January marks the beginning of a new year and also my birthday week! This year, I’m committing to the theme “into the light,” a journey that acknowledges the need to embrace both the light and dark within us and around us.
This declaration aligns beautifully with the Aquarius archetype (my birthday sun sign), known for its complex, paradoxical nature—much like the world of polarity we currently navigate in leadership and life.
Understanding Polarity
Polarity, as defined by the Oxford dictionary, involves “the state of having two opposite or contradictory tendencies, opinions, or aspects.”
This dynamic is illustrated in the picture below represented as a metaphor of the higher self ascending by balancing these opposing forces. As many famous philosophers and songwriters have said, it is always darkest before dawn.”
Aquarius Traits & Modern Leadership
Paradox is a defining characteristic of our current era, and the Aquarius archetype embodies this beautifully. This archetype, associated with qualities like humanitarianism, revolutionary thinking, and a future-oriented mindset, also embraces seeming contradictions: independence and collaboration, tradition and innovation, the individual and the collective.
This capacity to hold seemingly opposing forces in balance or harmony is a key trait of conscious leadership. By holding multiple perspectives, we can navigate these paradoxes, finding new and creative pathways forward, whether we are addressing personal beliefs or systemic issues.
Exploring Contradictory Concepts
Consider these seemingly opposite concepts:
- Rational and Intuitive
- Fear and Love
- Artificial Intelligence and The Natural World
- Light and Dark
- Doing and Being
- Head and Heart
- Business Acumen and Soulful Wisdom
- Narrow Thinking and Multiple Perspectives
- Masculine and Feminine
- Vertical and Horizontal
In each pair lies the root of many unsolved dilemmas and also immense possibilities for innovation and growth.
Podcast Insights on Paradox, Polarity and Leadership
On Conscious InSights, our podcast and YouTube series, we regularly see that engaging with these opposites sparks fresh insights and fosters creative thought.
In the episode, “Elevating Perspective: Transformation in Nepal with Mark Gasta and Luis Benitez,” we discussed the intersection where meticulous planning meets the magical possibilities of the open trail.
Luis Benitez put it succinctly when discussing mountaineering in Nepal: “At some point, all the logistics need to be turned over to the art of the possible and what is possible out there. And these multimillion-dollar expeditions, whether they like it or not, have to leave room for that magic.”
Mark Gasta shared, referencing why a leader might immerse themselves into our Sherpa Way program in Nepal or other outdoor experiences, “When we’re pushed a little bit and get a little bit vulnerable based on some of our self-imposed boundaries, all of a sudden we can have a real conversation about life and leadership and service and legacy.”
In “Visionary Spaces: Landscape Architecture as a Catalyst for Change,” we learned from Mark Johnson that true change begins with self-awareness, saying, “Until you know yourself, you can’t really change productively. But when you do know yourself, you can make choices rooted in who you truly are.” This principle is as vital in designing spaces as it is in conscious leadership – setting the stage for authentic potential to emerge.
I reflected that landscape architecture and leadership both involve rediscovering and nurturing the true essence of places and people. By designing spaces that reconnect individuals to their innate sense of belonging, we uplift the environment and also the collective spirit. Two seemingly different topics with much synthesis to be had when brought together.
A Birthday Inquiry
This year, a meaningful birthday gift would be your engagement with these ideas. Consider how embracing polarity might enrich your perspectives and leadership approach?
Integrating Holistic Strategies at InSight
At InSight we also bring the harmony of polarity into many of our offerings. For example:
Human-Touch Strategy: Our holistic view shows how interpersonal relationships reflect the whole. Integrating conscious leadership into the process creates the conditions for Human Touch strategy.
Elevate Leadership Labs: Our group programs foster deep developmental shifts. By integrating individual, team, and organizational shifts, we create a synergistic effect that sets the stage for more significant change than could be achieved by addressing any of these elements in isolation.
The Sherpa Way: Leadership Journeys in Nepal: Starting in August 2025 and traveling to Nepal on October 28, 2025, these journeys provide leaders the opportunity expand their perspectives and embrace the unknown through awe, wonder, and challenge.
“How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress.” Niels Bohr