What Is the Purpose of Contrast and Resistance?

I had an enlightening conversation this weekend about contrast, resistance and their role and purpose in our lives.

We recognize “problems” as contrast that gives us the opportunity to visualize a new way.  Without it we would not have the clarity of where we want to go.  We have to allow the resistance to happen without judgement in order for it to be able to direct us.  Just allow and appreciating the positive aspects of whatever is happening even if they might be hard to see.

I talked with a retired pastor friend about this idea and he brought up a theoretical basis for some of the Abraham concepts.  He cited Hegel and his concept of "thesis, antithesis and synthesis." In this model we have an idea, contrast rubs against it and then we reform the idea into a new stronger one.

Personally, I think resistance is inevitable at this stage of our development because we have an identity or ego. What is useful for us presently is to be able to recognize the resistance and accept and allow it. Eventually we will have practiced that exercise enough to do it automatically and thus lessen our ego attachment.