No explanation of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) would be complete without an introduction to yin and yang. This Daoist concept is at the root of all our theory. The taijitu, the yin yang symbol, shows how the two halves together make a whole, how each flows into the other and how each contains a seed of the other.
Yin and yang are opposites that balance one another but truly they only exist relative to one another. One thing is more yin than another or more yang than another. Yin is usually associated with items that are dark, still and cold. Yang is usually associated with items that are bright, warm and in motion. Here are some common pairings and how they divide into yin and yang.
| Yin | Yang |
|---|---|
| Dark | Light |
| Rest | Activity |
| Female | Male |
| Below | Above |
| Cold | Hot |
| Night | Day |
| Winter | Summer |
In TCM diagnosis we look to see whether a person has “normal” levels of yin and yang. A normal amount of yang but not enough yin is known as a yin deficiency. Someone else may have a normal amount of yin but not enough yang and have a yang deficiency. On the other hand they may have too much yin or yang – an excess.
If someone often feels cold then we need to determine is this due to yang deficiency or yin excess. The treatment varies depending on whether we need to tonify (build up) yang or disperse (reduce) yin.
More than that, this yin and yang effect can vary from one TCM organ to another, one body part to another etc. At the heart of all acupuncture is bringing about a better balance of the yin and yang to address patterns of disharmony. As acupuncturists we can do this by inserting needles into meridian points to tonify or reduce energy. Another way to balance the yin and yang however, is through diet. Food energetics can be used to add and subtract yin and yang.
Now that you’ve had an introduction to yin and yang, you may want to know how you can be brought back into better balance. If so, then please book your free “can telehealth help me” session today.
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