陰陽

By Tess Barnhart

Have you ever noticed yourself surrounded by your friends laughing together, having a fun night, yet feeling a touch of sadness creep up in the back of your mind? While in the midst of all the happiness and excitement, you find a small little grain of sorrow thinking, “This is so great! Why can’t it be like this all the time?” This dichotomy is not necessarily good or bad, it is just life This is Yin Yang energy It is here to remind us that there is a natural order to the universe, and that there would be no meaning to happiness if it wasn’t countered with a touch of sadness No perfection if not opposed by imperfection.

According to ancient Chinese philosophy, Yin Yang is a concept of dualism and harmony describing how polar opposites are still very interconnected within each other. In Chinese cosmology, the universe created itself out of a primary chaotic energy called “Wuji” or “無極” in traditional Chinese. From this, the universe made Taichi going from a state of nothing and transforming it into everything Tai-chi or in traditional Chinese “太極, ” is a Chinese cosmological term for “Supreme Ultimate” which is a state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potential in the universe from which Yin and Yang originate from The material energy which the universe has created itself out of is referred to as “qi” or “氣 ” Yin and Yang are two halves of a side that form the wholeness of this qi which makes life possible To many, qi is the underlying energy that gives life to all physical things including us humans. .

Yin and Yang cannot exist without one another. The two qualities oppose each other while at the same time compliment the other one They are the separation and the interaction and the merging all at once They create each other, control each other, and even transform into each other In nature, they are viewed as light and dark, or fire and water Everything around us has yin and yang aspects, for a shadow cannot exist without some source of light When one side reaches its peak it will naturally begin to transform into the opposite quality, for that is just the way of life When a plant reaches its full height in the summer, or yang, it will then begin to release seeds and die off in the winter, or yin. This is an endless cycle.

The symbol for yin yang is one of the most easily recognizable signs, also referred to as the Tai Chi symbol to some. It is a circle cut in half by a curving line in the middle. Each side has a dot of the other side’s color to symbolize the importance of having a balanced yin yang energy for survival and harmony Yin energy is the side of the symbol that is black with a dot of white It is feminine, calm, and negative It is the black night and the moon above the water The cold autumn and winter, and the death that follows Yin energy is seen as round, soft, but also flexible In contrast, yang energy is the white side of the symbol with a black dot Yang energy is the masculine, positive, lively sun in the heat of the springs and summers. It is light and movement that is full of energy and life.

When this life-force energy is balanced, it will flow smoothly and maintain a healthy state both physically and emotionally. When out of balance, though, problems will occur internally and externally. When one’s personal qi balance falls out of alignment, they are likely to feel unwell and their ability to manifest using the law of attraction will suffer This imbalance makes our energy unstable and difficult to concentrate on a goal, causing things around us to also come to nothing

This leads to our affirmations and manifestations failing to send out the right message to the universe Balancing yin yang energy is finding equal amounts of both and looking to every new day with both excitement and acceptance of whatever will happen.

Finding your own balance of these two cosmic duos is key to overall health. Using this balanced energy will help you not only manifest your goals, but also boost your overall well-being both mentally and physically. You can tell when your qi is out of balance when you find yourself constantly tired, stressed, or your mind is unclear Finding middle ground between yin and yang is not about focusing on one, but rather how to incorporate both into your daily lifestyle There is a power to be found in the passiveness and calmness of yin, but there is also power in the challenging and lively yang Having too much yin and always listening or staying content can cause life to move past us, and leave us unprepared when new opportunities do offer themselves to us. In contrast, too much yang energy is staying up late and burning a candle at the same time, which can interfere with the body’s circadian rhythm leading to illnesses and irritability. Taking time to mix in yin activities during one’s busy day-to-day schedule like sitting back and meditating on what you are grateful for in life can help counter the yang Letting yourself be open to receiving and relaxing is important in today’s society where many partake in too many yang intense activities trying to succeed

Ultimately, Yin and Yang is why even in the best of times, there is always a touch of sadness It is the endless cycle of life. These two natural, complementary yet contradictory forces in our universe show how despite being completely different forces, they still mutually complement each other and work together. One’s best productivity comes from the unity of the pair, and is what everyone should strive to achieve