When we decided to write a blog post about this, we literally spent ten minutes simply staring at the title in silent contemplation. Because we do not know what to say about it? No, actually…because it is such a beautiful and profound subject. Life, Death and the Illusion of Antithesis…or at least, the illusion of direct “opposites”.
Opposites…ideas or concepts which are contrary to each other, one totally different from or the reverse of the other. There are plenty that comes to mind…life and death, light and dark, good and evil…all of these concepts or states are commonly accepted as opposites, as opposing notions. Yet, when focusing upon the apparent difference between them…you fall into the trap of impetuousness – over-generalizing the concepts and completely missing the most prominent factors of these alleged opposites.
As people living in this mundane, physical world…you are taught to view everything in direct opposites, and if something is regarded as an “opposite” of something else, it is absolute. If something is not male, it must be female. If it is not day, it must be night. If it is not good, it must be bad and so on. You are taught that these absolute extremes are separate from each other and conflicts with each other because, after all, they represent contrasting notions. Further than this, you are taught to think in this same fatalistic way – that something is either good or bad and it cannot be both. You are taught to see in black and white, and that the notion of the “grey” in-between is not possible.
The idea…this commonly-accepted idea that notions which are “opposites” of each other are conflicting with each other and cannot be both at the same time is an illusion. It is false.
Nothing – not in mundane life or in matters of the spiritual – is ever mutually exclusive and conflicting. Nothing is simply “black or white” or “good or evil” – no. Everything is in the eye of the beholder…in other words, everything bows to the whims of perception.
A simple way to describe this is what one person would consider as being “good”, another person will consider as being “evil” and so on. Some regard the workings of nature as being cruel and brutal, yet others regard it as being fair and just. So…is nature cruel or fair? In actuality, it is neither…it simply is.
Returning to the matter at hand, we will use one of our most favorite example to illustrate the illusion of apparent “opposites” and their alleged “conflict” with each other – Life and Death.
What a brilliant example of two forces that seem to oppose each other – made even more brilliant because life and death pertains to us all…if you are born into this world, then you must eventually die! It is inevitable…and although that which is alive will fight and cling onto its own life…death is inevitable. Life and Death are the two forces in this world (let alone the entirety of existence) that affects all things.
So, tell us…are they opposites? Hm…you could say that they are. If you are not alive, then you must be dead…right?
Then…since they are “opposites” …they must also conflict with each other…right? Life must be the enemy of Death…right?
Wrong. Wrong on all levels.
Although Life and Death may appear to be opposites of each other…they are not. Life never ceases, and Death merely transforms Life into something else…another state. Life and Death are, in fact, two faces of the exact same thing: continuity.
Let us illustrate it like this: Bob is currently alive. Eventually, Bob grows old and dies. Yet, just because Bob’s body died, this does not mean that Bob no longer exists – Bob still exists and Bob is still Bob…except that Bob no longer has a physical body. Technically, Bob is still alive…only Bob’s physical body is dead. Through dying, Bob’s body was shed and Bob is still alive…but just in a different way. Just like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, Bob shed his body. Yet, just because Bob’s body is dead, and Bob was transformed through death…Bob’s life did not cease.
Life can be defined as a condition that distinguishes the capacity for growth, functional activity and continual change - the existence of an individual being. So, let us tick the boxes, shall we?
Bob, after death, is still Bob. Check.
Bob is still self-aware. Check.
Bob is still able to grow and develop. Check.
Bob still has functional activity and reasoning. Check.
Bob can still change in many aspects. Check.
Bob still exists. Check.
Death is not the end of Life, but sustains the continuity of Life.
Continuity. Con-ti-nu-i-ty.
So, although Life and Death are different from each other…will you still say that Life and Death are in opposition, conflicts with each other?
Exactly.
In truth – no “opposites” are mutually-exclusive. Life and death…dark and light…”good” and “evil”…nothing is ever completely one or completely the other, and one is never in conflict with the other. Everything simply is.
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