Jed Shlackman, Contributor
Waking Times
The path of the spiritual adept progressing toward mastery is one that requires a steadfast commitment toward balance and integration. In life we develop a variety of skills and master the characteristics of archetypes and polarities so that we can reunite them in ourselves to recover our wholeness.
A quality that is seen as desirable can be taken to a polarized extreme and become unhealthy and dysfunctional. A quality that is perceived as negative or pathological can be recognized as being the polarized extreme of something that is actually beneficial when applied in balance and moderation. Even some of the most valuable and empowering spiritual teachings can be taken to an extreme or out of context and lead to unhealthy patterns.
