Doctor Dalia
27-07-2005, 10:44 PM
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=630 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top align=left><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=474 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top align=left><TD width=449>YIN-YANG
DEFINITION
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based upon the philosophy of Yin and Yang. This philosophy underlies the whole of the theoretical framework of TCM and thus forms the basis for thinking in the practice of TCM. It is most important to gain a thorough grasp of these concepts including their attributes and interrelationships. As one becomes increasingly familiar with this philosophical viewpoint, one begins to see the inherent logic and self- evident nature of TCM, where the linear and analytic approach of Western science would find complexity and contradictions.
The ancient Chinese philosophers used the Yin-Yang theory to explain the changes that occur in nature. According to this theory, all things and phenomena in the universe contain two opposite aspects – Yin and Yang – which are, at the same time, both interdependent and in conflict. They may be seen as complementary and yet also in opposition to each other. The Yin-Yang theory thus represents the law of unity of opposites. It implies the underlying unity as well as the manifest polarity of things, events and processes.
Yin and Yang represent the two opposite principles or tendencies of one object or phenomenon in relation to another. It may also represent different and opposite aspects within the same object or phenomenon.
The ancients Chinese observed the principle of opposites in the natural events around them: day and night, light and darkness, waking and sleeping, activity and rest, summer and winter, growth and decay, man and woman, hot and cold, heaven and earth, sun and moon, etc.
They noticed two important features of the relationships between opposites:
1.There is some sort of correlation between the individual components of different pairs of opposites. During the day it is light and warm, the sun is out and people are active. Thus these particular components all share an essential quality – daytime, light, warmth, activity and the sun. On the other hand there is nighttime, darkness, cold, rest and the moon, all of which share in an essential quality that is opposite in nature to the former.
2. One opposite has certain distinctive relationships with the other in any given pair. They can be seen as two alternating states of development or two aspects of a cyclical movement through time. Day changes into night, and night into day; summer changes to winter and winter into summer; activity is followed by rest, rest supports activity, dormancy is followed by growth which is followed by decay, etc
THE INTERELATIONSHIP OF YIN-YANG
1. Any given frame of reference can be divided into Yin-Yang pairs (ie. pairs of opposite factors)
The planet Earth is divided into oceans and land masses. Life forms are mobile or immobile, warm blooded or cold-blooded. The body can be regarded as consisting of an exterior portion of skin and skeletal muscle and an interior portion of viscera and bones.
2. Yin and Yang are descriptive terms; they are not nominative.
Yin-Yang terminology is used when describing the nature or characteristic tendency of one thing with reference to another. Linguistically, it often appears that these terms are used as nouns, however it should always be understood that Yin-Yang are adjectives and do not refer to any concrete or existing thing.
3. Pure or absolute Yin (and Yang) does not exist. There is always some degree of the opposite contained in anything that exists, no matter how extreme the degree of Yin or Yang.
Taking Expansion-Contraction as an example, it is impossible for the mind to conceive of pure, 100% expansiveness without any trace of the contracting force. Whatever is conceived would simply expand to infinity, ie. out of existence. Similarly, pure 100% contraction without any trace of expansive force would simply contract down to zero, ie. out of existence. It is a condition for the existence of anything that there always must be some degree of both Yin and Yang qualities present.
4. Yin is complimentary to Yang and vice versa.
There does not exist any antagonism between opposites in Nature. They are always complimentary.
The normal, healthy, functional, durable existence of everything in Nature depends on the mutual enhancement and beneficial interaction of opposite forces.
Day and night; summer and winter; work and rest; man and woman. On one level, when there is an antagonistic relationship between opposites this leads to destruction. However, from the larger perspective, the balance of Nature is always maintained.
5. Yin nourishes and sustains and controls Yang and vice versa.
Each thing depends upon it's opposite in order to exist; thus Yin 'creates' Yang and Yang 'creates' Yin.
Opposites also hold each other in balance and exert mutual control.
The soil produces crops for mankind; and man cultivates the soil. If there is insufficient care and attention by the workers to the crops there may be less crops and more weeds.
Workers produce goods and services; goods and services produce wealth.
6. Everything in the physical world has an opposite.
There are no absolutes in the manifest universe.
Wherever there is a 'front' there will also be a 'back'; the bigger the front, the bigger the back.
Birth is followed eventually by death; economic boom by recession; conquest of nature by pollution and degradation of resources.
There are no advantages without some disadvantages; there are no disadvantages without some advantages.
7. Yin attracts Yang and Yang attracts Yin.
The greater the difference, the greater the attraction.
8.Yin repels Yin and Yang repels Yang.
The greater the similarity the greater the repulsion.
9. Yin gradually changes the into Yang and vice versa.
Spring into summer, summer into autumn, autumn into winter and winter into spring...
At the extremes of Yin orYang there is great instability and the change from one opposite to the otheris rapid and inharmonious. (The 'midlife crisis' suffered by most males in our culture is an example of this.)
10. Normal physiological conditions (ie. Homoeostasis) require the avoidance of extremes of Yin and Yang.
The body can only resist within a narrow range of temperature, atmospheric pressure, oxygen content of the air etc.
One can develop tolerance to extremes only by gradually introducing them to the body, but there is still definite limitations to the body's tolerance to extreme fac
(eg. heat, cold, deprivation etc...)
11. Each Yang factor can be further subdivided into a pair of Yin-Yang factors ad infinitum. Each Yin factor may also be further subdivided in the same way.
Life forms can be divided into simple and complex; complex life can be divided into warm- or cold-blooded; warm-blooded into evolved and less evolved (in terms of adaptability and capacity for learned behaviour as opposed to instinct); of the more highly evolved species, mankind can be separated out due to the potential for an advanced civilisation or culture.
12. Nothing should be rejected. There are no 'bad' things. Everything has some usefulness, depending on the appropriate conditions (ie. time, place, dosage, type of illness etc.)
Any substance may be used as a medicine, depending on the dosage ( any substance may be regarded as food, medicine or poison, at the appropriate dosage).
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DEFINITION
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based upon the philosophy of Yin and Yang. This philosophy underlies the whole of the theoretical framework of TCM and thus forms the basis for thinking in the practice of TCM. It is most important to gain a thorough grasp of these concepts including their attributes and interrelationships. As one becomes increasingly familiar with this philosophical viewpoint, one begins to see the inherent logic and self- evident nature of TCM, where the linear and analytic approach of Western science would find complexity and contradictions.
The ancient Chinese philosophers used the Yin-Yang theory to explain the changes that occur in nature. According to this theory, all things and phenomena in the universe contain two opposite aspects – Yin and Yang – which are, at the same time, both interdependent and in conflict. They may be seen as complementary and yet also in opposition to each other. The Yin-Yang theory thus represents the law of unity of opposites. It implies the underlying unity as well as the manifest polarity of things, events and processes.
Yin and Yang represent the two opposite principles or tendencies of one object or phenomenon in relation to another. It may also represent different and opposite aspects within the same object or phenomenon.
The ancients Chinese observed the principle of opposites in the natural events around them: day and night, light and darkness, waking and sleeping, activity and rest, summer and winter, growth and decay, man and woman, hot and cold, heaven and earth, sun and moon, etc.
They noticed two important features of the relationships between opposites:
1.There is some sort of correlation between the individual components of different pairs of opposites. During the day it is light and warm, the sun is out and people are active. Thus these particular components all share an essential quality – daytime, light, warmth, activity and the sun. On the other hand there is nighttime, darkness, cold, rest and the moon, all of which share in an essential quality that is opposite in nature to the former.
2. One opposite has certain distinctive relationships with the other in any given pair. They can be seen as two alternating states of development or two aspects of a cyclical movement through time. Day changes into night, and night into day; summer changes to winter and winter into summer; activity is followed by rest, rest supports activity, dormancy is followed by growth which is followed by decay, etc
THE INTERELATIONSHIP OF YIN-YANG
1. Any given frame of reference can be divided into Yin-Yang pairs (ie. pairs of opposite factors)
The planet Earth is divided into oceans and land masses. Life forms are mobile or immobile, warm blooded or cold-blooded. The body can be regarded as consisting of an exterior portion of skin and skeletal muscle and an interior portion of viscera and bones.
2. Yin and Yang are descriptive terms; they are not nominative.
Yin-Yang terminology is used when describing the nature or characteristic tendency of one thing with reference to another. Linguistically, it often appears that these terms are used as nouns, however it should always be understood that Yin-Yang are adjectives and do not refer to any concrete or existing thing.
3. Pure or absolute Yin (and Yang) does not exist. There is always some degree of the opposite contained in anything that exists, no matter how extreme the degree of Yin or Yang.
Taking Expansion-Contraction as an example, it is impossible for the mind to conceive of pure, 100% expansiveness without any trace of the contracting force. Whatever is conceived would simply expand to infinity, ie. out of existence. Similarly, pure 100% contraction without any trace of expansive force would simply contract down to zero, ie. out of existence. It is a condition for the existence of anything that there always must be some degree of both Yin and Yang qualities present.
4. Yin is complimentary to Yang and vice versa.
There does not exist any antagonism between opposites in Nature. They are always complimentary.
The normal, healthy, functional, durable existence of everything in Nature depends on the mutual enhancement and beneficial interaction of opposite forces.
Day and night; summer and winter; work and rest; man and woman. On one level, when there is an antagonistic relationship between opposites this leads to destruction. However, from the larger perspective, the balance of Nature is always maintained.
5. Yin nourishes and sustains and controls Yang and vice versa.
Each thing depends upon it's opposite in order to exist; thus Yin 'creates' Yang and Yang 'creates' Yin.
Opposites also hold each other in balance and exert mutual control.
The soil produces crops for mankind; and man cultivates the soil. If there is insufficient care and attention by the workers to the crops there may be less crops and more weeds.
Workers produce goods and services; goods and services produce wealth.
6. Everything in the physical world has an opposite.
There are no absolutes in the manifest universe.
Wherever there is a 'front' there will also be a 'back'; the bigger the front, the bigger the back.
Birth is followed eventually by death; economic boom by recession; conquest of nature by pollution and degradation of resources.
There are no advantages without some disadvantages; there are no disadvantages without some advantages.
7. Yin attracts Yang and Yang attracts Yin.
The greater the difference, the greater the attraction.
8.Yin repels Yin and Yang repels Yang.
The greater the similarity the greater the repulsion.
9. Yin gradually changes the into Yang and vice versa.
Spring into summer, summer into autumn, autumn into winter and winter into spring...
At the extremes of Yin orYang there is great instability and the change from one opposite to the otheris rapid and inharmonious. (The 'midlife crisis' suffered by most males in our culture is an example of this.)
10. Normal physiological conditions (ie. Homoeostasis) require the avoidance of extremes of Yin and Yang.
The body can only resist within a narrow range of temperature, atmospheric pressure, oxygen content of the air etc.
One can develop tolerance to extremes only by gradually introducing them to the body, but there is still definite limitations to the body's tolerance to extreme fac
(eg. heat, cold, deprivation etc...)
11. Each Yang factor can be further subdivided into a pair of Yin-Yang factors ad infinitum. Each Yin factor may also be further subdivided in the same way.
Life forms can be divided into simple and complex; complex life can be divided into warm- or cold-blooded; warm-blooded into evolved and less evolved (in terms of adaptability and capacity for learned behaviour as opposed to instinct); of the more highly evolved species, mankind can be separated out due to the potential for an advanced civilisation or culture.
12. Nothing should be rejected. There are no 'bad' things. Everything has some usefulness, depending on the appropriate conditions (ie. time, place, dosage, type of illness etc.)
Any substance may be used as a medicine, depending on the dosage ( any substance may be regarded as food, medicine or poison, at the appropriate dosage).
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