Yin Yang Introduction
Yin Yang is perhaps the most known and documented concept used within Taoism.
What is Yin / Yang
A starting definition: Yin / Yang: Two halves that together complete wholeness. Yin and yang are also the starting point for change. When something is whole, by definition, it’s unchanging and complete. So when you split something into two halves – yin/yang, it upsets the equilibrium of wholeness. Both halves are chasing after each other as they seek a new balance with each other.
The word Yin comes out to mean “shady side” and Yang “sunny side”.
Yin Yang is the concept of duality forming a whole. We encounter examples of Yin and Yang every day. As examples: night (Yin) and day (Yang), female (Yin) and male (Yang). Over thousands of years, quite a bit has been sorted and grouped under various Yin Yang classification systems.
The symbol for Yin Yang is called the Taijitu. Most people just call it the yin yang symbol in the west. The taijitu symbol has been found in more than one culture and over the years has come to represent Taoism.
Diving Deeper into Yin Yang
Yin Yang illustrated from the Tao Te Ching [2]
When people see things as beautiful,
ugliness is created.
When people see things as good,
evil is created.Being and non-being produce each other.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low oppose each other.
Fore and aft follow each other.
The Nature of Yin Yang
- Neither Yin nor Yang is absolute. Nothing is completely Yin or completely Yang. Each aspect contains the beginning point for the other aspect. For example, day becomes night and then night becomes day. Yin and Yang are interdependent upon each other so that the definition of one requires the definition for the other to be complete.
- Yin Yang is not static. The nature of Yin and Yang flows and changes with time. A simple example is thinking about how the day gradually flows into the night. However, the length of day and night are changing. As the earth ages, its spin is slowing causing the length of day and night to get longer. Day and night are not static entities. Sometimes changes in the relationship between Yin and Yang can be dramatic where one aspect can just transform into the other. As an example: some species of fish have females that transform quickly into males when the population of males isn’t enough.
- The summation of Yin and Yang form a whole. One effect of this is: as one aspect increases the other decreases to maintain the overall balance of the whole.
- The balance of Yin Yang can be skewed due to outside influences. Four possible imbalances exist:
- Deficiency Yang
- Deficiency Yin
- Excess Yang
- Excess Yin
These imbalances can be paired: so an excess of Yin can also simulate a Yang deficiency and vice versa.
As an example, this concept is especially important for Chinese healing practices. So an excess of Yang results in a fever. An excess of Yin could mean the accumulation of fluids in the body. Chinese healing examines a person’s health by using the eight principles: Internal and External stimuli, Deficiency and Excesses, Cold and Heat and Yin and Yang.
- Yin Yang can be subdivided into additional Yin and Yang aspects. For example, a Yang aspect of Heat: can be further subdivided into a Yin warm or Yang burning.
- Additional principles that define Yin and Yang qualities exist. The concepts listed here are merely a starting point to illustrate the nature of Yin and Yang. Usually, as a practice, Taoism does a good job of not codifying life. Ironically, this wasn’t true about yin Yang, since over history many Taoist’s have tried to codify what is Yin and what is Yang. Typically Taoist texts will list a few examples of Yin and Yang and then meander off to the next topic. As an example go back to the Taoist passage quoted above from the Tao Te Ching. You will discover a few additional aspects to Yin and Yang, but the reading isn’t a complete definition either. The author of this passage fully expects you as the reader to go out and to explore the ideas on your own.
- You can infinitely dig into Yin Yang due to its relative nature.
Additional material for Yin Yang can be read here:
Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Yin Yang
Learn more about the daily practice of the Classical Chinese arts. We at Personal Tao recommend the Earth Balance online school of Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation.
How Yin Yang Flows
Now forget everything you have learned about Yin and Yang for a moment. Step back from all the descriptions and classifications of Yin and Yang to consider the following passage from the Tao Te Ching:
The Way begot one,
And the one, two;
Then the two begot three
And three, all else.
A clearer understanding of Yin Yang requires looking back into the Tao. The Tao can be considered as the fundamental absolute. Upon examination: the nature of the Tao expands out. This process of expansion defines a pattern, splitting apart into finer and finer patterns. Yin and Yang is the point where perception demarks the Tao’s expansion into one and then one into two.
Taoism as a practice, enjoys examining patterns. Over the years countless sects of Taoism have formed and quite a bit of literature was written over the delineation and description of these patterns. Often Taoists use the concept of Yin Yang as a familiar starting template to work with patterns.
For example, Qigong is based on the patterns of breath and physical movement. Knowledge of bodily patterns forms the basis of this Taoist practice to keep a body healthy. The human body and its movements are divided according to Yin and Yang categories. So the upper body corresponds to the Yang, while the lower body roots into the Yin. The body’s center is where the Yin and Yang meet. Qi Gong exercises are grouped and explained in terms of Yin and Yang to help classify the body’s harmonies into a working practice. Knowledge of Yin or Yang isn’t required to perform Qi Gong. Instead, it’s an additional filter which helps people connect to the practice.
In life, we often grow against edges and problems. For example, a person can be going through a midlife crisis (this would be Yang). However, the challenges in the crisis can push the person to seek wholeness again (embracing answers would be Yin). In striving to be whole against the crisis, the person then experiences a midlife transformation to become a new and better person. To reject the crisis would be to stay in a weaker situation and not grow. To accept the crisis, learn and have an open mind changes the experience to become something meaningful for the person. In this example, when finding an imbalance in our life, we can use yin/yang to inspire us to find counterbalancing activities or options to expand our nature. A person could examine the signs of the midlife crisis and then look for counterbalancing answers. For example, if a person doesn’t recognize themselves in the mirror, perhaps they could take acting lessons to learn to see themselves from a new perspective and other people’s eyes.
- Episode – 1 – Virtue & Madmen
- Episode – 2 – Building a Foundation – 100 Day Challenge
- Episode – 3 – Be Kind! Be Kind! Be Kind!
- Episode – 4 – Relationship Paradoxes
- Episode – 5 – Becoming the Sage
- Episode – 6 – Embracing Space
- Episode – 7 – Faith in Our Children
- Episode – 8 – Extra Credit Projects
- Episode – 9 – Finding Your Challenge
- Episode–10 – Touch The Medicine
- Episode–11 – The Taoist Farmer
- Episode–12 – Respectful Relationships
- Episode–13 – Politics, Individual Power and Equality
- Episode–14 – Facing the Darkness
- Episode–15 – Being a Parent
- Episode–16 – The Road to Your Goals
- Episode–17 – Eloquent Words
- Episode–18 – The Super Power To Change Our Story
- Episode–19 – The Kaleidoscope Of Tao
- Episode–20 – Radiantly Facing the Unknown Future
- Episode–21 – The Modest Master
- Episode–22 – The Crystal Space & Stories
Another example is Taoist divination within the Book of Changes / I Ching. Divination in Taoism is a practice of examining human interactions based on well known psychological patterns. To generate a result either coins or yarrow stalks are tossed down to form a pattern. The patterns generated correspond to Yin and Yang defined qualities. The nature of the Yin and Yang pattern is applied to the psychology of the moment to return advice for the person asking the question.
Yin Yang is a fundamental aspect of Taoist thought. We always naturally apply human-based values over naturally occurring patterns. However, remember it’s also important not to chase finer and finer descriptions of these patterns, to do so would be to chase down infinity.
Yin Yang is a system of recognizing how to separate out patterns in our life while also relaxing to accept the overall whole and complete nature of the Tao.
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Yin and Yang of Spirit and Soul
Copyright 2008 Cara Dawson
The Yin and Yang nature of soul and spirit. We travel between these two poles of our nature.
It’s a trap to think of life as only being a single aspect of ourselves: when in actuality we spin in the yin and yang nature of many aspects.
To grab on tightly to only one part of one’s nature creates a dam: upon which rides a flood of chaos: as the larger momentum of the universe will then always pick up to kick things about.
Galactic Yin Yang.
Cosmic Yin Yang of two galaxies merging and dancing about each other. I was looking at this across the room and in the blur saw the Yin Yang. In everything: so many levels exist at how you can see the universe around us. The main ESA site has some great high res photos and movies to zoom in to give an idea of scale.
Yin Yang Resources
Soulmate Yin Yang Roses Popsockets
Black And White Tapestry, YinYang Wall Hanging Tapestry
Size: Large: 82 x 92 Inch
Yin and Yang of Life addresses modern issues through the lens of ancient wisdom
Guided Meditation
We create guided meditation audios for our patrons.
Use these meditations to help you begin to create a sacred space for yourself in your day to day life! You can practice these meditations, again and again, to reflect, heal and gain inspiration and find guidance.
- Blue Lake of Healing
- Connect to a Power Animal
- Connect to the Spirit of the Directions
- Create & Cultivate a Sacred Garden
- Enchanted Market to Retrieve Vital Life Essence
- Exploring Meditation (two simple guided meditations)
- Gifting Journey to a Sacred Island
- Introduction to Guided Meditation
- Micro-Meditation, Micro-Practice and MicroSize Me!
- Pausing
- Rattle, Body & Piko Piko Light Meditation
- Sacred Garden Check In
- Spiritual Healing for the New Year
- The Power & Practice of Gratitude

Modern Magic Teaching Videos
I have started a new series for Patrons only, teaching Modern Magic!
- A Divination Card Reading for Dragons (LiveStream)
- Managing and Closing the Third Eye (29:41)
- Modern Magic – 1 – Introduction : Released 6/19/18
- Modern Magic – 2 – Exploring Illusions
- Portents and Omens
- Taoism 201 Class – 3 Learning Magic
- Tarot and Rune Lesson – Part 2 – Reading Basics
- Tarot and Rune Lesson – Part 3 – A Practice Reading
- Tarot and Rune Lesson – Part 1 – Introduction
- Understanding the Third Eye (46:58)

- A Taoist View of Afterlife.
- Dealing with crisis
- How can I find inner peace
- How does one keep up an energetic practice in Taoism?
- How should I resolve anger
- How To Resolve Fear?
- Taoist perspective on failure
- What is Enlightenment?
- What is Taoism’s view on homosexuality?
- What is Yin Yang?
- What to look for in a Spiritual Guide?
- Working with Flow

Just researching where I belong …..I will keep you posted !
Hello I have a yin and yang symbol where should I put this? it is inside the or outside the house, can you tell me please? I am not a Chinese I am a Pilipino from Philippines. Thank you.
Place it in a spot that feels right to you, or that makes you smile. Not everything has to be scripted to the stars.
Friedrich Nietzsche in his writings described the Apollonian and the Dionysian opposites. I think it came Hieraclitus. There is also the Hegelian dialectic but it has three parts composed of thesis, anti-thesis and synthesis.
Yin Yang having only two parts will it not deadlock and frozed? This is the part that I like to reconcile.
Yin and Yang is fractal in nature: which means the duality splits up over and over again. This prevents two parts from being frozen or in deadlock. At times an excess or deficiency in yin or yang creates motion.
The Tao describes a path, however it is up to the traveller to discover how it may be followed. Never straight, always forward.
Hi, I have been trying to wrap my head around a concept of the yin yang for a design, I’m trying to relate yin yang and Hybrid. Hybrid means a thing made by combining two different elements; a mixture. How would Air, Earth, Water and Fire be classified? Would really appreciate your input on this, Thank You.
Here is an article listing out organs and elements relative to Yin/Yang
Also, keep in mind In Taoism, the elements would be Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. But let’s be honest Air needs to be in there also! 🙂
That’s the trouble with lists, they expand, contract, force rules where rules don’t want to fit. So I try not to limit Yin / Yang to lists, it’s more about what is needed at the moment in to describe the duality in play.
How long has yin yang been around? My uncle does not think it’s been around in the 50s. I think it was way before that. Please settle this disagreement. Please let me know thank you
The concept of Yin Yang has been around for thousands of years. It’s at least as old as TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
thank you i was wondering the same thing
First we draw a sine wave, energy in motion from zero to positive through zero to negative. Then as the line returns to the zero point it revolves around and encompasses the wave thus forming the Taijitu. This is the direction of life, only given in one direction, onward and never ending, never returning. Within the light energy is the dissolution into darkness, from darkness returns the gift of light. The Taijitu revolves about its centre climbing one form over the other in an ascending spiral. From within flows two spiral trails twisting ever backwards from the beginning of time.… Read more »
When you say it flows which way does it flow?
Yin and Yang tends to flow like a tide. It cycles back and forth between low to high in its aspect. Also, it can flow from one to the other to a degree. This flow is important and part of our health. A big problem is when the flow gets interrupted or becomes stagnant. At those times we work to heal or stimulate the flow again.
Learning to go with the flow is part of Taoist practice.
Love or Hate ( LH )… Moral or Immoral Design ( MOID ) Switches turn it on off.