Article that I wrote for a content site but it's too theoretical for them so I just post it here.

 There are a few concepts in mainstream consciousness that deal with the inherent duality of our reality to some extent. Sayings such as "two sides of the same coin" encapsulate to a degree the notion of this fundamental truth of existence. This article aims to take a deeper dive into this concept, and by doing so, hopefully shed some light on the construct that is our mind.

In Hermetic Gnosticism we can find the 7 Hermetic Principles which tell us of 7 principles present throughout reality. In this article we set out to explore one of them more in depth, namely the Principle of Polarity, which states that; "Everything is Dual and has poles or opposites. Opposites are identical in nature but different in degree."

For a first example, consider hot and cold. Two states we perceive to be opposites, to be different from each other, to be incompatible with each other. However as we examine these ideas, we can quickly realize that it's impossible for us to find a definitive point in between them where hot seizes to be and cold begins. We can't define an exact point where cold becomes hot.

What we then are faced with, instead of having two separate things, is the fact that we have one thing (heat), and the lack thereof. It's a spectrum of possibilities with no clear-cut middle point. Nowhere on this spectrum can we definitively state that "this is the point heat ends and cold begins."

This might seem simplistic but keep in mind how many times we are polarized to any one side of a certain topic, and how many times this polarization creates conflict between people who hold beliefs correlating to the other end of the spectrum. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the political arena and in the so called "hot topic issues" being debated endlessly.

The benefit we can gain from having a deeper understanding of how the Principle of Polarity manifests in our day-to-day life is that we can lessen the emotional impact of this polarization. How many times a day do we indulge in thought-processes that judge and belittle and scorn people who hold different views than ourselves? How many emotionally draining arguments do we get into with other people just to prove our point and try to impose our beliefs on them?

To illustrate this, consider the example of veganism, and more precisely the endless arguments people both online and in face-to-face settings engage in, trying to convince the other party that their opinion is wrong. The talking points can revolve around either the scientific data which - depending on whose side you stand on and which studies you choose to believe - either supports or contradicts the validity of a vegan diet, or the ethical and moral reasoning behind choosing to not consume animal-products. 

This is not to say a debate about any topic is an inherently bad thing, the problems arise when people are so polarized to one side or the other that they completely loose sight of the grey area in between the extremes. The ends of any spectrum is where extremism in all shapes manifests itself, and when we commit so strongly to holding any set of beliefs, we set ourselves up for conflict by denying the other end of the spectrum, which keep in mind, is the same spectrum, not a different one.

This brings up an interesting quality of our reasoning mind and that is the capability to create reasons supporting pretty much any kind of action.  If we hold a belief about something, we can easily create justifications for our actions which stem from that belief. What many fail to recognize however is that people on the other extreme of the spectrum also have this exact same mental capability.

Let's do a quick thought experiment to prove this to ourselves. By continuing with the veganism example, imagine for a moment that you are a vegan. Put yourself in that mindset and try to see what kinds of justifications and reasons you can come up with for abstaining from animal products. Do this for a couple of minutes. 

When you are done with being a vegan, now imagine instead that you are what is termed an omnivore, you eat meat, dairy products and eggs and all the rest of it. Explore your justifications and reasons for doing so. 

The purpose of this little exercise is to illustrate the power of your mind to create reasons for any set of behaviors. You can try it with any belief you hold on anything. Think of any belief you have which directs your actions in the world. Why do you believe you need money? Why would somebody believe they don't need money? Why do you believe you have to behave like this if you are a parent? Why would somebody believe they can behave like that if they are a parent?

Why is it that we find the need to defend our beliefs and impose them on others? Why is it that we seem to only be able to see one side of the coin?

The more profound undercurrent to this argument is that by its very nature, duality only exists as a construct in the mind, as a means to differentiate things and categorize phenomena. The duality exists within the unity that encompasses both extremes. 

Negative can not exist without positive. Light can not exist without darkness. "Black implies white. Self implies other."

To change up the example for this last part then, consider something more mundane, but infinitely more nuanced; right and wrong.

We judge others actions which we see to be wrong from the standpoint of where we are perceiving them. We are able to justify their actions as wrong and our own actions as right. We have to keep in mind then the fact that from where this other person is standing, he is also able to justify his actions as right and our actions as wrong.

So who is ultimately right? 

Both are. And yet neither are. It's a paradox. 

Within our dualistic mind then, we are struggling to find peace, since there's always the other side of the coin to contend and compare with. Our "right" actions can only be such, in contrast to the "wrong" actions of somebody else.

This is one of the main reasons many philosophic and spiritual traditions aim to reach a state of no-mind, of non-duality, so that all the paradoxes can be reconciled and so we may find inner peace and a refuge from the black and white paradigm we find ourselves in.

Anyone can learn to observe the Principle of Polarity in action in ones life, and by becoming increasingly aware of how this principle is showing itself in all aspects of ones experience, slowly detach from many of the ultimately restricting labels one imposes on oneself and the world at large. By studying and paying attention to this principle, one can glean immense wisdom and acquire a holistic understanding of the workings of both the inner and outer aspects of reality.