S2 Ep 5 - Discover Yin Yang Principles for Your Best Health in the Modern World: Part 1 on the Language of Ancient Chinese Medicine
The elegant language of Chinese medicine starts with Yin Yang. Don’t let the Taiji (Yin Yang) symbol deceive you into thinking it’s only black and white. Yin Yang dates back to ancient times, and it still offers solutions for the world we live in now. It’s a significant foundation for Chinese medicine. In this episode, you will learn the major principles of yin yang and how it informs your health in the modern world.
Restore Rhythm and Connect Through Language:
We are all little ecosystems inseparable from where and how we live. We can refuse to learn the patterns or we can learn to live in rhythm again.
In the world of qigong and Taoist philosophy, one part of understanding the universal order, or “The Way,” is to discover nature’s rhythm, abide by it, and live in accordance with its patterns. By doing so, you become healthier, more intuitive and creative. The patterns actually stay the same. It is up to you to rediscover these patterns by changing and adapting to your environment.
Language also holds the key to healthier living. Too often, trying to discuss your health in the healthcare system gets lost in translation. Yin Yang theory is one of the languages spoken in the field of Chinese medicine, which is sometimes misunderstood or dismissed for lack of knowledge of the foundational principles. Yin Yang analyzes the general nature of something while taking into account the constant tendency to change.
The Impacts on Your Third Opinion:
It’s just as important to speak the language of your health as easily as you speak your native tongue. You might think it’s too hard to learn a new language, a waste of time, or that someone will translate it for you. Don’t let this mindset control your health, too! Learning the language of your health can help you live to your greatest potential. Yin Yang is one helpful way to put your health in perspective.
There is an inseparable relationship between two parts of a whole. One part of your body cannot be well unless the other part is thriving. This is why you have to understand the big picture, and not just your illnesses as separate conditions on a list. The mind, body and spirit are connected to define your state of health.
In this episode, I discuss:
- The relationship between rhythm and health
- Understanding language of Chinese medicine, starting with Yin Yang
- Introducing yin yang theory and how it applies to your health
- Covering the four yin yang principles, which include:
- Opposition
- Interdependence
- mutual consumption
- intertransformation
- States of health imbalance related to yin yang theory
- Bonus interview with qigong master, Master Liu He, on the definition of yin and yang (Don’t miss the first interview in episode 4)
- Recap from the interview with acupuncturist and educator, Alaine Duncan on yin yang and the approach to trauma (full interview in episode 9)
Resources:
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Hill, Sandra. Chinese Medicine from the Classics., 2014.
For more information on Yin-Yang principles, go to the Third opinion MD blog post for this topic: How the Yin and Yang Principles Apply to Your Health.
