Taoism Smehra Yin and Yang the Concept

Taoism Smehra

Yin and Yang

The concept of Yin and Yang is fundamental to Taoism. Yin is considered the dark/female while Yang is the light/male. Yin represents the negative and feminine, while yang is the positive and masculine; together they represent the balance required for everything to exist. They are dualities that co-exist as well as exist to balance the other. One can not find harmony, without it's opposite.

Wu Wei, is also defined as the way of action through no action, or doing without doing. A visual example of wu wei is to stand in a stream so that the water flows in the opposite direction to that which you face. Visually, even though you are standing still, you will appear to be moving against the current. This essentially is the driving force behind Taoism. A Taoist must plan in advance and consider what to do before committing themselves to action. From this example, the Taoist is the person standing still, while the water is the Tao. The only permanent aspect in life is change, and a Taoist believes one should exist in the present moment.

Examples of Yin-Yang are everywhere around us. A good example is that of night and day. One can not exist without the other, and each depends on the other for balance. Yin is considered night, because of its association with dark, and yang is day because it is associated with light. Without one, we could still exist, but there would be a gradual decline in growth and spirit. People would become depressed and lack certain vitamins if they were to live in darkness for the rest of their lives, while the same could ring true for an imbalance in constant daylight as everything on this planet needs time to rest and experience their 'dark' half.

Another example is the dichotomy of the seasons as they traverse through hot and cold, hot and cold stages in the year. Winter is cold, but Spring is warm/hot - one does not need the other to survive (as seen in climates that are always hot and always cold) but they complement each other in balancing the extremes in nature that allow for the passage of time and the progression (and decomposition) of nature.