Yin and Yang are 2 samples born of the “Great Limit”. The sign tells us about the principle of harmony in the world. The concept came to us from Taoist philosophy and symbolizes two opposites, closely related and complementary.
Without the dark side there is no light side and vice versa. In this article we will tell you how to correctly interpret the Yin-Yang icon and the concept it represents and what it means.
Feminine energy
The feminine principle and the masculine principle exist in every living creature. One of them always dominates and displaces the opponent, so it is important for a person to learn to balance between the two poles living inside. Feminine energy is intuition, our inner “I”. It affects the perception of the world, creativity, emotions, sensations. This beginning helps to contact the source of the highest Wisdom. It is always passive, often trying to fill the void, spilling out like water into labyrinths of essence.
The symbol of feminine energy is “yin” - the dark side. Embodies the original chaos that reigned before the emergence of space, time and matter. This is a force trying to compress everything into a single black hole, it absorbs energy, preventing it from being reborn. Like everything in this world, “yin” reaches out to its opposite – “yang”. Masculine and feminine principles are compared as positive and negative, heat and cold, sky and earth, sun and moon, day and night, light and darkness.
Talismans Yin, Yang
In the Western world, Yin and Yang have become popular in Feng Shui, which means wind and water in Chinese. In its original sense, Feng Shui is an idea of Taoism and refers to the harmony that should exist in space.
This Taoist philosophical principle has been adapted by Western mentality to seek balance in the distribution of the home (furniture distributed in a certain way and according to the orientation of the cardinal directions).
The Yin, Yang symbol also has a decorative dimension and application, as it is a very common design in the world of tattoos, jewelry and decorative elements.
Finally, it must be remembered that these symbols have certain similarities with some Western philosophical approaches (the struggle of opposites of Heraclitus or the concept of dialectics of philosophers such as Plato or Marx).
These symbols indicate the balance of power. Simply put, we can say that in everything good there is something bad, and in everything bad there is some good. In this sense, Yin-Yang resembles the idea of balance between opposites, since for one thing (for example, light) to exist, there must be an opposite (darkness).
The energies of the symbols show that life is an illusion because things are often not what they seem. In fact, situations and people are often the opposite of what we believe or assume.
Natalia Shakhova
Masculine energy
Unlike women, she is active, even aggressive. It is characterized by actions: the embodiment of “yin” into reality, its materialization. Male energy is not internal feelings, fantasies and dreams. She is responsible for thinking, intelligence, speech, logic. Helps us act in the world around us, adapt to society and our environment.
Its symbol is “yang”. Denotes hot energy that breaks out from within and strives for the sky. It has the qualities of the “male” elements of Air and Fire, while the “yin” ones are Water and Earth. The feminine principle and the masculine principle are always diametrically different. If the second narrows, then the first always strives to expand, permeating with itself all life on Earth. “yin” is cosmic energy, without interaction with “yang” its embodiment and materialization in the world would be impossible. This process is called creativity, the inclinations of which live in every person. The harmony of masculine and feminine principles is a chance to show your talents and develop your abilities.
Signs of the sacred feminine principle
From everything described a little higher, such symbolic images of female energy as Mirror and Shadow follow.
Like a mirror, a representative of the fair sex reflects everything that happens in our world. And the shadow is also a reflection, but of what is hidden in the depths of our soul - unaccountable.
Therefore, it is much easier for a lady to intuitively feel her own man in the process of interacting with him. She can know a lot of things that are invisible to the naked eye.
And the more a woman or lady is filled with Yin energy, the higher her ability to reflect and perceive, accept, because the essence of female energy is consumption. A lady naturally receives energy from the surrounding area, and a man, on the contrary, gives it.
Interaction
Harmonization of the masculine and feminine principles is a logical process, because people have long said that two opposites invariably attract each other. How does this manifest itself in our everyday life? The best example is the analysis of the stages of creativity.
It all starts with impulse, fantasy, intuitive vision. For example, an artist mentally imagines the image of a future painting; he knows that it will invariably be a landscape. What is it: “yang” or “yin”? Feminine or masculine? Of course, this is the dark energy of Mother Earth, which fills all imagination and pushes us to action.
The master reacts to the information received and transfers it to the canvas - this is already a masculine principle. It helps to detail images, determine their location, shape, color and angle. Without the interaction of “yin” and “yang” there would be no finished product in the form of a painting. Suppression of male energy leads to the fact that the idea remains only in our head and cannot materialize. If the feminine principle is not sufficiently developed, a person experiences pangs of creativity: a lack of imagination, a useless search for a muse.
Roles
Based on all of the above, their distribution is clear to us. Feminine energy is a guide to action, masculine energy is the act itself and its result. At the same time, the absence of one half makes life incomplete, one-sided. The feminine principle and the masculine principle are inseparable. Their merging, the 50/50 distribution of their roles is the ideal formula that everyone should strive for.
Man is a same-sex creature. We are born female or male, trying to fully follow the criteria imposed by society and stereotypes. That is, if you are a girl, you must be whiny, sensitive and tender. When you are a guy, then your duty is to have courage, firmness, determination, an analytical mind, and logic. Of course, our gender influences our character and way of life: in the middle, what is inherent in nature prevails. Our task is to activate the other, “alien” half as much as possible and try to integrate its capabilities into our everyday life.
Masculine and feminine: symbol
It is depicted as a closed circle. This means that everything on earth is infinite. The two halves, divided into equal parts, are painted black and white. This contrast emphasizes their opposition and equality at the same time. The circle is not broken by a solid line, but by a wavy one, which creates the illusion of female and male penetration into each other. Looking at the symbol, you understand that two elements influence each other and interact. This is shown with the help of the eyes: in the black feminine it is white, in the light masculine it is dark. It turns out that “yang” looks at the world through the eyes of “yin” and vice versa.
The inextricable connection of opposites, its cyclical nature, which has no edge - this is carried through the centuries by the masculine and feminine principles. The symbol is a sign that everything in the Universe is created from two different halves, which only together make up a single whole. Depending on what state they are in - peace or struggle, a person lives in harmony or in conflict with his inner world.
Making a talisman with a Chinese symbol
The talisman provides its owner with energy balance. It helps you achieve success in your career, find love and make your life more harmonious. The symbol also allows you to strengthen weak energy and suppress the dominant one. The sign protects its owner from the influence of negative forces.
One of the key factors in the influence of the amulet is its attitude towards its owner. You cannot purchase an amulet and wait for its effect to begin. Talismans require mandatory preparation and activation. If you follow the basic rules, you will be able to get a very powerful amulet that provides a person with protection and good luck.
- The Yin symbol represents the dark side. He is considered calm and mysterious. This sign symbolizes the feminine principle, which corresponds to water and metal.
- The Yang sign is considered a symbol of the light side. This is a powerful masculine principle, which is compared with fire and wood.
A talisman with this sign helps change your life for the better.
You can make an amulet with your own hands. For this, it is possible to use a variety of materials - wood or metal. You can also put an image on paper and place it in your home.
Regardless of the method of making the amulet, it must be activated. Only in this case will the product work effectively and be charged with the energy of its owner. Before activation, the amulet must be cleaned.
To clean the product, you need to hold it under a stream of water for several minutes or dip it in a salt solution. You can also simply put the talisman in salt.
Before activating the amulet with your energy, it is better to charge it with the potential of your element.
- Representatives of fire signs should carry the amulet through the flame 7 times in a row. A candle is best suited for this purpose.
- Pisces, Cancers and Scorpios, who belong to the element of water, should dip the amulet into a glass of water 7 times.
- Air signs - Libra, Aquarius and Gemini - need to fumigate the amulet with incense. 2 minutes is enough for this.
- Virgos, Taurus and Capricorns should sprinkle the product with earth. It needs to be held in this position for 2 minutes.
After this, you can proceed to activating the amulet with your energy. To do this you need to choose the right day.
For women, the procedure can be performed on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday are suitable for men.
The amulet must be charged late in the evening. To do this you need to do the following:
- Sit at the table, take the talisman in your hands and squeeze it tightly in your palms.
- Focus and concentrate on the good. Sit in this position for at least 10 minutes.
- You can use magic to strengthen the amulet. To do this, you should read a special spell three times.
- Wrap the talisman in fabric of any color except black and put it in a secret place for a week.
- Every evening for a week, take out a magical talisman and hold it in your hands. You can talk to him and share your deepest secrets. Thanks to this, the amulet will absorb the energy of its owner.
- In a week, the talisman will absorb the maximum energy of its owner. After this you need to carry it with you.
You need to talk to your amulet, charge it with your energy for a week.
Using the talisman is not difficult. In this case, the following rules should be observed:
- It is not recommended to display the talisman and give it to other people;
- it is important to periodically clean and wipe the amulet;
- To maintain strength and energy, you should take the talisman in your hands and talk to it.
Experts advise sharing the best events of your life with the talisman. This will help turn the sign into a powerful amulet against troubles and problems.
The sign is often used in tattoo art.
History of the symbol
It is assumed that initially the image of “yin” and “yang” imitated the appearance of a mountain, which is illuminated on one side, while the other half is in shadow. This state of affairs cannot continue forever: the Sun moves along a trajectory - accordingly, the two sides of the mountain change their colors. It was implied that everything in the world is cyclical.
The ancient Chinese borrowed the image from the Buddhists. The exact date is unknown, but historians say that it happened in the 1st–3rd centuries AD. It was then that the concept of “mandala” arose in the teachings of Taoism - the feminine and masculine principles. The pictures depicting their interaction were first drawn in the form of fish.
It’s interesting, but over time in the Celestial Empire other meanings were assigned to the sign: for example, the struggle between evil and good, the ratio of harmful and beneficial - everything that is at diametrically opposite poles. Although researchers argue that the symbol demonstrates precisely natural opposites, and not moral or ethical ones.
Stereotype two: maximum femininity and masculinity
What should be the proportional combination of Yin and Yang in a man and a woman? The German philosopher, author of the famous book “Sex and Character” Otto Weininger suggested that every man should be at least one quarter woman, and every woman should be at least one quarter man. Such a union, he believed, brings harmony.
Indeed, in a biological sense, the more differences we have, the greater the mutual attraction.
But here we risk falling into the trap of the second stereotype: a man should be as masculine as possible, a woman as feminine as possible.
What does Taoism say?
But in reality this is what happens.
There is such a paradox. The more masculine a man strives to become, the more feminine he turns out to be. The same can be said about a woman: the more feminine she strives to become, the more masculine she becomes.
This is stated in the ancient Chinese book “Su-wen” (“Questions about the simplest”): “When “yin” reaches its maximum, it turns into “yang”... (At the same time, “yin still contains a certain amount of “yang.” - Approx. ed.) When cold reaches its peak, it becomes heat; when the heat reaches its peak, cold arises.”
This example well illustrates the state of aggregation of water. For example, water (Yin), which is soft and dark in nature, turns into hard and transparent ice (Yang) in the cold. When the sun heats water, it turns into hot steam (Yang). The steam rises to the sky (in the Yang direction) and becomes water again (Yin).
Another example is a pendulum that swings from side to side, from cold to hot and vice versa, and gradually calms down in some state of equilibrium at a quite moderate temperature.
Scientific point of view
The principle of the mutual transformation of masculinity into femininity and vice versa has long been known in psychology.
Psychologist Andrei Kurpatov gives the following example to confirm this paradox. The man is obsessed with the “Superman complex”, “machismo”. He develops masculine qualities in himself and at the same time gets rid of any feminine ones, considering them a sign of weakness. As a result, he does not have patience, flexibility, does not know how to admit his guilt, etc. Naturally, the lack of these qualities will ultimately backfire on him, and instead of a “winner,” he becomes an outsider.
The rule of mutual transformations of Yin and Yang also applies in human physiology. Let's take this case. A bodybuilder, wanting to achieve greater muscle volume, resorts to a dubious (albeit fashionable among “jocks”) method - testosterone injections. The volume of his muscles increases in a relatively short time. Our “athlete” gets excited (among bodybuilders this is called “hooked”) and increases the amount and frequency of doping. However, the effect of this method of “pumping up” was unexpected for the athlete. He begins to develop secondary female sexual characteristics: his nipples swell and his breasts grow. In a panic, the unlucky experimenter runs to the doctor. What happened? His testosterone level went off scale, exceeded the permissible limit, and the body began to produce the female hormone estrogen!
Elements
There are only five of them. The fusion of the masculine and feminine principles “gives birth” to fire, water, air, earth and metal. These are the five phases of existence and its transformation. These natural phenomena first arise, then develop, reach a peak and die, while they do not disappear without a trace, but are simply reborn into another element. This happens endlessly. This is a hint at the existence of reincarnation: after death, the soul can come to this world in the form of an animal, plant or another person. The Chinese did not believe in rebirth. But since the Buddhists lent them the sign, the teaching about reincarnation gradually migrated from India to the Middle Kingdom.
Interestingly, “yin” and “yang” are even used in medicine. Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese sciences are based on balance in the human body. Its violation can lead to illness and death, mental suffering and mental disorders. A special diet and meditation will help restore balance. The feminine and masculine principles are thus balanced, and this leads to healing. Eastern medicine does not treat physical symptoms, but the spiritual sources of the disease.
How did the concept of Yin and Yang come about?
Since this is a key concept of Taoism, it is generally accepted that it arose along with Taoism around the turn of the 5th-6th centuries BC. The basic principles were formulated by the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu in his treatise.
According to this concept, a person should live in harmony not only with himself, but also with the world.
At the heart of Tao lies the contradictory essence of existence. Tao gives rise to the substance Qi, which creates two opposing energies: Yin and Yang. From these energies, 5 elements arise: fire, metal, water, earth and wood. They are the primary elements in the formation of all things on earth, while maintaining their duality.
Attraction
Since the masculine and feminine principles are present in each of us in different proportions, we initially look for what we lack. If “yin” dominates, we are drawn to a partner with a strong “yang”, and vice versa. Until a person balances his two halves, only people of a certain type of character, lifestyle, and even appearance will pay attention to him. Look at your partner and you will see what you personally lack.
If a representative of the fair half of humanity makes friends with the “woman” within herself, then she becomes wiser. The girl understands that giving in does not mean admitting defeat, and eternal resistance is not a victory. A man, having established contact with his “yang,” is convinced that the source of courage is not in violence, but in the open expression of feelings. Awakening soft qualities in representatives of the stronger sex and hard ones in their ladies is the key to harmonious relationships, eternal love and affection. When the feminine and masculine are reversed, we gain a better understanding of the opposite sex.
Energy exchange
It is very important in the life of every person. People must understand that you cannot only receive and not give anything in return. Even if another freebie lands on your head, remember that sooner or later you will have to pay for it. Often the most precious and important to you. If the principle of energy exchange is violated, a person becomes a consumer, loses respect, friendship and success.
Unfortunately, there are more such people than creators, who, on the contrary, share everything they have with the outside world, without demanding anything in return. And that's bad too. Because only by balancing the “give-take” principle do we find harmony within ourselves. The signs of the masculine and feminine principles, “yin” and “yang,” convey to us that only by establishing a connection between the halves of the energies, we achieve balance. In everyday life, it manifests itself in such character qualities as self-confidence, fortitude, optimism, the desire to develop and improve, to get to know the world and the people around you. Such a person is truly happy and successful.
Energy level test from the Yin-Yang point of view
Here's an interesting way to determine your energy level. All you have to do is close your eyes and take a few deep breaths and slow, long exhalations. Now open your eyes and look at the picture below.
How does the image behave? It can move in 4 directions or not move. Fix your gaze and contemplate for 1 minute, you can record the time using a stopwatch.
Let's study the results and determine the level of vital energy from the Yin-Yang point of view.
The picture doesn't move.
You lack motivation. You froze like a beetle in amber. The peace that reigns in your life does not bring peace, but rather brings melancholy. You are expecting something interesting, inspiring, something that can wake you up from a prolonged slumber.
The picture floats to the right.
Good news: a bright streak in your life will not take long to appear! True, at the moment you are overwhelmed by doubts, concerns, fears. You carefully consider your every action and because of this you may miss pleasant opportunities, and even unexpected gifts of fate.
The picture floats to the left.
Your tone is at a high level. You are filled with energy, enthusiasm and faith in the best. At this point in your life, your mind is creating a lot of interesting ideas. Don't miss them! In the very near future you will have the opportunity to implement them.
The picture floats up.
If it seems to you that the black and white abstraction is moving upward, then most likely you are tormented by a feeling of guilt for some recent act or mistake. You strive to correct something in your reality as soon as possible. Don't worry: shame is a normal, although not productive, emotion.
The picture floats down.
At the moment, you need a new source of energy, since, most likely, you are already worried about somatic or psychosomatic problems. Perhaps fatigue is to blame. You need rest and self-care. The sooner you change your mind, the faster you will get out of your depressed state of mind.
The picture moves from side to side.
You are a harmonious and energetic person. You don’t know how to dwell on problems for a long time, you are surrounded by friendly people who value and love you. You are a person of action, not prone to lengthy reasoning and introspection.
The picture with the Yin-Yang elements seemed under-drawn to you.
Presumably you are insecure. You are overcome by contradictions. At this stage of life, it is difficult for you to understand your real desires and needs. You are a person of mood and you know that it is difficult for you to achieve harmony in relationships with others.
