Many people have heard of "Yin" and "Yang". Some people even wear the yin and yang symbol as a necklace, but what does yin and yang actually mean? Yin and yang is a traditional Chinese philosophy that describes the two opposing energies in the universe. Yin is the dark energy that can also be described as the feminine aspect to the universe and usually relates to the night time. Yang is described as the light and relates to the day time and also relates to masculinity. Chinese philosophy states that if a person does not have a balance of yin and yang they may become ill. Yin and yang can not exist without one another.
Can the universe really have two separate energies? Yin and yang is also described as being "the balance between the body and the mind, nature and man, and nature and all existence." (http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Yin_and_yang) Yin and yang can also be seen as the process transformation which describes the changes between phases of a cycle. For example, cold water (yin) can be boiled and eventually turn into steam (yang). There is no evidence that the universe or that the body and mind has two separate energies.
By Lauren Raddi
Sources: (http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Yin_and_yang)
Posts
I think that there is certainly some validity to the ying yang. The Chinese Philosophy Taoism speaks about the balance of opposing forces. Although much of Taoism, as well as any other religion, is suspect, the ying yang is actually a rather appropiate symbol for the nature of the world. For example, if you are planting, you can not give your plant either too much or too little water, you must balance them if the plant is to grow. Too much or too little of anything is not good. The idea of opposing forces is used in engineering as well, providing for a stable, well balanced structure. Also, note that neither side is completely white or completely black, just as nothing in life is. In fact, nobody is even completely a male or completely a female. All men have estrogen in them, and all woman have testosterone in them. I think perhaps you are being just a bit too tough on our ancient chinese friends...
ReplyDelete