Polarities and Paradox | Zen of Opposites
Sensei John Ango Gruber
Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Consciously or subconsciously, we assess ourselves and position ourselves along different kinds of continuums and spectra: I’m good at this, I’m not good at that; I’m an introvert or I’m an extrovert. WhIle this kind of self-examination can help us to understand our own tendencies, it also reinforces our sense of ego and attachment to a fixed self. Freeing ourselves of fixed positions invites greater flexibility and wholeness into our being and helps us to experience more of the interconnection among ourselves and all beings.
Paradoxes defy the logic of binary thinking, asking us to engage with the simultaneous co-existence of what we typically consider to be mutually exclusive truths. Carl Jung called paradox a better witness to truth than a one-sided statement. Zen practice and texts regularly engage what we might see as contradictory, co-existing truths. Paradox can be found in many koans, in the sutras we chant, and in the writings and expressions of many of our most revered Zen teachers. As we become increasingly comfortable with paradox, we can develop our own sense of the interpenetrating nature of seeming opposites.
Offered in person with an online option, this workshop will explore the ways we relate to truths, moving from either-or thinking to a more nuanced understanding of opposites that are held in tension or balance. Participants will engage with a variety of polarity continuums while also making room for the dynamic flexibility of paradox.
In-person, Full Program (10 am-1 pm):
$40 Member/$45 Non-Member
Zoom, Online Portion, (10 am-11:30 am):
$30 Member/$35 Non-Member
To register please fill out the registration form. Payment may be made with cash or check (preferred) or by using the Soji PayPal site. Registration is open until Thursday, February 20, 2025.
