Balance

We all have light and darkness within ourselves. In the Eastern world, it’s called yin and yang. If you examine the yin and yang symbol, you'll notice that on the white side, representing light, there's a black dot symbolizing obscurity, and on the black side, representing darkness, there's a white dot symbolizing luminance. This signifies that even on the brightest side, a speck of shade will always exist, and within the blackness, there will always be a speck of light. We all have to learn how to coexist with both aspects of ourselves. Learn to balance it within and around us, for balance is the key to everything.

When we feel pessimistic, our minds or consciousness must grow stronger, and we need to fight against it to rediscover the light. At times, when we shine too brightly, we may attract darkness and must learn not to let it affect us; this is the yin-yang effect. So we have to learn how to face what life throws at us with a positive mindset.

There is no such thing as an enemy or the Devil coercing us to do things. Nothing can control us; that’s why we have free will. The darkness referred to in Christianity or any other religion is within every single one of us. It's the yin within us. It is the sound of fear and doubt that we experience when encountering challenges and obstacles in life. We tend to give up easily because it is easier to point fingers rather than having the courage to put ourselves under the magnifying glass to figure out what the real problem is and face it head-on. It is easier to resort to enticements such as drugs, alcohol, video games, and the likes to escape our troubles rather than confronting our greatest fears.

Buddhism teaches that we have both seeds within us—the good and the evil—and it is up to us to decide which seed to nurture. If we dwell on the negative, we nurture our obscurity. In the Western world, seven sins are recognized: greed, gluttony, lust, wrath, envy, laziness, and pride. We must learn to cultivate the light within us and combat these seven deadly sins rather than accusing others for our transgressions and darkness. We must take control, hold ourselves accountable for our lives, and cease seeking justifications and blaming others.

Today, you have the chance to determine which seed you wish to nurture. Are you still going to grow the darkness within you, or are you ready to let the light come out?