What is Yin and Yang?

In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang describe how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines Yin energy vs Yang energy as:

  • Yin: In Chinese philosophy, the feminine or negative principle of the two opposing cosmic forces into which creative energy divides and whose fusion in physical matter brings the phenomenal world into being.
  • Yang: In Chinese philosophy, the masculine or positive principle of the two opposing cosmic forces into which creative energy divides and whose fusion in physical matter brings the phenomenal world into being.
what does the ying yang symbol mean

“Upon close inspection, acupuncture is really just a large set of theories based in common sense. Aspects of it are similar in many ways to simple folk remedies that have pervaded western culture, many of which have roots all the way back to biblical times and beyond.

The concept of Yin and Yang is a simple example of this common sense. Yin, for example, is just a framework to help us categorize and understand the cooling principles of the body and our environment (fluids, rest, shade, etc.), whereas Yang is the warming principles (energy, sunshine, movement, etc.).

From a medical perspective, when you are hot (excessive yang) you need to increase or take in more Yin – a piece of watermelon on a sunny day. Watermelon is a yin tonic, that is just common sense, not a philosophical view or a religion.

These concepts in Chinese Medicine, are really just helpful ways of categorizing natural phenomena. And these categorizations have an important role in the application of a natural medicine like Acupuncture.” (Dupuis, 2003)ng acupuncture.