People are becoming more extreme in their positions while projecting onto the other side, blaming them for everything that's wrong with the world. But there is also, in the midst of this, a group of people who are not identifying with either side. These people, in Carl Jung's words, are holding the tension of opposites. In this podcast, Laura and Bernhard discuss how we can heal this polarized world by being the ones who can hold the tension of opposites. They talk about what it means to hold the tension of opposites, how it relates to shadow work and individuation, the dangers of identifying with one polarized side of the opposites, how it relates to the esoteric concept of igniting the alchemical fire within and more. Show Notes Part 1: * The polarization in the world seems to be increasing exponentially * Extreme forms of tribal and group identifications on all sides * Holding the tension of opposites is necessary on the path of individuation * How holding the tension of opposites relates to Shadow Work * Paradox has a profound spiritual meaning to it * Most people in this world can't hold paradoxes - instead, they revert to a one-sided position in order to feel more secure * The alchemical Axiom of Maria and how a new state of consciousness emerges by holding the tension of opposites * The point of the opposites is they temper and restore each other, rather than one overcoming the other * The madness of trying to "get rid of the other side" * It’s harder to hold the tension when we are emotionally invested in an issue * Laura's story of swinging between left and right (politically) to holding the tension of opposites * How to hold the tension of opposites and how it relates to "conscious suffering" * With a lack of sincere introspection, you don't know who you really are * The true Self lies beyond like and dislike, attraction and repulsion, preference and rejection * The misconceptions about shadow work * The difference between conscious suffering (necessary for spiritual work) and unconscious/mechanical suffering (keeping you "in the matrix") * The esoteric concept of igniting the alchemical fire within to "fuse the magnetic center within" [the real "I"] via holding the tension of opposites within * Most people lack the capacity and attention span for true introspection * The esoteric idea of different false "I's" and IFS * The Law of Chance/Accident and how to "exit the matrix" * Holding the tension of opposites is a painful process hence, most people project externally * According to Carl Jung, we need at least a "leading minority engaged in the inner work" to "avoid a global catastrophe" In Part 2 (only for members), we go deeper into: * Not holding the tension of opposites makes the other side you oppose grow in consciousness [via shadow propjection] * Example: Self-righteous “reborn” Christians calling everything that is not “Christian” demonic are actually channeling evil * Example: Lauren Southern – how her trad-life turned toxic * The pathology of the online trad-life ideology * The positive side of early feminism * The abuse of women in the manosphere and the popular trad movement * Her breakthrough when holding the tension between opposites (feminism vs traditional wife) * Bernhard’s example of holding the tension of opposites * The prerequisite for holding the tension of opposites and how to avoid psychological splitting * The law of three based on the esoteric traditions * Each activity is the result of a triad,