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Yin and Yang

Yin and yang represents the balance of two opposing, yet mutually interrelated forces such as light/dark, hot/cold, male/female. As polar opposites, one cannot exist without the other.

Yin means “the shady side of the mountain,” and represents the slow or passive principle of life, such as darkness, inertia, quietness, darkness, heaviness, contraction, responsive, coldness, and exhibiting a downward motion. Yin organs of the body include the liver, spleen, heart, lungs, and kidneys.

Yang means “the sunny side of the mountain,” and represents the hot, excited, aggressive, expansive, and active principle of life, such as activity, light, lightness, noise, and exhibiting and upward motion. Yang organs of the body include the gall bladder, stomach, bladder, small and large intestines.

Yin and yang also apply to the physical structure of the body. The structure of the body represents a yin energy, whereas the functions of the body represent a yang energy. The interior of the body represents yin, whereas the exterior represents yang. The upper parts of the body yin, the lowers part yang.

The constant interplay between yin and yang is how the physical universe was created. Health is achieved by maintaining an appropriate balance of both yin and yang. An imbalance of either force leads to a blockage in the flow of vital energy throughout the body along pathways called energy meridians. Blockages, sluggishness or an excess of this energy flow results in various conditions and illnesses within the body.

The energies of yin and yang are constantly adapting to our changing needs in a term called "mutual restraint." When an imbalance occurs, this mutual restraint collapses. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are four categories of yin/yang imbalance:

1. Overactive yin, damaging yang
2. Overactive yang, damaging yin
3. Exessive yang, deficiency of yin
4. Excessive yin, deficiency of yang

Diseases and conditions are define in one of these four terms.

Each illness correlates with a yin/yang principle. During diagnosis, a TCM practitioner will conduct an extensive examination and observe the balance of yin and yang expressed by the patient, or as expressed by an illness or condition. This is done by looking at opposing characteristics. For example, fidgeting and hyperactivity is characteristic of excessive yang (or deficient yin), whereas an inhibited patient who is very quiet with a soft voice would be characteristic of excessive yin (or deficient yang). Other principles such as the five elements and 8 guiding principles also used in conjuction with yin and yang diagnosis to determine which Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment(s) would be appropriate.

The Five Elements

The energies of these five elements reflect the basic forces of life. Continue on to learn about the "Five Elements" and their nature and relationship with eachother.

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