxes: 00:18:48

depths, all the complexities,

paradoxes: 00:18:50

and that comes in wanting to play.

And we really see this at play in what's

paradoxes: 00:18:54

called parts work or the Internal

Family Systems Therapeutic Model,

paradoxes: 00:18:58

where the whole idea

here is it's viewing the

paradoxes: 00:19:02

mind not as a single entity,

but as a series of parts,

paradoxes: 00:19:06

a system of parts,

paradoxes: 00:19:07

and each have their own personality

and desires and roles and

paradoxes: 00:19:12

viewpoints and emotions. And sometimes

it feels like these parts of us are in

paradoxes: 00:19:17

conflict,

paradoxes: 00:19:18

that they're causing conflict for one

another and because they want different

paradoxes: 00:19:21

things and they're trying to do different

things. But in this model of thinking,

paradoxes: 00:19:25

this therapeutic model of thinking,

paradoxes: 00:19:27

healing happens when we realize

that all the parts are welcome.

paradoxes: 00:19:32

That it's not like just some parts or the

good parts and other parts are the bad

paradoxes: 00:19:34

parts. All parts are welcome.

And our goal is not to fix them,

paradoxes: 00:19:39

but to befriend them.

paradoxes: 00:19:42

That they're all here

in part to work with one

paradoxes: 00:19:45

another. That we are complex,

we are multitudinous,

paradoxes: 00:19:49

and it's part of the delight

of getting to be here in this

paradoxes: 00:19:52

existence. Embracing this is

not only just healing for us,

paradoxes: 00:19:56

it's also healing for the

cultures in which we move, right?

paradoxes: 00:20:00

There's this myth of consistency,

especially in western culture,

paradoxes: 00:20:04

this myth of consistency,

paradoxes: 00:20:06

that somehow you need to be consistent.

paradoxes: 00:20:11

Your routines needed to be consistent,

your life needs to be consistent,

paradoxes: 00:20:14

the messaging you put out there in

the world needs to be consistent,

paradoxes: 00:20:16

the way you present yourself. Well,

paradoxes: 00:20:18

the reality is nothing

in life is consistent.

paradoxes: 00:20:21

Everything's changing all the time.

There's this beautiful quote

paradoxes: 00:20:26

from the poet,

paradoxes: 00:20:27

Adrian Rich that I love that goes

like this: "The moment of change

paradoxes: 00:20:33

is the only poem."

And it touches the heart of reality

paradoxes: 00:20:38

that everything's in motion,

everything is always changing.

paradoxes: 00:20:41

Nothing is consistent, and

anything that is consistent,

paradoxes: 00:20:45

that's static, that's

death in a certain way.

paradoxes: 00:20:50

We want the Qi the life force

paradoxes: 00:20:53

of life to keep flowing, to keep

changing. That movement is life itself.

paradoxes: 00:20:58

And so when we allow

ourselves to be contradictory,

paradoxes: 00:21:02

to be complex,

paradoxes: 00:21:04

to be a paradox that frankly

can't be figured out,

paradoxes: 00:21:08

then we are actually rewriting

the cultural paradigm of

paradoxes: 00:21:13

what it means to be alive, what's

valuable about what we bring,

paradoxes: 00:21:19

what we're here to experience,

paradoxes: 00:21:22

what is really at the heart of

paradoxes: 00:21:25

life.

You know, what is a good life?

paradoxes: 00:21:28

A good life is embracing

the paradox of it all,

paradoxes: 00:21:32

embracing that there's

within grief, there's love,

paradoxes: 00:21:35

and within love there's grief.

paradoxes: 00:21:37

And within death is always life,

paradoxes: 00:21:41

and life is a process of

accepting and dancing with death.

paradoxes: 00:21:45

All of this is at the

heart of our existence. So

paradoxes: 00:21:50

there's this invitation here

to when we can embrace paradox,

paradoxes: 00:21:54

we open our gaze to nuance and complexity.

paradoxes: 00:21:58

We bridge beyond the black and

white thinking that is just really

paradoxes: 00:22:03

so embedded in our cultural

narrative right now.

paradoxes: 00:22:06

And it's really unhelpful.

paradoxes: 00:22:08

It's very deeply unhelpful to be

thinking in black and white terms in a

paradoxes: 00:22:13

world that is so complex

and so numinous, and so

paradoxes: 00:22:17

full of potential.

We need more both and

paradoxes: 00:22:21

thinking.

paradoxes: 00:22:23

We need people who are willing to

embrace their own paradoxes and

paradoxes: 00:22:27

complexities so that as

a world we can step back

paradoxes: 00:22:32

into really being in touch with

the nature of reality of this...

paradoxes: 00:22:37

that both and, that they can coexist.

paradoxes: 00:22:39

That there is not one right

way and one wrong way,

paradoxes: 00:22:44

that there is not an us versus them,

paradoxes: 00:22:47

but that it's all of us as a part

of this greater source coming

paradoxes: 00:22:52

in to have these individual experiences

and learn about our wholeness and our

paradoxes: 00:22:56

oneness through this experience.

So yes,

paradoxes: 00:22:59

I think embracing the paradox

of yourself is this important,

paradoxes: 00:23:03

is this vital, is this rich.

It's such rich terrain.

paradoxes: 00:23:09

And so I really encourage

you to ask yourself,

paradoxes: 00:23:11

what are the sides of you

that you deem unwelcome,

paradoxes: 00:23:16

the parts of you that feel unacceptable?

paradoxes: 00:23:19

And this might change given the

situation that you're in, right?

paradoxes: 00:23:24

When I was in my pole dancing class,

paradoxes: 00:23:27

it's perfectly acceptable

to be vivacious and sensual.

paradoxes: 00:23:31

But when I'm sitting down and

teaching about a flower essence,

paradoxes: 00:23:35

there was definitely a time in my life

where I felt like that wasn't welcome.

paradoxes: 00:23:38

That wouldn't have been okay.

And so I ask you in your life,

paradoxes: 00:23:43

what are the parts of yourself

that feel unacceptable,

paradoxes: 00:23:47

that feel unwelcome,

paradoxes: 00:23:49

that you feel as if there's no

way that they could be embraced

paradoxes: 00:23:54

in whatever space that you're moving

through? And just notice what arises.

paradoxes: 00:23:58

Notice what comes up.

paradoxes: 00:24:00

It's often the parts of ourselves

that we're resisting the most,

paradoxes: 00:24:03

that we don't want to embody the most,

paradoxes: 00:24:06

or that we feel like is the

most taboo in a situation,

paradoxes: 00:24:09

that's actually here to liberate

us in the biggest way possible.

paradoxes: 00:24:15

And I really invite you to play

with how can you delight in that

paradoxes: 00:24:19

energy instead?

paradoxes: 00:24:21

And I'm not necessarily asking you

to wear your pole dance shoes to

paradoxes: 00:24:25

church on Sunday. You can if you want

to. But what I am asking you to do is,

paradoxes: 00:24:31

in what ways can you personally, in

your own life, in your own existence,

paradoxes: 00:24:34

in your own existence of your reality,

paradoxes: 00:24:37

delight in these parts of yourself

that you think for some reason are just

paradoxes: 00:24:42

not welcome in certain

situations? Can you create arenas,

paradoxes: 00:24:46

safe spaces, places in your life,

where you can enjoy those parts,

paradoxes: 00:24:50

where they can be let out,

paradoxes: 00:24:52

where they can be celebrated?

To relish the fact that

paradoxes: 00:24:57

you are like an unsolvable mystery,

paradoxes: 00:25:00

that you don't know why you

like those two things at once.

paradoxes: 00:25:03

You don't know why you are

these two things at once.

It's not to be figured out,

paradoxes: 00:25:07

it's to be experienced.

paradoxes: 00:25:10

So in what way can you not

only embrace that you are a

paradoxes: 00:25:14

paradox, and that it doesn't

make you lesser than,

paradoxes: 00:25:16

it doesn't make you inconsistent.

It doesn't make you confused,

paradoxes: 00:25:20

it doesn't make you

confusing. It makes you human.

paradoxes: 00:25:24

It makes you a spirit, a

soul inside of a human body,

paradoxes: 00:25:29

having this incredible human

experience. It makes you real.

paradoxes: 00:25:33

It makes connected to

the heart of reality.

paradoxes: 00:25:37

When we feel tension around

a certain part of ourselves,

paradoxes: 00:25:41

and especially a part of ourselves

that's unexpressed, or repressed,

paradoxes: 00:25:44

or somehow we feel like we need

to put it in a certain place,

paradoxes: 00:25:47

that tension is actually energy.

paradoxes: 00:25:49

It's an indicator of the energy that's

here to be used, enjoyed, played with.

paradoxes: 00:25:54

And that's why when we embrace

these parts of ourselves,

paradoxes: 00:25:58

when we allow them space to

delight in life and do their

paradoxes: 00:26:02

thing, that we free up so much energy.

paradoxes: 00:26:07

We use an incredible amount of energy

anytime we're resisting or repressing

paradoxes: 00:26:10

something inside of ourselves.

And bless our hearts, we're human.

paradoxes: 00:26:14

It's like part of the deal. And

we can do this conscious work.

paradoxes: 00:26:18

We can do this work of

really embracing the

paradoxes: 00:26:23

paradoxes within us and actually

kind of delighting in it. And

paradoxes: 00:26:28

haven't you found this to be true?

paradoxes: 00:26:29

That the people who you find most

interesting in this world are kind of

paradoxes: 00:26:34

openly paradoxical? That

like you love it, right,

paradoxes: 00:26:39

if you hear the story about this

very spiritual monk who just

paradoxes: 00:26:45

on their off days, of their days

when they're like, go to town,

paradoxes: 00:26:49

their guilty delight, hey

might go get fast food.

paradoxes: 00:26:53

Isn't that delightful? I made this

up. I'm sure that exists somewhere,

paradoxes: 00:26:56

but there's something about

that that's so delightful,

paradoxes: 00:26:58

right?

We love paradox actually,

paradoxes: 00:27:02

if we sort of drain some of

the fear out around paradox of

paradoxes: 00:27:06

will I be accepted. Will I be embraced?

paradoxes: 00:27:10

Is it okay if reality is not so

predictable if we let that go?

paradoxes: 00:27:15

Paradox is so fun and delightful.

paradoxes: 00:27:18

Isn't it more fun to have

both and in existence?

paradoxes: 00:27:21

Isn't it more fun to have two seemingly

contradictory things exist at once?

paradoxes: 00:27:26

It's like the definition of delight.

paradoxes: 00:27:28

And so you in yourself are like

the definition of delightful.

paradoxes: 00:27:32

When you simply embrace that

you have all these layers,

paradoxes: 00:27:35

you have all these textures,

paradoxes: 00:27:37

you have all these colors.

You're not a riddle to be solved.

paradoxes: 00:27:42

You are a monument of existence

that's here to be honored.

paradoxes: 00:27:47

You're a work of art, a creation in

existence that's here to be honored.

paradoxes: 00:27:51

You are, in this way,

paradoxes: 00:27:53

you are like a zen koan.

paradoxes: 00:27:57

Zen koan don't have answers.

That's not the point of a zen koan.

paradoxes: 00:28:01

A zen koan is asked

because, through asking,

paradoxes: 00:28:05

it breaks down the

barriers inside your mind.

paradoxes: 00:28:08

It opens your mind up to new

possibilities of seeing new levels of

paradoxes: 00:28:12

self-awareness, new

perceptions of reality.

paradoxes: 00:28:16

That's who you are.

paradoxes: 00:28:18

And when you are willing to embrace

the paradox within yourself,

paradoxes: 00:28:22

you become like a zen koan in this world,

paradoxes: 00:28:24

something that people

might encounter and go,

paradoxes: 00:28:28

this does not make sense to me,

paradoxes: 00:28:29

but honestly it's freeing me in ways

paradoxes: 00:28:34

I can't even express. And I think this

is why we love hearing about or being

paradoxes: 00:28:38

around people who really embody their

own paradoxes because it frees us too.

paradoxes: 00:28:43

It frees our mind, it

frees our perspective,

paradoxes: 00:28:45

and it frees our consciousness back into

the wider contours that are possible.

paradoxes: 00:28:51

So I encourage you to make a list of

your own paradoxes. Write them down,

paradoxes: 00:28:56

make a category, have two

different sides. I'm this and this.

paradoxes: 00:29:00

I'm this and this.

paradoxes: 00:29:02

I'm introverted and I'm gregarious.

paradoxes: 00:29:05

I am thoughtful and I'm spontaneous.

paradoxes: 00:29:09

I'm spiritual and I'm irreverent.

paradoxes: 00:29:12

Write these things down and

maybe even write down with these,

paradoxes: 00:29:18

when you feel these different sides

of yourself come up. You know,

paradoxes: 00:29:22

when do they have time to play?

paradoxes: 00:29:24

And make more space for

both of those places,

paradoxes: 00:29:26

especially in the places and the parts

of you that don't get enough playtime,

paradoxes: 00:29:30

that don't get enough time out in the

world. And there's this reality where if

paradoxes: 00:29:34

we can find the paradox in any situation,

paradoxes: 00:29:39

we find peace.

paradoxes: 00:29:41

Because so much of what causes

us internal strife is trying to

paradoxes: 00:29:46

make something be a certain way,

paradoxes: 00:29:48

trying to figure out is

this good or is this bad?

paradoxes: 00:29:52

Is this right or is this wrong? And

if we just allow it to be a paradox,

paradoxes: 00:29:57

to be complex, to have

layers, to be like, it's both.

paradoxes: 00:30:02

This is good for me and

this is kind of hard for me.

paradoxes: 00:30:05

This is something that's

bringing a lot of joy to my

paradoxes: 00:30:10

life,

paradoxes: 00:30:11

and it's something that's bringing

up these layers of grief or loss

paradoxes: 00:30:16

or worry or whatever it is. That's okay.

paradoxes: 00:30:19

It's allowed to be a paradox.

paradoxes: 00:30:21

You're allowed to have both exist

at once inside of something,

paradoxes: 00:30:25

just like you're allowed to have both

exist at once inside of yourself. So if we

paradoxes: 00:30:28

just embrace that the biggest

richest things in life will naturally

paradoxes: 00:30:33

be a paradox, they just will.

paradoxes: 00:30:37

It's what adds to their beauty.

It's what adds to their death.

paradoxes: 00:30:39

When we can embrace that, we find freedom.

paradoxes: 00:30:43

We open up energetic

layers of our own self,

paradoxes: 00:30:46

and we can really embrace our own

selves in a way that we have access

paradoxes: 00:30:50

to all of the energy that

we're meant to use here on this

paradoxes: 00:30:55

planet, to be a part of

the dreaming of our planet,

paradoxes: 00:30:59

to bring ourselves closer into the heart

of reality and deliver into the heart

paradoxes: 00:31:04

of reality the gifts that we're here

to offer. If paradox contains this

paradoxes: 00:31:09

much energy, then you, living

out your paradox, letting it be,

paradoxes: 00:31:13

is you allowing life force

to exist on this planet.

paradoxes: 00:31:18

It's allowing yourself to be in alignment

with the life force of this planet and

paradoxes: 00:31:22

letting that energy move through you.

paradoxes: 00:31:23

And you probably even notice now

as you're listening, this sense,

paradoxes: 00:31:28

this feeling, of more energy arising

within you. There's a relief,

paradoxes: 00:31:33

right? There's a relief in just

being the paradox that you are.

paradoxes: 00:31:37

And I promise that the more

paradoxes: 00:31:40

you allow yourself to be this paradox,

paradoxes: 00:31:42

the more you will call into your life

the people in situations that really love

paradoxes: 00:31:46

and honor you as the paradox that you are,

paradoxes: 00:31:49

that don't want you to be

just one thing. That's boring.

paradoxes: 00:31:54

They don't want that. The people and

the places and the situations that are

paradoxes: 00:31:58

meant for you will delight

in the paradox that you are,

paradoxes: 00:32:04

will find it to be one of the most

invigorating and freeing things,

paradoxes: 00:32:08

will want to be in your presence

because you are so willing to embody the

paradoxes: 00:32:12

paradox.

paradoxes: 00:32:13

And this is really a force of becoming

an evolution for our planet. So as

paradoxes: 00:32:18

Laozi says in the Tao Te Ching,

"when I let go of what I am,

paradoxes: 00:32:23

I become what I might be."

And that's what we're doing.

paradoxes: 00:32:28

We're letting go of what we think we are,

paradoxes: 00:32:31

what we've been trained to do in

all the ways in which we've been

paradoxes: 00:32:36

programmed to view, how we view

ourselves, what a good person looks like,

paradoxes: 00:32:41

what an acceptable person looks

like. And when we do that,

paradoxes: 00:32:44

we're becoming who we might be. And so

there's this energy, there's this force,

paradoxes: 00:32:49

of when we do this for ourselves,

paradoxes: 00:32:51

what we're bringing to the planet

is this energy of letting go of what

paradoxes: 00:32:56

was to embrace what might be.

paradoxes: 00:32:59

There are so many potentials

and possibilities for what

might be on this planet.

paradoxes: 00:33:05

So many.

And I think so often we get stuck in the

paradoxes: 00:33:10

doomsday loop of the news

and the news cycle that the

paradoxes: 00:33:15

things we're being

bombarded with every day,

paradoxes: 00:33:17

that we don't recognize just how much

potential and possibility is still before

paradoxes: 00:33:21

us. How much can shift and change,

paradoxes: 00:33:26

the ways in which when

we let go of what was,

paradoxes: 00:33:28

we embrace what might still be,

paradoxes: 00:33:32

we step towards new realities,

new possibilities on this planet.

paradoxes: 00:33:37

And I deeply believe,

paradoxes: 00:33:40

and have heard over and

over again from this earth,

paradoxes: 00:33:44

that it truly begins with us

accepting the earth of our own

paradoxes: 00:33:48

selves, coming into alignment

with the earth of our own beings,

paradoxes: 00:33:52

with embracing the way reality

manifests itself through us,

paradoxes: 00:33:57

which in this way of thinking is

embracing the paradox of who we

paradoxes: 00:34:02

are, the beautiful, conflicting,

paradoxes: 00:34:07

confusing, complex,

paradoxes: 00:34:10

utterly delightful paradoxes

that each and every one of us

paradoxes: 00:34:14

are. The paradox that you are, that

you came to embody here on this planet,

paradoxes: 00:34:19

this is part of your gift,

part of why you're here.

paradoxes: 00:34:24

And I want you to know that

this earth is just absolutely

paradoxes: 00:34:28

delighting in all it is that you carry,

paradoxes: 00:34:31

in all it is that you are in the complex,

paradoxes: 00:34:34

nuanced landscape of who you are in your

paradoxes: 00:34:37

being. And that you simply coming

home to that, and resting there,

paradoxes: 00:34:42

is creating these greater

ecological systems of transformation

paradoxes: 00:34:46

and care on this planet.

So if you feel moved to share,

paradoxes: 00:34:50

I'd love to hear about what

paradoxes came up for you.

paradoxes: 00:34:55

And if you'd like to share,

leave me a voice message:

paradoxes: 00:34:57

head on over to AsiaSuler.com/remember,

and you can leave me a voice note there.

paradoxes: 00:35:01

And I would love to hear your voice

and celebrate you in the paradox

paradoxes: 00:35:06

that you are. And if you're listening

to this when this first came out,

paradoxes: 00:35:11

it is officially a few

days before my birthday,

paradoxes: 00:35:14

which always feels like such a fun time

to embrace paradox on one's birthday.

paradoxes: 00:35:19

What do I want to do for this day?

paradoxes: 00:35:20

Maybe I want to do all the things that

the different parts of me like to do.

paradoxes: 00:35:24

But if you are listening

in this timeframe,

paradoxes: 00:35:26

then we're running a 20%

off sale for my birthday,

paradoxes: 00:35:30

off everything on the website.

paradoxes: 00:35:32

So if you're interested in a

course or my collection of guided

paradoxes: 00:35:36

meditations,

paradoxes: 00:35:37

all of that is there and available and

you can get 20% off your entire order

paradoxes: 00:35:41

between now and the end

of my birthday on Friday,

paradoxes: 00:35:44

July 18th. So if you're

interested, go check that out.

paradoxes: 00:35:48

It would mean a lot to me to get that

little birthday gift from you on my

paradoxes: 00:35:52

birthday. So just use the

code birthday20 at checkout,

paradoxes: 00:35:55

and the entire discount will be

applied to your whole cart. And

paradoxes: 00:36:00

if this podcast is bringing

something to your life,

paradoxes: 00:36:03

if you're enjoying listening,

paradoxes: 00:36:06

if it's helping you in

any way see yourself,

paradoxes: 00:36:10

embrace yourself,

paradoxes: 00:36:12

or if you're just finding moments

of delight inside this podcast,

paradoxes: 00:36:15

I would love it if you left me a review,

a thumbs up, stars. It means so much.

paradoxes: 00:36:20

It actually really helps in a very

logistical way to get this podcast out

paradoxes: 00:36:25

there in the world and it just makes

my heart sing. So let me actually,

paradoxes: 00:36:30

lemme do that whole thing again.

paradoxes: 00:36:32

And if you would like to give

me another birthday present,

paradoxes: 00:36:37

or if you just want to do a good

deed, an act of service today,

paradoxes: 00:36:41

something like leaving flowers

on someone's doorstep or a little

paradoxes: 00:36:45

offering out in the world,

paradoxes: 00:36:46

then I would love it if you

left a rating review or stars or

paradoxes: 00:36:51

thumbs up for this podcast.

paradoxes: 00:36:53

It really logistically very much helps

this podcast to get out there into the

paradoxes: 00:36:57

world. And each and every

one just means so much to me.

paradoxes: 00:37:02

I will be reading them

on my birthday this year.

paradoxes: 00:37:05

So if you feel moved to do that,

paradoxes: 00:37:07

if this podcast has been meaningful

to you or helpful for you in any way,

paradoxes: 00:37:11

that would just be such a wonderful

birthday gift for me this week. So thank

paradoxes: 00:37:16

you. Thank you so much for being here.

paradoxes: 00:37:18

Thank you for being the

paradoxes that you are.

paradoxes: 00:37:20

I love that we get to hang out

as paradoxical people and just

paradoxes: 00:37:24

enjoy and embrace the levity of it,

paradoxes: 00:37:28

and delight really in this existence

of being able to be who we are:

paradoxes: 00:37:32

these beautifully complex, paradoxical

beings, on this beautifully complex,

paradoxes: 00:37:36

paradoxical planet. It's a joy.

paradoxes: 00:37:42

And may your explorations

of your own inner paradoxes

paradoxes: 00:37:47

only bring you closer to this

most important thing of all

paradoxes: 00:37:53

remembering why you're here.

paradoxes: 00:37:58

Let me do that again.

paradoxes: 00:38:00

And may your explorations of the podcast

And may

paradoxes: 00:38:05

your embracing of the

paradox that you are,

paradoxes: 00:38:09

this exploration of this beautiful paradox

that you contain and that is at the

paradoxes: 00:38:13

center of your being,

paradoxes: 00:38:15

may it only bring you closer to this most

paradoxes: 00:38:19

important thing of all:

remembering why you're here.