Yin-yang, passive and the active principles
Yin symbolizes earth's force, which contracts and condenses. Yin represents the passive principle in nature exhibited as darkness, cold, and wetness. In human level, yin symbolizes femininity and inertia. Also, yin represents the realm of the dead. Yang symbolizes heaven force that expands. It represents the active principle in nature exhibited as light, heat, and dryness. On human level, yang represents masculinity and the positive side of our emotions. Also yang represents the realm of the living. Positive and negative forces act together in order to create energy- in electricity, for instance. Yin and Yang represent these two forces which are in constant movement, each attempting to gain dominance. Where one achieves dominance, an imbalance occurs, so when one force becomes too strong its influence subsides and the other takes over. Still water, for example, is yin; a raging torrent is yang. Slow moving river is yin but when it hits rocs and descends, turbulence occurs it speeds up and become yang. When it flows into a lake, it slows down and becomes yin once more. Yin and Yang are opposing but interdependent concepts –without the idea of cold we would not be able to describe heat. At their extremes they change into each other; ice burn and sunstroke sufferers shiver. The aim is to achieve a balance between them. There are examples of how we can achieve this in our own environments.
Can there be male and no female? Can there be left and no right? Can there be hot and no cold? How about day and no night, or anger and no happiness? Of course not. Although is a counterpart of other, each is dependent on the other's existence. Separate but together, yin-yang illustrate the evolution of all things.
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