Yin and Yang

Yin and Yang balance (YYB) is the most fundamental concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This concept is both simple and complex. Yin and Yang are the essence of all life. In its most basic form, think of Yin/Yang balance as opposites, such as plus and minus, or light and dark counteracting and transforming each other. Just as a day needs light and dark, or a water molecule needs a plus and minus charge to create the hydrogen bonds that give water its unique, life giving properties, there is no life without Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are always in motion and when this motion and constant change cease, there is death.

We hear so much about balance in our lives and being healthy.

In TCM, Yin and Yang are used in diagnosing imbalances, which lead to one becoming “out of whack”. An example of a Yin/Yang imbalance would be a fever, where one is too hot. Yang is conventionally thought of as hot, and Yin as cold, so a fever, in TCM terminology, would be a Yang excess. To stay healthy, one needs to maintain a proper balance of Yin and Yang. Examples of maintaining YYB are breathing exercises where inhalation and exhalation are balanced, or muscular exercises like isometrics, or energy exercises such as Tai Chi. “A balanced diet” whatever that is for you, can keep one healthy when tailored to each individual.

Everyone has individual needs, genetics, and lifestyles. Achieving YYB takes work and thought and time. It requires a lifetime of work. Maintaining good health is a full time job.

A good mediation is to think about examples of Yin and Yang balance in your own life. There are infinite possibilities.