Yang Ascending, Yin Descending

The Shape and Flow of Yin and Yang

 

 

    The symbol is black (Yin) and white (Yang) in color. This demonstrates the opposition of Yin and Yang. Yang is left and it rises. Yin is right and its descends. This is based on the idea that Yang represents heat, activity, and creation, and rises while Yin, representing cold, passivity, and reception, descends. The reasoning for Yang on the left and Yin on the right is so that one can visualize it from the perspective of the circle turning in a clockwise motion. This seems to be the natural flow of things. The important part to remember, however, is to always view it as Yang ascending, and Yin descending.

 

 The shape of the symbol is circular. This indicates that Yin and Yang form a wholeness. If Yin or Yang were removed, the balance and flow would be broken. This represents the interdependence of Yin and Yang. This is also a representation of the thought of a cyclical nature to everything. The center of the circle would be what Chuang Tzu referred to as “The Pivot”.

 

   As Yang rises it grows and occupies the space left by Yin. As Yin falls and grows, it occupies the space left by Yang. This represents the interconsumption of the two. Notice also that the quantity of each is equal. As Yin consumes Yang, Yang simultaneously consumes Yin.  Following the flow of the symbol, at Yang's height, it descends and becomes Yin. At Yin's fullness, it rises and becomes Yang. Neither should be viewed as dominant, because both are equally important in completing the cycle. This is the intertransformation of Yin and Yang. The seeds within the Yin and Yang allude to the presence of Yin within Yang and Yang within Yin. No one thing is completely Yin or Yang, but has aspects of the other. This is a representation of the infinite divisibility of Yin and Yang.

 

   This cycle and flow can be seen throughout the natural world. It may also be seen in varying degrees. An interesting mental exercise is to contemplate the infinite number of degrees of divisibility that water goes through when being heated to a boil. Water would be seen as a Yin element. It starts out as Yin, and as it is heated it becomes more and more Yang. When it is boiled to the point of being steam, it has become a full Yang element, although the Yin of water is still present in it. It rises as steam into the atmosphere, and returns to earth in the form of Yin, or water.

 

 

And the cycle begins again.

 

 

 

 

(I most likely will not be able to post anymore until Tues. or Weds. of next week. I have had a family matter crop up and will be busy most of the day today, and all day tomorrow.)

 

peace, wayf

 

At the request of my friend Mary Elizabeth, I have compiled the following explanation of the meanings of the Yin and Yang diagram, and the cycles of Yin and Yang as seen in Classical Chinese thought.

 

The meanings in the original Chinese are as follows:

 

Yang (pronounced as “Yong”) is represented by the Chinese symbol for “Hill” with the symbol for “sunny” added, or “Sunny side of the hill”

 

Yin, likewise, is comprised of “Hill” with the symbol for “shade”. Hence, we get “shady side of the hill”.

 

The two concepts can be further broken down into any complimentary opposites such as day and night, active and passive, positive and negative, etc.

 

 

Side Notes:

The significance of the smaller circle of each found in the other can not be overlooked. This implies that within Yin lies the seed of Yang and within Yang lays the seed of Yin. One can not be without the other. They are not independent of one another. (Day turns to night, Summer goes into winter, etc.)

 

It is also of paramount importance to note that the words Yin and Yang are not nouns, but adjectives. They merely describe principles and are not viewed as objects. Everything is seen as having Yin and Yang elements within it, including human beings.

 

 

 

 

 

If we view the diagram as being in motion, we see that the “seed” of Yin within Yang becomes Yin and likewise the “seed” of Yang develops into Yin. Below is a very incomplete list of some of the cycles that Yin and Yang are viewed in within nature.

 

 

The Cycle of Yin and Yang goes in four phases:

Yang turning to Yin

Full Yin

Yin turning to Yang

Full Yang

 

This can be seen in the seasons of the year:

 

Yang turning to Yin (Autumn)

Full Yin (Winter)

Yin turning to Yang (Spring)

Full Yang (Summer)

 

 

And it can be seen in the hours of the day:

 

Yang turning to Yin (Evening; sundown)

Full Yin (Midnight)

Yin turning to Yang (Morning; sunrise)

Full Yang (High noon)

 

In the coming days, I will be writing more about the philosophy as well as posting a very excellant synopsis of the Yin Yang Philosophy by the great Taoist Philosopher Chuang Tzu.

 

peace, wayf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My words are not poems

In the scholarly sense

 

(which I have no need for anyway)

 

 

Only pictures of the world as I see it~

Through the eyes of a common man

 

I simply sit beside streams

And comment on what I see

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

peace, wayf

 

 

This is a picture Mrs. w took a few years ago at Ash Cave. Sometimes the waterfall freezes all the way up to the cliff until the top breaks off. See those little people?

 

peace, wayf

 

These pictures are at Ash Cave in the Hocking Hills region that I write about so much.

 

 

This place in particular has become my cathedral.

 

 

 

 

 

My Holy Place.

 

peace, wayf