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Yin & Yang are so entwined that one cannot exist without the other. They are irrevocably two parts of a whole. That’s why their relationships are called The Law of the Unity of Opposites. When forces of the universe create a Yin and a Yang they come together and, in the case of humans, create a life. As long as Yin and Yang maintain their dynamic oscillating balance the life exists. The closer to the center of their oscillation the extremes of their cycles are, the less illness will occur. When they separate, that life ceases. These facts yield a very useful definition: Health is life in balance.

You may be wondering what all this has to do with alleviating human illness. Human anatomy, physiology, psyche, and environment are analyzed according to which characteristics of Yin and Yang each possesses. This chart gives characteristics which are often applied to people.

The result of the analysis describes what is wrong with the patient (a diagnosis) and that diagnostic description determines treament principles and strategies

Let’s look at a very simplified example. A 35 year old female complains of having

1. no energy. When not working she sleeps most of the time.
2. She feels cold often and is uncomfortably sensitive to cool environments.
3. Her skin appears damp and damp foods make her sleepy.
4. She feels dull emotionally and intellectually.
5. Her posture is poor with shoulders that slope forward giving the appearance of a caved-in chest.
6. When she speaks only her lips move.
7. She has been having less contact with her friends, preferring to be alone. DOES SHE FIT YIN OR YANG?

Here is a classification of her symptoms by Yin & Yang characteristics. You can check them against the list of characteristics you just read.

1) stillness 2) cool/cold 3) moist 4) passive
5) inward 6) stillness 7) inward

Diagnosis: excess Yin and/or deficient Yang - depending on the severity of signs. Treatment: Disperse excess Yin or Tonify deficient Yang

THEORY | Yin & Yang Pt 1 | Yin & Yang Pt 2 | 5 Elements
Qi Anatomy-Physiology | Functions of Qi | Organ Functions
Shen: Spirit & Mind | Pathology Types | Healing Hierarchy