Polarities are figure and ground

In Gestalt therapy, the concept of polarities as figure and ground refers to how opposing aspects of the self (polarities) shift in and out of awareness depending on what is most relevant or “figural” in the moment.

• Polarities: These are pairs of opposites within the self — e.g., strong/weak, angry/calm, dependent/independent. We all contain these opposites, even if we tend to identify more with one side.

• Figure and Ground: In Gestalt theory, figure is what emerges into your awareness as most important at a given moment, while ground is everything else that fades into the background but is still present.

So when we say:

“Polarities are figure and ground,” it means:

• One aspect of a polarity (e.g., confidence) may be in the figure — dominant and in your awareness.

• Its opposite (e.g., insecurity) is in the ground — less visible but still influencing you.

• Over time or in different contexts, they can shift — insecurity may come to the foreground, and confidence may recede.

This concept invites curiosity: What am I identifying with right now? What’s in the background that I’m not fully acknowledging?

Example

Imagine you’re about to give a public speech.

• You feel confident — that’s the figure: it’s what you’re aware of and leading with.

• But deep down, there’s a quieter nervousness — that’s the ground: present but not fully in awareness.

• If someone asks a confronting question or you stumble, nervousness may suddenly become figure, and confidence slips into the ground.

The polarity (confidence/nervousness) is always there — the parts just trade places depending on the situation and your awareness.

Example

Think of a sunlit forest.

• Right now, your eyes focus on a bright flower (the figure).

• Behind it is the shadowed undergrowth — still there, shaping the scene, but less in focus (the ground).

• Shift your attention, and suddenly a hidden animal in the shadows becomes the new figure — what was background is now foreground.

That’s how polarities work — always both present, one foregrounded, one backgrounded, constantly shifting depending on awareness, need, and context.

Contact me if you would like to explore your polarities.