Yin, Yang, and the ten thousand things

Half is white with a little bit of black, the other half black with a little bit of white.

Yin and yang

Such an old concept and we all pretty much know what it means…

'Understanding' in our day generally involves a detailed investigation. Our technological advancements have given the telescope and microscope, to see supernovas and atoms, to pick the finest details, and to choose our favorite parts.

To do what appears to be the opposite, bringing all experience into a kind of coalescence, instead of isolated neatly segmented components, may come across as a rudimentary method, with an essence of unruly chaos.

Surely life is more than just black and white!

The wonderful dance of the day to the night. Of the shade from the sun, of the light under the moon. Of the inhale, the exhale, the pause in-between. The Hunger, satiation, wanting, aversion, cool water in summer, and fire through the winter.

Homeostasis in our physiology is not actually static. It is an unending journey as we interact with our environment. Step outside from the climate-controlled room and notice the strength of the sun, to then feel the perspiration come, to then sit and rest the tired legs, and finally notice it is time to get up and go again.

And then there's Longevity… a long, chronic disease-free life! Sounds good!

How may this be achieved? By waking up and running 5km every morning, and then drinking a stimulant, ticking off every task, and then a bit of gym before heading home!

As they say, “If you don’t use it, you lose it!”

I’d like to add, “If you over use it, you’ll lose it for longer”

There is an honest and frequent ‘checking in’ with yourself required to find your true needs. How often? Daily, as you wake up, after each meal, before each activity, between each breath (?!)

I have seen people that are quite thin doing extensive fasting from food, and I am sure you have seen the person suffering with obesity enjoying an extra serving at a takeaway. I have seen the red-hot angry man drinking alcohol, and you have seen the sore-eyed computer technician watching movies.

Feel the balancing act?

Listening, observing, feeling, is where you may find the true state of yourself.

How about illness? My inherent weaknesses? My duties and age and susceptibilities?

This is where we come back to the unending dance, of homeostasis, of the seasons, of craving tastes and avoiding flavors. And to the original notion, the two from which the one created - Yin and Yang.

In nature, we can watch the acting out of perfect balance. Nothing natural forces any agenda, it simply plays in harmony as it moves with growth, expression, dormancy, and decay. The elemental system that is used in traditional medicine practices is based directly on the observation of nature. There was never a time when the earth stopped and we began. As we watch nature adjusting around us throughout the year, so too do we.

When addressed with an imbalance in the body's functioning, we can learn all the classifications of active constituents and Latin nomenclature, and pile up the mountains of literature and take a specific action. Yet, if we take a step back and grasp the vista, with the understanding of the whole that is inter-connected, the treatment of illness will generally be the same.

We are talking here about preventative medicine, of course. Surgery that is required for significant disorders does an amazing job. Our goal here is to be attentively observant in ourselves prior to such imbalances manifesting.

Honestly allowing yourself to be as your body and mind are asking is not an easy task. Our friends, family, work associates, may all be requiring something from us. To be authentic, so brutely authentic it creates disharmony in the other’s expectations, is a rather challenging task.

To let someone down with your own authenticity, will be to prevent you from drowning.

Say no to the food that does not serve you, it will not be wasted, the microbes in the compost will be rejoicing.

The human body is so extremely intelligent, so much more so than we give credit. If there is pain, our body is trying to communicate something to us. If the large intestine is sluggish? communicating something. Heart palpitations?..Communication.

Learn its language, so as to be able to respond.

Listen, and let your body be your best friend that you trust beyond a doubt.