As an example go back to the Taoist passage quoted above from the Tao Te Ching. Typically Taoist texts will list a few examples of Yin and Yang and then meander off to the next topic. Ironically, this wasn’t true about yin Yang, since over history many Taoist’s have tried to codify what is Yin and what is Yang. Usually, as a practice, Taoism does a good job of not codifying life. The concepts listed here are merely a starting point to illustrate the nature of Yin and Yang.
Yin Yang can be subdivided into additional Yin and Yang aspects.Chinese healing examines a person’s health by using the eight principles: Internal and External stimuli, Deficiency and Excesses, Cold and Heat and Yin and Yang. An excess of Yin could mean the accumulation of fluids in the body. These imbalances can be paired: so an excess of Yin can also simulate a Yang deficiency and vice versa.Īs an example, this concept is especially important for Chinese healing practices. The balance of Yin Yang can be skewed due to outside influences.One effect of this is: as one aspect increases the other decreases to maintain the overall balance of the whole. The summation of Yin and Yang form a whole.As an example: some species of fish have females that transform quickly into males when the population of males isn’t enough. Sometimes changes in the relationship between Yin and Yang can be dramatic where one aspect can just transform into the other. As the earth ages, its spin is slowing causing the length of day and night to get longer. However, the length of day and night are changing. A simple example is thinking about how the day gradually flows into the night. The nature of Yin and Yang flows and changes with time. Yin and Yang are interdependent upon each other so that the definition of one requires the definition for the other to be complete. For example, day becomes night and then night becomes day. Each aspect contains the beginning point for the other aspect. Nothing is completely Yin or completely Yang. The taijitu symbol has been found in more than one culture and over the years has come to represent Taoism. Most people just call it the yin yang symbol in the west. The symbol for Yin Yang is called the Taijitu.
Over thousands of years, quite a bit has been sorted and grouped under various Yin Yang classification systems. As examples: night (Yin) and day (Yang), female (Yin) and male (Yang). We encounter examples of Yin and Yang every day. Yin Yang is the concept of duality forming a whole. The word Yin comes out to mean “shady side” and Yang “sunny side”. Both halves are chasing after each other as they seek a new balance with each other. So when you split something into two halves – yin/yang, it upsets the equilibrium of wholeness. When something is whole, by definition, it’s unchanging and complete. Yin and yang are also the starting point for change. What is Yin / YangĪ starting definition: Yin / Yang: Two halves that together complete wholeness. Yin Yang is perhaps the most known and documented concept used within Taoism.