Yin And Yang Balance And Its Importance in Mental Well-Being

As the years change, the trends change too. In recent times, I’ve seen Japanese philosophies such as Ikigai and Wabi-Sabi take root in the minds of younger generations. I’ve also seen (and you must have too) the very famous Chinese symbol of balance and harmony aka the Yin and Yang symbol become the buzz.

I absolutely adore this ancient Chinese concept of balance and harmony and while it’s something I have recently learned means more than what I previously thought, I don’t believe that many of us truly understand the power behind this symbol and how deeply it affects the mind, body, and well-being.

The theory or the concept of Yin and Yang comes from ancient Chinese philosophy that says there are always opposing yet interconnected energies that affect our minds and bodies. The Yin and Yang duality has always been placed in high regard when it comes to Eastern culture, tradition, spirituality, and even science.

Let’s explore in a little more in detail how this concept of the Yin and Yang balance can be important to our well-being.

What Are Yin And Yang?

In our everyday life, we have negative and positive things happening. And while we may not believe them, it’s what the yin and yang balance is all about. Yin is the darkness or the shadow (the black in the symbol) and Yang is the light or the brightness (the white in the symbol).

Each color represents the opposite but harmonizing energies. It is believed that the Universe is made of these two energies, and it shows in our daily experiences.

The Yin energy is often depicted as negative and passive energy. The one that represents the Earth and the Moon. However, the Yang energy is often depicted as positive and active energy that represents Heaven and the Sun. You can also find the female sex often associated with the Yin energy while the Yang energy is often associated with the male sex.

Even though these two energies are often depicted as contrary to each other, we need to understand that they are never in conflict with each other. They are balancing energies that complement each other.

If you’ve noticed the symbol of Yin and Yang closely then you’d have seen that each portion contains a small dot of the opposite color. This symbolizes that there is always Yin in Yang and Yang in Yin. I’ll give you a very simple example;

Each day we go through different experiences, but it is always good and bad. There’s always a bright side to those events (Yang) and there’s a downside to those events (Yin). Just like Day and Night. The Night is Yin and Day is Yang. The Moon exists during the day and the Sun exists during the nighttime too. You can’t have a night without a day and vice versa. Just like that, you can’t have Yin without Yang.

You can never find one without the other. This is what life is all about. There’s always something bright to look forward to even during your darkest hours.

The Importance of Balance on Our Well-Being

Psychology might be a field of science, but some psychologists have begun to bring a holistic approach to studying and treating mental illnesses. They have been emphasizing the idea that mental wellness may be more than just being ill. The holistic approach to treatment looks at mental health as a whole instead of looking at it as an individual problem.

According to holistic sciences, mental well-being includes physical health, relationships, emotional health, stress, and even cultures and their influence.

Here is where the Yin Yang theory comes in. This theory helps us understand the concept of well-being as a whole and as something that is interconnected with the mind, body, and soul rather than just one aspect

It is also believed that Yin and Yang are more than just balance, it’s also Harmony. When your mind and body are in balance, you create a harmonious attitude. An imbalance in the Yin and Yang energy can affect the harmony that you need.

Let me give you an example;

Just like seasons are bound to change from cold to summer and summer to winter, our moods are also bound to change. From negative to positive and everything in between. You can’t stay sad forever just like you can’t stay happy forever. Your moods are meant to alter and change. This is what Yin and Yang’s duality is all about.

Creating The Yin And Yang Balance

With Yin and Yang, it’s all about balance and harmony. There will be times when one energy will overpower the other. When this happens, there will be a yin-yang imbalance, and you may find your internal energies disrupted.

There are always ways to create a yin-yang balance. Here are some ways you can balance your Yin and Yang;

• When you’re overwhelmed by feelings of sadness, anger, and anxiety (all Yin energies), you can create balance by accepting your negative emotions. Accept that feelings can change. When you accept emotions as they are, it’ll make you feel validated and encourage you to regulate your emotions better.
• When you’re faced with conflicts – internal or external – you can balance them out with harmony by practicing forgiveness, letting go of your pain, showing empathy toward others, and compromising when necessary. Doing this will bring harmony to the inner turmoil you’re experiencing.
• When you feel your desires and wants overpowering your needs, you can balance them out by practicing gratitude, helping others through acts of volunteering, and living life in the moment. This will also help you put things in perspective and achieve the balance between your wants and needs.
• When we talk about yin and yang, we also talk about the importance of connection in our relationships, even the relationship we have with ourselves. Striking a balance between our connections can be achieved through spending some time alone with yourself, reaching out for social support, and maintaining a sense of interdependence.

Wrap-Up

The idea behind balancing the yin-yang energies in us is not about increasing positivity. If you focus on that, you’ll eventually get toxic positivity that will negate balance and harmony. But, yin-yang is more about creating balance to feel content and maintain peace within.

You can be happy when you’re satisfied with your current state of mind and don’t desire more to be happy. Happiness is not in chasing what you believe will make you happy. The concept of happiness is also ever-changing. You can’t put a finger on what exactly makes you happy. It’s all in creating and maintaining a balance in your life that keeps your self-growth going.

This traditional Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang plays an important role in not only our spirituality but also in our overall well-being. When you realize that balance is the key to your happy well-being, you’ll find it much easier to breathe and thrive in every aspect of your life.

I hope this article helped you understand the yin-yang balance and its importance in your life and well-being. For more, you can write to us at info@calmsage.com or DM us on social media. You can also share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

Take Care!