Feng Shui of the week: Are you a Yin or Yang?
October 5th, 2008 | 
Did you notice that many people like to use the symbol of Yin or Yang? But don’t really know what it means? I’ve seen it on t-shirts, bags, mouse pads, stickers, wall clocks, cufflinks, pendants, iPod skins, as tattoos, and even cosmetic sharpener! You name it, they made a product/art out of the yin and yang design. But what does the Yin and Yang sign really means? In Feng Shui, yin and yang symbolizes two kinds of energies: passive and active or yin or yang, which is one of the fundamental principles of Feng Shui. Yin and Yang are opposition to each other, but also symbolizes complete harmony. This ancient tai chi symbol represents feminine and masculine. Nothing is wholly yin or wholly yang, they complement and depend on each other, hence the famous design illustrating their interdependence – one cannot exist without the other. Without yin there will be no yang.
The concept of yin and yang offers a comprehensive way of looking at the world and how it affects you. It makes it possible to adjust relationship with people and your surroundings so that you can place yourself in a favorable rather than unfavorable situations. Ultimately, you will be able to use your knowledge of yin and yang to get more out of your life with less effort.
Are you now curious how to apply the concept of yin and yang to improve your life? First is to answer the question, are you too yin or too yang?
To know if you’re too yin or too yang, compare yourself to other people. Are you the type who is relaxed and want things slow and easy while some people wants to hurry you? Or you find them too aggressive and impatient with you? Then you are too yin. Do you find other people too slow, indecisive and quiet that you find yourself becoming irritable and angry with them? Then you are too yang. Some people are always more yin or yang, but some will be more of the middle.
Good Feng Shui is achieved by a proper balance between yin and yang. Too much yin produces too much heaviness and rigidity. Too much yang causes too much unrest and aggression.
Like the author Simon Brown said, if there’s imbalance in your life, the first step is to decide whether you are too yin or too yang. Here’s some of his list of personal yin and yang features:
Body types – more yin: thin, tall, full lips…; more yang: broad, short, thin lips…
Emotions – more yin: depressed, insecure, tearful…; more yang: angry, frustrated, irritable…
Mental qualities – more yin: slower, imaginative, broad-minded; more yang: quick thinking, detailed, precise…
Physical qualities – more yin: weak, tired, slow…; more yang: stiff, strong, fast…
For a complete list you can find it all here.
When I learned about the concept of yin and yang, I realized that I am too yin. I like a relaxed life, never hurried, that’s why I guess I dream of living outside the city someday. Where I can enjoy and be closer to nature. I have no difficulty being relaxed but it will take something to keep me more yang (like beating deadlines!). I am more active at night, which is time to relax and is therefore yin and the morning sunshine makes one active therefore its yang. I like sleeping, reading, watching movies, listening to music which are yin influences.
Now that I know I am too yin, I think I need more yang to balance my life and achieve good health. Probably, I’ll do activities to add more yang in my life like for exercise, I can do aerobics; for physical activities, I can do some gardening; for mental activities, I can play chess online, study or do financial accounts. But I think to wake up early in the morning I need clocky or maybe place my bed near the window where the morning sun shines.
Isn’t it cool to know how to balance your life and achieve harmony? The concept of yin and yang is vast, it will even help you use yin and yang in your home! Like choosing materials and colors, if you want more yin or yang in a particular room. The possibilities are limitless! But for now, I will stop here and let you absorb it. For more in depth reading, check out my sources above.
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Gigi
I think I’m more yang, but with a yin appearance minus the full lips. I like fast pace and become irritable with cues and sluggish people.
I do need to realign myself and create a more balanced character. Hard work!
Cate
http://caffeinatedtraveller.com
I do think you’re more of a yang Cate, traveling a lot requires physical agility. But do you know the best thing I like about being too yin? I have a loooong patience that I can boast of. But you’re right, one should aim for a more balanced character.
I think I’m more yang. I find myself happiest when I’m super busy and cannot stand it when I see others are being idle. That’s where the balance part comes in–it’s fine for me to be running around but I have to be more patient with others.