What does yin yang mean? The meaning of the yin-yang symbol and its practical application according to feng shui

Philosophical concept

In the “Book of Changes” (“I Ching”) yang And yin served to express light and dark, hard and soft, masculine and feminine principles in nature. In the process of development of Chinese philosophy yang And yin increasingly symbolized the interaction of extreme opposites: light and darkness, day and night, sun and moon, sky and earth, heat and cold, positive and negative, even and odd, etc. Yin-yang received an exclusively abstract meaning in the speculative schemes of Neo-Confucianism , especially in the doctrine of “li” (Chinese 禮) - the absolute law. The concept of the interaction of polar forces Yin Yang, which are considered as the main cosmic forces of movement, as the root causes of constant variability in nature, constitute the main content of most dialectical schemes of Chinese philosophers. The doctrine of dualism of forces Yin Yang- an indispensable element of dialectical constructions in Chinese philosophy. In -III centuries. BC e. V ancient China there was a philosophical school of yin yang jia. Ideas about Yin Yang have also found various applications in the development theoretical foundations Chinese medicine, chemistry, music, etc.

Discovered in China several thousand years ago, this principle was originally based on physical thinking. However, as it developed, it became a more metaphysical concept. In Japanese philosophy, the physical approach has been preserved, so the division of objects according to yin and yang properties is different between the Chinese and the Japanese. In the new Japanese religion Oomoto-kyo, these are the concepts of divine Izu (fire, e) and Mizu (water, in).

The single primordial matter of Taiji gives rise to two opposing substances - yang And yin which are one and indivisible. Initially, “yin” meant “northern, shadowy”, and “yang” meant “southern, sunny slope of the mountain.” Later yin perceived as negative, cold, dark and feminine, and yang- as a positive, bright, warm and masculine principle.

The Nei Ching treatise says on this matter:

Pure yang substance is transformed into the sky; the muddy substance of yin is transformed into the earth... The sky is the substance of yang, and the earth is the substance of yin. The sun is the substance of yang, and the moon is the substance of yin... The substance of yin is peace, and the substance of yang is mobility. The yang substance gives birth, and the yin substance nurtures. The yang substance transforms the breath-qi, and the yin substance forms the bodily form.

Five elements as a product of Yin and Yang

The interaction and struggle of these principles give rise to five elements (primary elements) - wu-sin: water, fire, wood, metal and earth, from which all the diversity of the material world arises - “ten thousand things” - wan wu, including humans. The five elements are in constant motion and harmony, mutual generation (water gives birth to wood, wood - fire, fire - earth, earth - metal, and metal - water) and mutual overcoming (water extinguishes fire, fire melts metal, metal destroys wood, wood - the earth, and the earth covers the water).

Similar concepts in other teachings

  • Purusha and Prakriti are fundamental concepts of Hinduism. Masculine and feminine principles.
  • Anima and animus are terms introduced into psychology by Jung. Masculine and feminine principles.
  • Or and Kli (light and vessel) in Kabbalah are two sides of one action, the root of which is the interaction of the Creator and creation.

see also

Notes

Literature

  • Martynenko N.P. Prerequisites for the emergence of the “yin-yang” concept in Chinese culture//Arbor mundi. World tree. International journal on the theory and history of world culture. M., 2006. Issue. 12. P.46-69.
  • Markov L. The system of dual opposites Yin - Yang in comparative light. // East. M., 2003. No. 5. P. 17-31.
  • Demin R.N. School of yin yang // Cultures in dialogue. Vol. 1. - Ekaterinburg, 1992. P. 209-221. ISBN 5-7525-0162-8
  • Zinin S. A. Five elements and the concept of yin yang // Quantitative methods in the study of the history of Eastern countries. M., 1986. P.12-17.

Categories:

  • Chinese philosophy
  • Symbols
  • I Ching
  • Concepts of Taoism
  • Analytical psychology
  • Chinese mythology
  • Philosophy of Taoism
  • Dualism

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    See what “Yin and Yang” are in other dictionaries: - (Chinese, lit. - dark and light) - one of the pairs of fundamental categories of Chinese philosophy, expressing the idea of ​​​​the universal duality of the world and concretized in an unlimited number of oppositions: passive and active, soft and hard, ... ...

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The entire Universe consists of two energies, male and female. This is what the ancient Chinese thought. They believed that these forces constantly interact, complement each other, and manifest themselves to a greater or lesser extent. Their symbols were “yin” and “yang”, depicted in pairs, as a sign of the harmony of two opposites.

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- this is intuition, our inner “I”. It influences the perception of the world, Creative skills, 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" - 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 one black hole, it absorbs energy, preventing it from being reborn. Like everything in this world, “yin” reaches for the 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.

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.

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? Best example- 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 a lack of imagination and 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, male 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 distribution of their roles 50/50 - that perfect formula which 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, and analytical 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 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.

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. Exact date unknown, but historians say that this 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.

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. Data first arises, then develops, reaches a peak and dies, but does not disappear without a trace, but is simply reborn into another element. This happens endlessly. This is a hint of the existence of reincarnation: it can come into 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.

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 is not 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 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 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, 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.

The concepts of Yin-Yang came to us from China - that is, from the East. After all, both Western and eastern civilization from time immemorial they touched each other, complementing each other. But, unfortunately, not everyone understands what the Chinese Yin-Yang symbol means. And, moreover, many do not know how to use the teaching of symbols in their lives.

Energy “qi” and the determining parameters of its development

To understand what the yin yang sign can mean, you should turn to the famous “Book of Changes” - the ancient Chinese treatise “I Ching”. Cosmogonic meaning, that is, relating to the universe, underlies the signs of Yin and Yang. Understanding the meaning of this ancient symbol- this is an understanding of the main law of unity and struggle of opposite principles.

It was this law that was key to the basis of dialectical materialism, which Soviet students studied not so long ago! This means that it was not discovered in our time, but much earlier - somewhere in the 7th century BC by Chinese philosophers.

The ancient Chinese sages interpreted Yin-Yang as a symbol of the unity of the whole, as its opposite parts interacting with each other, transforming into each other, together constituting the common, strongest energy “qi”. This inextricable connection of parts determines the development of “qi” energy.

What does the famous Chinese symbol look like?

What, after all, does the Yin-Yang sign mean? Everyone, considering this symbol, identifies its main features and characteristic features:

  1. The components of the symbol, Yin and Yang, are enclosed in a closed circle, which means the infinity of all things on Earth.
  2. The equal division of the circle into two halves, painted in opposite colors (white and black), emphasizes the equivalence of Yin and Yang, their opposite.
  3. Dividing the circle not with a straight line, but with a wavy one, creates, as it were, the penetration of one opposite into another, their mutual influence of one sign on another. After all, if you increase one sign, the other will undoubtedly be decreased.
  4. The influence of one sign on another is also emphasized by the symmetrical arrangement of points - “eyes” - of the opposite color, that is, the color of the “enemy”. This means that the Yin sign “looks at the world through the eyes” of the Yang sign, and the Yang sign perceives life through the “eyes” of the Yin sign.

That is, the world is created from opposites, which when combined can form a single whole. Whether these principles are found in unity, friendship and harmony, or whether they find consensus in struggle - only their inextricable interaction brings development.

History of the symbol

It is assumed that the original meaning of the symbol with the image of Yang and Yin goes back to the imitation of a mountain: one side is illuminated and the other is shaded. But this cannot go on forever: after some period the sides will exchange illumination.

For example, there are such “decodings”:

  • earth - sky,
  • top bottom,
  • warm - cold,
  • male - female,
  • good - evil,
  • good - bad,
  • harmful - useful,
  • light - dark,
  • active - passive

Something in these interpretations has certain meaning. But most scientists do not recommend giving the symbol ethical significance. After all, the symbol refers to cosmogonic natural opposites, but not moral ones. Therefore, there is no need to talk about the struggle and unity of the good, kind and useful on the one hand and the bad, evil and harmful on the other.

Amulet with the Chinese Yin-Yang symbol

Charms and amulets help people by energizing them and protecting them from all evil. One of the strongest amulets is considered to be one that contains the Yin-Yang symbol. But an important condition the help of any amulet is the following fact: the guardian (in in this case amulet, talisman or amulet) must be “tuned” to the one who uses it. Otherwise, such a talisman may pose a threat equal to the strength of the expected help.

The sign of the Chinese symbol Yin-Yang carries within itself universal forces that continuously and eternally flow into each other. It also means active principles, in which the Yang sign corresponds to wood and fire, and the Yin sign corresponds to metal and water. The earth is neutral in this teaching.

In addition, it should be taken into account that yang sign carries the meaning of light, active, masculine, dominant. A yin sign contains the meaning of dark, secret, feminine, calm. However, remembering the unity of opposites, even one specific person cannot be classified into one category or another. Each of us contains both Yin and Yang forces. And the more balanced these forces are, the more successful the person is.

It is the amulet with the Yin-Yang symbol that helps balance two opposing energies, suppressing the dominant one and strengthening the weak one.

The amulet gives the wearer energy balance, helps to find a soul mate, achieve success and harmony. After all, the Yin-Yang symbol carries the meaning not only of struggle and unity, continuous movement and active energy, but also of harmony and beauty.

The forces of Yin and Yang in everyday life

By and large, the struggle and unity of Yin and Yang is present everywhere. Anyone who is not clear what this statement means should think about it. Here's our food. It consists of warm and cold food, sweet and bitter, protein and vegetable. And any diets that limit a person, for example, to only raw foods or only vegetarian dishes, upset the balance and close the path for the development of “Qi” energy.

Speaking about Yin and Yang, they note that the meaning of the symbol is the smooth transition of one sign to another. Therefore, in a person’s home, both directions should smoothly transition into one another. Otherwise state of mind the individual is subjected to severe stress, which does not at all contribute to achieving his goals and success in life, or improving his health. The exception is institutions - the principle of Yin or Yang in its pure form dominates there. In a home that should help you gain energy, relax, have fun and enjoy harmony, the presence of both principles is necessary.

The Yin-Yang symbol depicts a universe consisting of two opposites, Yin and Yang, which form a whole only in a single combination. Two dots in the symbol mean that each of the two energies, at the highest level of its implementation, already contains the grain of its opposite and is ready to transform into it.

A healthy body is based on a state of perfect balance between Yin and Yang and the Five Basic Elements.

Eastern medicine– Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, etc., based, among other things, on the philosophy of balance of Yin and Yang, helps restore the harmony created by nature in the body. When the harmony between Yin and Yang is disturbed, a state of balance can be restored through meditation, acupuncture, corrective dieting, qigong, tai chi, shiatsu, or various combinations of these methods. Eastern doctors strive to treat not the external symptoms of diseases, but their root causes, which consist in an imbalance in the internal balance, while demonstrating such “clairvoyance” that to a person with a Western mentality may seem like magic.

Yin and Yang principle- Eastern perception of reality, implying both material and spiritual world as the unity of two opposing and at the same time interdependent forces.

Yin and Yang are opposites that form a whole; they depend on each other because they exist only in relationship with their opposite.

Basic properties of Yin and Yang

YIN YANG
Feminine Masculinity
Matter Energy
Passivity Activity
End Start
Earth Sky
Bottom Top
Night Day
Winter Summer
Humidity Dryness
Softness Hardness
Horizontal Vertical
Compression Extension
Attraction Repulsion

The Yin-Yang sign symbolizes the universal law of change. He shows us that one thing, achieving its highest value, invariably passes into another. Winter gives way to summer, and summer to winter. Movement gives way to rest, and rest to movement.

Tears turn into laughter and laughter turns into tears. Life leads to death, and death revives life again.

The Yin-Yang sign, each part of which has a point of the opposite color in the center, represents two poles containing the essence of opposites in the inner core.

In other words, there is no absolutely pure Yin or Yang, white or black, female or male, dark or light, good or evil.

A woman necessarily has masculine qualities, and a man has feminine qualities. Both white and black always have gray tones.

A bad deed is never only bad, and a good deed can have bad consequences.

Manifestations of Yin and Yang in the human body

YIN YANG

Front side Back side

Left side Right side

Lower body Upper body

Legs Hands

Solid organs Hollow organs

Flexion Extension

Rest Movement

Inhale Exhale

Yin and Yang are not absolute concepts. They are relative, like everything in the world. Therefore, they can be used to describe the relationship between various phenomena of the material and spiritual world.

For example, the chest is considered Yin in relation to the back, but in relation to the pelvis, the chest is Yang.

Or winter is considered Yin in relation to summer, but in comparison with cosmic cold it is Yang.

Manifestations of Yin and Yang in human psychological characteristics

Yin Yang

Intuition Intelligence

Contemplation Reaction

Calm Excitement

Introversion Extroversion

Pessimism Optimism

Conservative Progressive

Silence Talkativeness

The Yin-Yang sign shows the change in phenomena. This is a description of changes in phenomena, and not a judgment about them.

The sign reflects how opposites depend on each other, how they influence EACH OTHER and how they ultimately transform into each other.

To understand the nature of the two fundamental principles and their impact on human health, you need to remember what diseases and ailments Chinese medicine classifies as Yin and Yang.

Diseases characteristic of Yin and Yang

YIN YANG

Chronic diseases Acute diseases

Internal diseases Diseases of the skin and sensory organs

Degenerative diseases Infectious diseases

Edema Inflammation, fever

Paralysis Seizures

Diarrhea Constipation

Constant deep pain Attacks of superficial pain

Widespread pain Localized pain

Dull and pressing pain Sharp and throbbing pain

Nocturnal attacks of pain, at rest Daytime attacks of pain, with movement

Life energy Qi

Qi is the Chinese name for vital energy, or life force. The Japanese call it Ki, and in Yoga it is called Prana.

The concept of life force circulating in the air, plants, animals and in the human body already existed in the most ancient cultures. This is the energy that is found in all forms of matter and is concentrated in living organisms, “life beyond the atom.”

More than three thousand years ago, treatment and meditation systems were developed in India and China aimed at enhancing vital energy in people for the purpose of preventing and treating diseases. The Chinese highlighted different kinds vital force Qi.

For a deeper understanding, we will need two more important concepts related to Qi energy - Shi and Xiu. Shi means fullness or excess energy, which in most cases causes yang symptoms such as inflammation, acute pain and fever.

Xiu means exhaustion or lack of energy and manifests itself in Yin symptoms: chills, chronic pain and swelling.

By using the meridian exercises described in this book, excess or deficiency of Qi energy can be eliminated and brought into balance in the various meridians and their corresponding organs. Thanks to this, health is strengthened, well-being improves and old age is delayed.

Meridians and Organs of Chinese Medicine

Meridians are channels along which flows Vital energy, Qi. Those places where you can feel this flow of energy are called acupuncture points.

Traditional Chinese medicine views meridians as a network connecting the internal and external: internal organs and the surface of the body, tissue and spirit, Yin and Yang, earth and sky. This system consists of energy channels located primarily along the vertical axis of the body, Liu vessels and a special Dai Mai channel, which surrounds the waist like a belt.

Western doctors compare the Chinese system of meridians of the human body with the system of meridians of the Earth: the meridians of the body correspond to the meridians of the Earth, the Liu vessels correspond to parallels, and Dai Mai corresponds to the equator.

Already in the Huangdi Nei Jing, a treatise on internal diseases of the Yellow Emperor Huangd? dating back to around the 3rd century BC, the location of the meridians and the effects on acupuncture points were accurately described. In this treatise, the meridians are compared to the great rivers of China that wash the earth.

The concept of meridian is expressed by the Chinese character "jing", meaning "river, road, path" and "blood vessel". The meridian system includes the meridians of the twelve Organs, called the twelve permanent channels.

Each of the twelve meridians is associated with a specific Organ and connects it with other Organs.

Twelve meridians form pairs. Each Yin meridian is connected to a Yang meridian of the same element.

These pairs are called Twin Meridians because the flow of Qi in the meridians is balanced by two “gates.” These “gates” are Liu's vessels. Their main task is to ensure the same level of energy flow in the Twin Meridians. This reduces the risk of the formation of an excess or deficiency of Qi in one of the meridians, and therefore in the corresponding Organ.

Good functioning of the meridians and Liu vessels ensures complete circulation of Qi energy in the body and, therefore, sufficient nutrition and safety of all Organs and the consistency of their work. It is necessary to mention that Chinese ideas about internal organs and human tissues differ from those accepted in the West. This difference is primarily due to the fact that the Chinese tradition does not separate body and soul.

Chinese medicine says which in addition to purely physical functions Each organ has an emotional, mental and spiritual function. That is, the soul and mind exist in every cell of the body and in its energy field. Therefore, the internal organs are viewed more as a unity of body, mind and spirit, rather than as anatomical structures with specific physiological functions. Each organ influences the personality as a whole, and the interaction of all organs determines the thinking and feeling processes.

Since the internal organs are not viewed from a physiological point of view, but from the unity of body, mind and spirit, anatomical definitions in Chinese medicine differ from those adopted in Western medicine.

To avoid confusion, all names of organs in their Chinese sense are written with capital letters. For example, the organs that in Western medicine are called the stomach, duodenum and the initial part of the small intestine are simply called the Stomach in Chinese medicine, since the process of digestion and transport of nutrients from gastrointestinal tract into the blood is considered the main task of the Stomach. And what is called the Spleen in Chinese medicine includes not only the spleen, but also the pancreas and the entire lymphatic system, that is, the organs that form the human immune system. The physiological purpose of the Spleen is general protection body.

Chinese medicine distinguishes six Yin and six Yang organs.

The Yin organs are called Zhang, which means solid, dense. Another name for Zhang organs is storage organs, since, in addition to performing their physiological functions, they also produce, accumulate and transform various shapes Qi energy. Zhang's organs are the Heart, Pericardium, Liver, Kidneys, Lungs and Spleen.

The Yang organs are called Fu, which means hollow. The main tasks of the Fu organs are the intake and digestion of food, the absorption of nutrients and the excretion of waste products. Fu's organs include the Stomach, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Urinary Bladder, and Triple Warmer.

The function of the Triple Warmer is to regulate body temperature, coordinate the activities of the respiratory and circulatory systems, the digestive and genitourinary systems.

Today almost everyone knows yin and yang symbol, it is known all over the world, in every corner of our planet, since the art of Feng Shui has spread throughout the world. But not everyone knows what it means. This symbol is a simple figure, which is formed by two drops (or commas, as many people think), as if clinging to each other. According to Chinese tradition, this figurine is depicted in black and white, sometimes in red and blue. But required condition so that these colors match each other. We'll talk about color combinations later.

So, what does the yin and yang symbol mean?? First of all, it represents a sign of balance. This is interpenetration, opposite principles of the Universe, but opposite absolutely does not mean hostility and confrontation. Initially, the words “yin” and “yang” mean “light” and “dark.” There is one Chinese statement about this:

“All things carry within themselves a negative, represented by Yin, which turns into a positive, represented by Yang. Both of them mix to form qi."

In addition to the two drops, in Feng Shui philosophy, the symbols of yin and yang are the dragon and the tiger.

In general, all Chinese philosophy is based on the concept of opposites. The Chinese are sure that everything that exists in the Universe has its opposite. For example, woman-man, day-night, sky-earth, light-darkness, mountain-plain, etc.

In its pure form, neither yin nor yang exists in nature. If yin predominates, then there is at least the slightest bit of yang in it, and vice versa. When yang reaches its peak, yin arises in it, and vice versa. If you noticed, on each “droplet” of the yin and yang symbol there is one point of the opposite color - this is the very particle of the opposite. In each of us, either the principle of yin or yang predominates. Yin is feminine, Yang is masculine.

Basic characteristics of yin and yang

Yin is characterized as calm, with smooth lines, but it is also characterized by unpleasant odors.

Yang energy is characterized by right angles and lines, activity, loud sounds and pleasant aromas.

As has already been said, one or another principle predominates in each of us - our desire to arrange our lives, choose a job, housing, friends, a companion, activities, etc. depends on this.

And our body is no exception - all its systems are also subject to the influence of yin and yang energies. Therefore, an excess or deficiency of one or the other can lead to various diseases. One thing follows from this important rule– it is important to ensure a balance of these two principles in those places where you spend the most time, especially in the bedroom.

Since these two principles are opposites, however, there is something that unites them. Their unification forms the Tao, which connects man with the entire Universe and allows them to interact closely.