In Elisabeth Haich's book, "Initiation", she mentions twelve sets of opposites which we must learn to control and balance in order to improve yourself and your level of consciousness. At any moment in time u may required to exercise one side of one of these qualities. It is knowing when and how to exercise these qualities and to put them in perfect balance that are the lessons we must master to gain ultimate understanding and a higher consciousness. I am not absolutely sure that this is all there is; however, they are so general, that they may in fact constitute the summation of all such intangible thought forms. In any case, let's review them for what they are worth. They are as follows:
keeping silent - talking
receptivity - resistance to influence
obeying - ruling
humility - self confidence
lightning-like speed - circumspection
to accept everything - to be able to differentiate
ability to fight - peace
caution - courage
to possess nothing - to command everything
to have no ties - loyalty
contempt for death - regard for life
indifference - love
When we speak of receptivity we often think of surrender it implies a letting go because resistance to influence would be the opposite. Although I can think of a lot more opposites that are not included here.
There is a sense of timelessness that makes us patient as opposed to taking premature action. However that sense of timelessness does not always exist. At those times we practice that sense of timeless patience we have experienced.
i may be in love and find that it is easy to love someone. Yet when the challenges come i find that i have to practice love by being kind and acting kind. So in this sense i practice being loving to avoid indifference. Yet i have found times when we need to be indifferent to love. It might be at times when duty comes first.
Even humilty has an element of practice. Being human we do have ego and we act through our ego. Yet it is the soul qualities i have that help me make an effort to express humility when i would rather just barge in and express my own ego will. Self-confidence does not have to be full of ego. Often we need self-confidence when facing other people. Humility is not always the best approach. It is for us to learn a balance in mastering the opposites of life: Surrender and Action. Humility and Confidence in Assertion. Speaking and Silence. Practice and Effortlessness to name a few. 
