Yin & Yang Characteristics

Yin and yang are Taoist symbols: two opposites bound together, separate and yet intermingled. They demonstrate the way separate forces rely on each other, and how seemingly incompatible elements can create beauty and harmony together. Each half of the yin/yang symbol represents specific elements, which helps define them in the broadest and most comprehensive terms.

Yin

Yin is traditionally the black half of the symbol. The literal meaning is "north side of the hill," the direction facing away from the sun and toward the shadows. It thus represents darkness, passivity, and reception rather than delivery. The moon is closely associated with yin energy, as are even numbers and activities undertaken at night (such as sleeping). It's also considered feminine energy, marked by intuition, sensitivity and a readiness to receive. Yin is a very quiet symbol, linked to thoughtfulness, resting and (in its darkest aspects) death. It holds sway over the end of the year--autumn and winter, when trees shed their leaves and prepare for a snow-bound sleep.

Yang

Yang constitutes the white half of the symbol; the term translates as "south side of the hill," facing the sun and the light. It is thus everything yin isn't: active, creative and extroverted. It holds positive energy bursting from all directions in potential rather than actual manifestation. It is associated with the sun and warmth, with odd numbers linked to its particular energies. Daytime activities fall into its purveyance: work, creation and engagement with the world. While yin is soft and passive, yang is hard and assertive, being associated with male energy. It holds sway over the beginning of the year, as new growth starts in the spring and flourishes during the warm summer months.

Together

When taken apart, both yin and yang are unbalanced, incapable of standing upright and unable to flourish alone. When placed together, however, they attain balance and harmony. As one symbol diminishes, the other rises in prominence, only to give way to its counterpart in the fullness of time. The circle stresses the never-ending nature of this cycle, as well as the interdependence of two seemingly irreconcilable elements. Each must rely on the other to flourish, and each must accept the constant cycle of change that shifts their prominence back and forth. Thus, the yin/yang symbol constitutes the whole of creation. Strictly speaking, it's actually a sphere rather than a circle, encompassing all three dimensions and representing both the globe we live on and the greater universe which exists beyond.

References

• About the Tao: Yin and Yang
• Feng Shui Institute: Yin and Yang

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish