Yin And Yang Philosophy

According to some historical sources, The Yin and Yang philosophy comes from ancient China. It has been applied in many areas for ages: in human morality, in prediction, in medicine, in military science, in geomancy.. 

However, it’s strange that today humans’ technology is advanced (we have built fans, microphones, amplifiers, spacecraft, and so on), but we’re not sure if we are more intelligent than the ancients. Don’t even think that high technology means that people today are smarter than the ancients. It’s not true. Because high technology is due to accumulation and passing on, and smartness depends on many other factors. Therefore, humans’ technology today can advance more than that of people in the past, but the intelligence of humans today is not sure to be better than the ancients. There were many things that ancient people were more intelligent than us.

Yin is the unnoticeable part. Yang is the noticeable part.

Both Yin and Yang are existent but not empty. Many researchers didn’t understand this basic definition, so their study of Yin and Yang were wrong. For example, they say that which is nonexistent is Yin and which is existent is Yang, and it’s wrong because something nonexistent cannot be Yin or Yang. It should be said that unnoticeable things are the Yin part, and the noticeable things are the Yang part. This is the basic and easy definition of Yin and Yang, and it will help us see many philosophies of life. And when looking at or consider anything, we will see that they have two parts: one is the noticeable part, and the other is the hidden, unnoticeable one.

For example, in the case of a tree, the submerged and hidden root system beneath the ground represents Yin, while the visible and growing part above the soil represents Yang.

In the context of a house, the deep and buried foundation in the ground symbolizes Yin, while the visible walls and roof that we directly use represent Yang.

In a computer, the internal circuitry within the case is Yin, and the external monitor screen that allows us to observe is Yang.

In the case of a human, the part that people see in front of each other is Yang, and the back is Yin; the upper part above the navel is Yang, and the lower part from the navel down to the feet is Yin; the external appearance of the skin is Yang, and the internal organs are Yin; the outward behavior and spoken words are Yang, while the inner psychology is Yin…

The Yang part is the portion we directly use, interact with, while the Yin part is the part we pay less attention to, yet it is the source, the foundation, the place where the Yang originates. The stronger and more stable the Yin is, the more favorable conditions the Yang will have to develop. A large root system is a prerequisite for a tree to become a towering tree. A deep and strong foundation is a condition for a high-rise building. A balanced mindset is a requirement for good language behavior.

If the Yang part is larger than the Yin part, the entire structure is at risk of early decay and cannot exist for long. If the tree’s roots are smaller than the branches above, the tree’s lifespan will be short. If the foundation does not hold the footings deeply, the house will sink quickly. If a person lacks ethics, their talent will not develop significantly. Therefore, understanding this nature, we must always strengthen the root, meaning the Yin part, of life, health, spiritual cultivation, and work.

THE MUTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YIN AND YANG 

Yin is the source of Yang and supports Yang. Yang cannot exist without Yin. However, people often ignore Yin and focus on the Yang. Seeing a house, the foundation is underground, so we don’t see it, but the house can’t be completed without the foundation. If the foundation is weak, the house will quickly crack and collapse. However, we only see and use the Yang part, not knowing that the Yin is the support and the source of the Yang. It is similar to a tree with its roots, branches, flowers, and fruits..

The invisible part of an object is the most important part of that object (applied for everything in life), but often we only see, love, and use the Yang part – the exposed part – only. So from now on, we have to change this view. When we love something, we have to consider what is behind it or its hidden part (the Yin part), so that we will have the right perception about life, and we can improve and protect the Yin part. And if we only care about the Yang part, we are likely to make wrong decisions. The ancients applied this principle in many fields such as martial arts, medicine, military, and politics and got significant achievements.

There are many other special mutual relationships between yin and yang:

• Yang supports Yin
• Yin and Yang go against each other
• Yin and Yang attract each other
• Yin in Yang, Yang in Yin
• Relativity

Yin and Yang in meditation

When we are meditating and let others see us, we are Yang, so it will be difficult for us to progress (unless we meditate with a large group of people). When we are meditating in a place that others cannot see us, we are Yin, and hence can progress in meditation. While you’re in meditation, recognizing your breathing and if it is strong, then your internal force goes upward, and it is yang. If your breath is smooth and gentle, and others don’t know that you’re breathing, you are Yin, and your internal strength improves.

Meditators who show off and proud of their abilities then their abilities will go away. Ones are always aware of their weaknesses and don’t feel proud of or show off their good results, their spiritual lives will be unstable and successful.

Meditation is defined as mindfulness with no thoughts. According to the yin and yang theory, meditation means the combination and balance of yin and yang. According to the Easterners’ philosophy, mediation is where yin and yang don’t distinguish from each other. However, ones in meditation often notice their heads, which is yang, if they focus on the forehead it is extreme yang, which results in illness, both mental and physical. We will become stressed and lose our temper and get pride.

Therefore, while controlling the mind, we have to pay attention to the back half of the brain to be less yang. But not just the outside of the head, you must pay attention deep to the inside of your brain. 

As we said above, a thing has a strong yang part and a weak Yin part, that thing will be broken or collapsed. As when you burn a fire, if you keep burning, the fuel below will gradually exhaust. When we meditate and keep our mind in our head, we are burning down our Yin power. If our Yin fuel is little, the fire will quickly go out, the pot of meditation rice cannot be cooked, and we cannot reach a level in mediation high enough for us to achieve enlightenment.

That why Buddha teaches us to be always aware of the whole body, and in the Nikayas Sutra, Buddha emphasizes this, especially when we are in meditation. When the mind has been put in the serene state in meditation, those who are not often aware of their whole bodies will find their minds empty, and they focus on this emptiness to enjoy its great happiness. Most people are like that.

But when the mind is in the head, the internal force will run up from the lower body part. Blessed ones will slowly become exhausted and lose their concentration abilities and go back to the position of an ordinary person. Unblessed ones will quickly have their brains damaged and become insane. That’s why those who can put their minds in the serene state in meditation go insane more quickly than those who cannot. It’s because they’re not often aware of their whole bodies, losing their Yin forces.

When you exhaust your Yin force, you can be mentally ill or have many diseases. Therefore, to concentrate on deep meditation, we must accumulate a large amount of yin force. This Yin force is the potential energy of the body. If your yin force is not enough, don’t rush to go into deep concentration because you will fail.

Please explore more about:

• Mindfulness meditation retreat
• Meditation retreat Hanoi
• Meditation retreat Ho Chi Minh

But how to get the Yin force for the body?

We have some important acupuncture points on our bodies. When these points are activated, we will be able to accumulate internal force. These points include:

The CV4 Acupuncture Point is about 3 cm below the belly button. 

The CV1 Acupuncture Point is between the anus and the genitals. 

The GV1 Acupuncture Point is located in the sacrum.

The GV4 Acupuncture Point is located at the back of the abdomen, at the same height as CV4 Acupuncture Point.

In the old days, people activated these points by directing breath to the abdomen, stored it in CV4 Acupuncture Point, and then led it to pass through the remaining points. However, the use of thought to lead the breath is still yang, and it will affect our brain.

Here, we have a simpler and more effective method to make us more Yin: Stand still and scan these four points (CV4 Acupuncture Point, CV1 Acupuncture Point, GVI Acupuncture Point, GV4 Acupuncture Point) in a circle. We should put our minds in a circle but not contemplate the breath. Doing it, we are accumulating Yin force in a gentle and relaxed way.

The acupuncture points on our body have a strange characteristic: if we are gently aware of them, they will automatically open, but if we attempt to open them, they will close. Many people lead their breath down and don’t let their bodies relax, affecting the flesh – the Yang part – so their acupuncture points will close, and they will go insane. Therefore, when we gently put the mind from CV4 Acupuncture Point to GV4 Acupuncture Point, our Yin force will automatically accumulate.

Except for when we are in meditation to control the mind, we can do it anytime but don’t let anyone know about it. When you are sitting alone, walking, working, etc., you should quietly put your mind in the lower body part but don’t forget to control your mind in the head. It requires your skillfulness and sophistication since you have to divide your mind into two parts. It’s hard, but you have to do it. When you focus on the head, you have consumed some yin force, so you have to put your minds on the four acupuncture points to strengthen the Yin force.

A religion in China whose members seek immortality grasp this principle and practice it and become extraordinary. However, they can’t achieve deliverance because they have no goal of egolessness like Buddhism. And Buddhists focus on deliverance and meditation but don’t pay attention to strengthening the Yin force for the ability to put the mind in the serene state later.

However, practicing the above method also has a dangerous consequence for those who still have sexual interest. When we put our minds on the four acupuncture points, our minds also reach the genitals nearby. Therefore, those who still have sexual interest will desire sex more and more and become immoral. Having sexual interest is Yang, making the Yin force reduce. Please keep in mind that sexual interest destroys the yin force. That’s why practitioners of Buddhism and the religion seeking immortality have to eradicate sex.

We also distinguish sexual interest from physical love. Physical love is when people have sensual desire for their lovers. Sexual interest doesn’t require a lover. And this consequence occurs when we pay attention to the lower part to strengthen the yin force. Therefore, if you want to strengthen the yin force by practicing to put the mind in the lower body part, you have to destroy each of your desires for sex, even it’s minor. Otherwise, don’t practice this method, or else you will become immoral.

It’s Nature’s way. If one wants to have the Yin power to build a noble spirit, he must first face sex. This is also a great challenge for meditators. Only those who have overcome sex and can peacefully put their minds in their lower body parts for a long time without having any sexual desire can develop their Yin force for the power of concentration in meditation later.

From now on, when we keep the mind in the lower body part to strengthen the Yin force, we must say no to sex. We have to be firm but gentle and decisive. It is this firm determination that will help us to keep the precepts later.

When we breathe in, we are Yang, but if we can keep the mind in the lower body part, whether we breathe in or out, the Yin force is still accumulating. And when we divide the mind into two parts, the Yin also helps the Yang because if we let the mind be free in the head, we cannot put the mind at acupuncture points in the lower body part. Only when can the mind in the head calm, the mind in the lower body part calm. When dividing the mind like that, we cannot go deep into meditation, but do not hurry, we go slowly to strengthen the Yin force first, and our spiritual ability will be stable. Some beginners only focus on the mind in the head and can go deep into meditation. These people have a strong Yin force from their past lives. We don’t have a strong Yin force, so we accept to go slower than others by knowing both the acupuncture points in the lower body part and controlling the mind in the head. And when we have enough Yin force, we only need to focus on the head, and we can go very deep into meditation.

We ever lost our Yin force. We went through great failures during our spiritual lives. And we knew many people who had failures like us. One day, we remembered the lesson of Yin and Yang and began to check our religious lives against this principle, and we found that we were like an oil lamp that had exhausted the oil. Fortunately, we have experienced difficulties, suffering, and adversities, so we can share this Yin and Yang philosophy with you. From now on, you should apply this philosophy to your lives and your spiritual practice without any fear.

We have talked so much about the Yin and Yang philosophy, which is applied to many areas of life, and the most important one is meditation. To be able to concentrate on meditation, we need to accumulate the yin force for the body. That latent yin force is activated and accumulated by focusing on acupuncture points (CV4 Acupuncture Point, CV1 Acupuncture Point, GVI Acupuncture Point, and GV4 Acupuncture Point). These points are related to the genitals, requiring those who want to accumulate the yin force to have a definitive attitude but gentle about sensual desires and sex. This is an ordeal that Nature presents to man: those who want to be noble must face the lowest of all: sex. When we face and overcome it, we can progress in meditation and spirituality.

The Yin and Yang philosophy is a wise philosophy of the ancients. Yin and Yang – the hidden and the shown parts give us many great things in life. From now on, whenever we want to anything, consider it carefully for its development and sustainability. Also, we have to build for ourselves, our families, and those around us, long-lasting merits.

We wish you all peace, happiness, and spiritual progress. No matter how many difficulties and obstacles you have encountered, you will achieve happiness in the end