Today a lesson on yin and yang… listen up as this gets interesting.

Yin & Yang is the concept of duality forming a whole. The symbol for Yin & Yang is called the Taijitu. Over the years, this Taijitu symbol has become a representation of the philosophy and ideology of Taoism.

The predominately black side represents Yin and is characterized as slow, soft, yielding, diffuse, cold, wet, and passive and is associated with water, earth, the moon, femininity and night time. The white side represents Yang, and by contrast, it is fast, hard, solid, focused, hot, dry, and active and is associated with fire, sky, the sun, masculinity and daytime. The dots showcase the intense and inevitable interaction between the two complementary principles.

When we train, in fact, when we simply move, Yin and Yang are ever-present. For example, to deliver a good and effective punch, be it a left jab like a pro boxer or a quick chain punch like a Kung Fu master, you need an exact balance of relaxation and tension. To move your arm quickly enough to hit the target, your back, shoulder and arm muscles need to be relaxed, and then just before you connect with the target, the tendons and muscles need to tighten. Too much tightness/tension, and you won’t punch fast enough to generate enough force. Too little tightness, and you hurt yourself more than your opponent when you make contact and the impact will be weak. Only through the correct balance and timing of hard and soft can one truly generate enough speed and stiffness for a great punch.

“He who stands on tiptoe doesn’t stand firm. He who rushes ahead doesn’t go far. He who tries to shine dims his own light. He who defines himself can’t know who he really is. He who has power over others can’t empower himself. He who clings to his work will create nothing that endures. If you want to accord with the Tao, just do your job, then let go.”

Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Growth

At a deeper level, Yin and Yang also represent the harmony that exists within us and the universe around us. I have found living in awareness of yin & yang very freeing. You start to see compliments and insults as meaningless (in a good way!), and you go with the flow of life, so when it pushes, you pull, and when it pulls, you push. You ‘accept’ more than strive; you have powerful intentions rather than fixed goals and have a calm and balanced outlook, which keeps you grounded, happy and connected.

The more I study wellness, train clients and immerse myself in a life of movement, the more I see the laws of Yin and Yang at work, and the more I see physical fitness as a potential pathway to spiritual growth.

Fitness as a Metaphor for Life

When you are doing so many reps that the body fails and can’t do the last one, you are in fact, succeeding. We need this intensity of ‘training to failure’ to maximise your fat-burning and muscle toning. Failure equals success!

The most important lesson I have for you when training is to embrace and retain a “white belt” / beginners mentality as you gain more confidence, skill and results. This attitude is high in humility and curiosity and pleasingly low in ego.

Challenge – Reflection

Your challenge today is to reflect on the Yin and Yang of your own life. How much balance and harmony do you have in your day-to-day life? Are you doing too much of one thing at the expense of another? Are you too focused on your own self at the expense of empathy for others? Are you doing too much at the expense of just being or vice versa?

When you look carefully, Yin and Yang are present in everything we do. How could you improve the balance between different and opposing principles in your life?