The Chinese principle of Yin and Yang
According to traditional Chinese medicine, a healthy and long life can only be achieved with the existence of a balance between man and cosmos, between man and nature and man and his own organs.
The principle of Yin and Yang, that has its background in Taoism, forms a crucial basis of this equilibrium within the nature, the cosmos and of course the human. These two elements, completing themselves, not being separable from each other, and standing in balance to each other while constantly changing their being, are the necessary condition for all life. The most known Daoist philosopher of China, Laozi, said once regarding unity and inseparability of Yin and Yang:
"When everyone sees beauty as being beautiful, there is already ugliness. When everyone thinks of the good as being good, there is already evil. Being and not being created themselves mutually. The heavy and the light realize themselves mutually. Before and afterwards precede each other mutuallyâ€.
Yin and Yang represent a predictable and rhythmic cycle. This cycle is interrupted as soon one of the elements starts to dominate the other, thereby reducing the partner element in its power. This has a negative effect on man in what concerns his physical and mental condition. Therefore, the aim should be to strive for preserving a harmonic balance between these elements to each other.
In nature, the female element Yin is characterized for example by the moon, darkness, silence and earth and the male Yang is distinguished by sun, light, movement and heaven. Both elements form in their mutual oppositeness a unity. When Yin and Yang meet in nature, they create life. If they separate, life will be destroyed. Man achieves and preserves health by leading a life in balance.
The principle of Yin and Yang effects man in his organs, his nutrition, his activities and his relationship to the environment. Body, mind and anatomy of man are accordingly put in relationship to corresponding characteristics of Yin and Yang. For example, Yin is the stomach, loneliness and the inner of the body, while Yang is the back, social contact and the exterior of the body.
The same principle applies for nutrition. There is food that contains either Yin or Yang. If one has eaten too much of foods that belong to just one category, then this will result in developing of an imbalance between the single organs of the body, which in turn will exert a negative influence on health.
The aim is finally to preserve keep Yin and Yang in balance, in order to prevent blockades within the energy paths and thereby to ensure the energetic flow of the so-called energy qi, because qi heals the organs and cleans the whole body. Jing, the fine-essence, as well as qi, the energy of life and shen, the mental energy originate from Yin and Yang, and together they create world.
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