Last post we looked at some of the conditions that result from yin and yang being out of balance in one's body. Every person is unique so yin and yang may affect them in unique ways. What symptoms one person has from a certain input may not be the same for another person. The forces are working in the same way for all living creatures. So to establish balance we need to understand a few concepts.
First, it matters where you live north to south. The balance point for a person living at the arctic circle is much different from a person living at or near the equator. The input received by a person living at the arctic circle is much different from a person living at or near the equator. Every being is being bombarded by these two forces without ceasing. Yang force is constantly incoming to the surface of the earth and you are receiving it. Every being that lives around you is receiving the same force that you are. Yin force is constantly generated by the spinning of the earth which never takes a break. The effect of these two forces is to establish a balance point for the area where you live for all living beings even plants. So the carrot growing in your garden is receiving the same balance of yin and yang that you are. It's root is an expression of yang and its leafy tops are an expression of yin force.
The balance point establishes a level of yin and yang force that is balanced thereby making the being stable. It is this stability upon which we maintain our well being. Traditional cultures in Asia observed this process of balance and found out that it is affected by the food that we eat as well as our exposure to sunlight and cold. Over the centuries many of these cultures found out which foods had a more yang effect and which foods had a more yin effect. They observed that some foods were extreme yin and some foods were extreme yang. They observed that when a person ate foods that were extreme yang the result was excess yang in the body. This upset the balance of the body and disturbed the well being of the person. They also observed that when this balance was upset on the yang side it produced a need for yin foods to bring the body back in to balance. This need is experienced as a craving.
They also observed that the whole process worked in reverse as well so excess yin also upset the balance and resulted in a need for yang foods. They learned over time that if they maintained the balance of these two forces as expressed where they live they enjoyed greater well being, had fewer problems, and generally lived longer and better lives.
The key to maintaining balance in the body was observed to be the consumption of foods from the middle of the yin - yang spectrum and the avoidance of extreme foods and other substances. As they naturally ate the foods that grew around them, they naturally consumed foods that were exposed to the same balance of yin and yang that they as humans were. So naturally they maintained balance. Since they were used to living in a balanced condition, any factor that upset the balance was obvious to them because it produced conditions that were unpleasant. These conditions were eventually looked upon as illness.
So yin and yang are constantly working to achieve a balanced state in whatever manifestation they express. In the example of the carrot, if drought conditions prevail, eventually the carrot will become too dry and soon the plant will wilt and die. As we have talked about in the characteristics page, yang is hot and dry. Yin is wet and cool. In order to grow successfully the plant must be exposed to a balance of both yin and yang. Same with humans and other beings. Excess yin and yang can be dangerous to the organism. Both can exist in the body at the same time.
Next post we will look at more specifically how we create a balanced diet that maintains our balance point. Thanks for reading.
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