Chapter 1 The Balance Of Yang And Yin

Diversity in the universe is the result of variation in the amount and in the balance of time and space within each 'life', or 'existence', in the universe. Because each reader already has a previously established understanding of the words 'time' and 'space', the synonyms 'Yang' and 'Yin' will be used herein, in order to make it easier to establish a new and less prejudiced understanding of these words.

It is important to understand that Yang and Yin symbolize a relationship, a balance, of nature. Everything that exists in the universe is in a constant, yet dynamic, state of balance with every other thing in the universe. To say that some object, or attribute of nature, 'is' Yang, for example, is to say that, when compared with a certain other, interrelated object or aspect of nature, all distinctions between the two things can be understood and expressed in terms of distinctions of Yang and Yin, wherein one object or aspect will in all cases of analysis relate to the Yang aspect of the distinction and the other object or aspect will in all cases of analysis relate to the Yin aspect of the distinction.

As nature consists of 'infinite' subdivisions of Yang and Yin (the word 'infinite' will be enclosed within quotation marks throughout, as there can be no actual 'infinity' in a finite (Yin) subdivision (Yin) of the whole (Yang) infinite (Yang) universe), it is not meaningful to make statements in absolute terms, such as 'the hips of the body are Yang'. Such a statement is meaningful only if it is either directly stated, or at least clearly understood, 'the hips are Yang in relation to what'. For example, the hips are Yang in relation to the legs, as the hips are located above (Yang to) the legs. However, the hips are Yin in relation to the arms, as the hips are located below (Yin to) the arms. Adulthood is younger (Yang) than old age, but is older (Yin) than childhood. Therefore, it is never wrong to state that something is Yang or Yin, but such a statement is meaningful only if is stated, or at least implied, Yang or Yin in relation to what.

In like manner, a person who is racing a sports car might be considered either Yang or Yin, depending on the context of the relationship that is being considered. He is Yang to people walking along the road, but he is Yin to people who are driving more quickly.

There are two factors that determine the balance of Yang and Yin of a life or entity in the universe. One is the amount of Yang and Yin with which the life is born. For example, the larger the rifle, the greater the Yang, and so the less the corresponding Yin, in the birth (shot) of its bullets. The more quickly a bullet moves through space (Yang), the more slowly it moves through time (Yin), and so the longer in time the 'shot' will live, and the farther in space the bullet will travel. The other factor is the rate of motion through space-time. The greater the rate of motion through space at any given time, the less the rate of motion through time of that given space. Mankind measures time by units of time such as the year, but each person's body does not 'age' at exactly the same rate as the body of anyone else during each year.

1.1 Human Instincts: A Balance Of Yang And Yin

It was previously stated that man is Yang and that woman is Yin. What does this mean? What is the nature of the fundamental differences between man and woman? How does an understanding of the patterns of Yang and Yin enable deep insights into the nature of basic human instincts, such as the reproductive instinct?

Man and woman represent similar quantities and qualities of Yang and Yin, of time and space, by virtue of their both belonging to the same species, compared with the Yang and Yin of any other species (type) of things in the universe. However, the species Homo Sapiens has a Yin existence, as the life of mankind is finite, and Yin can always be subdivided into Yang and Yin. The primary subdivision of Homo Sapiens into Yang and Yin is into the distinctions of 'man' and 'woman'. Man is the Yang to the Yin of woman, and woman is the Yin to the Yang of man. All distinctions between man and woman can be understood and expressed in terms of distinctions of Yin (mankind) into Yang (man) and Yin (woman), with man always relating to the Yang aspect of the distinction and woman always relating to the Yin aspect of the distinction.

There are 'infinite' subdivisions of Yang and Yin within man and woman. A few of the distinctions involving reproduction will be presented here, in order to provide an example of the pervasiveness of the pattern in nature of subdivisions of Yin into Yang and Yin. The words 'man' and 'woman' are used herein to symbolize the tendency of the species, and are not meant to be applicable to each individual person, who is an expression of this tendency.

The sex organ of man (Yang) contains '1' (Yang) penis, which is located before (Yang) and outside (Yang) of the body and extends outward (Yang), and which when hard (Yang) also extends upward (Yang). The sex organ of woman (Yin) begins as '2' (Yin) lips, which are located below (Yin) the body and which face downward (Yin); the lips continue inside (Yin) of the body, and extend rearward (Yin).

Sperm (Yang) is produced outside (Yang) of the body, in the testicles. Eggs (Yin) are produced inside (Yin) of the body, in the ovaries.

In man (Yang), there is '1' (Yang) integrated (Yang) opening for both sperm and urine, which flow in '1' (Yang) integrated (Yang) direction. In woman (Yin), there are '2' (Yin) subdivided (Yin) openings for sperm and urine, which flow in '2' (Yin) opposite (Yin) directions.

The body of man (Yang) is constant (Yang) and unchanging throughout the day (Yang), like the constant and unchanging cycle of the sun (Yang) in the sky, and man can constantly reproduce. The body of woman (Yin) is not constant (Yin), but changes throughout the month (Yin), like the cycle of the moon (Yin) in the sky. The 'period' of woman tends to be the same duration as the period of the month, and is called 'menses' (Latin for 'month'). Woman can only reproduce around the midpoint (maximum Yang) of her monthly (Yin) reproductive cycle.

The body of man (Yang) is constant (Yang) and unchanging throughout the year (Yang), like the constant and unchanging cycle of the sun (Yang) in the sky, and the reproductive cycle of man is constant (Yang) throughout life. The body of woman (Yin) is not constant (Yin), but changes throughout life (Yin), like the cycle of the moon (Yin) in the sky. Just as the cycle of the moon comes to an end (Yin), the reproductive cycle of woman comes to an end (Yin). This is known as 'menopause'.

Man (Yang) tends to be more aggressive, or active (Yang), and woman (Yin) tends to be more passive, or still (Yin), in the initiation of intercourse (and in all other things). As well, man (Yang) tends to pursue intercourse with a larger number (Yang) of women, and woman (Yin) tends to pursue intercourse with a smaller number (Yin) of men.

When man (Yang) is preparing for intercourse, his penis engorges (Yang) with blood, whereupon it expands (Yang) outward (Yang) quickly (Yang). It later returns to normal size quickly (Yang).

During intercourse, man (Yang) tends to be positioned on the top (Yang), and woman (Yin) tends to be positioned on the bottom (Yin). Man (Yang) moves his body quickly (Yang), and woman (Yin) moves her body slowly (Yin). Man (Yang) suddenly (Yang) releases a large number (Yang) of small (less space = Yang) sperm, which move quickly (more motion through space = Yang) toward a small number (Yin) of large (Yin) slow-moving (Yin) eggs. Eventually, '1' (Yang) sperm joins with '1' (1 + 1 = 2 = Yin) egg to form '1' (Yang) life inside the body of '1' woman (1 woman + 1 child = 2 = Yin).

Man (Yang) tends to reach orgasm quickly (Yang), and woman (Yin) tends to reach orgasm slowly (Yin).

Man (Yang) is '1' (Yang) being. Woman (Yin) can become pregnant with child, and so become '2' (Yin) beings.

Humans have learned that when the 'period' of woman stops (i.e., she becomes pregnant), a child will be born when they have counted ten (Yin) months (on a lunar (Yin) calendar), one month for each of the five (Yang) fingers of each of the two (Yin) hands (and so the understanding of the period of pregnancy would have been mankind's first experience with the decimal (Yin) system).

When woman (Yin) has a child her '2' (Yin) breasts enlarge (more space = Yin) slowly (Yin). The extra weight makes them incline downward (Yin). They later return to normal size slowly (Yin).

Unlike sperm (Yang), which moves in a liquid that is small in amount (low space = Yang) and which is thick (viscous = Yang), milk (Yin) moves in a liquid that is large in amount (Yin) and is thin (Yin). Sperm (Yang) comes out from the '1' (Yang) penis (Yang), which is small (Yang), and milk (Yin) comes out from the '2' (Yin) breasts (Yin), which are large (Yin).

Sperm (Yang) subdivide '1'st (Yang), in man (Yang), before (Yang) impregnation. Eggs (Yin) subdivide subsequently (Yin), in woman (Yin), after (Yin) impregnation. There are therefore '2' (Yin) types of sperm (Yang) cells and '1' (Yang) type of egg (Yin) cell. The '2' types of sperm cells can be called 'Y' (Yang) and 'X' (Yin), which is the common designation of the subdivision of the gender determining twenty-third pair of chromosomes. The egg (Yin) is always X (Yin). If the sperm is Y (Yang), the fertilized egg will have '2' (Yin) different (Yin) types of chromosomes (X and Y). If the sperm is X (Yin), the fertilized egg will have '1' (Yang) unified (Yang) type of chromosome (X and X). If the fertilized egg has '1' (Yang) type of chromosome, the '2' lives in the '1' body will be '1' (Yang) gender; the mother and child will both be woman (Yin). If the fertilized egg has '2' (Yin) types of chromosomes, the '2' lives in the '1' body will be '2' (Yin) genders; the mother will be woman (Yin) and the child will be man (Yang).

The body of man (Yang) tends to have a greater proportion of muscle, as muscle is hard (Yang), high density (Yang), and occupies less space (Yang). The body of woman (Yin) tends to have a greater proportion of fat, as fat is soft (Yin), low density (Yin), and occupies more space (Yin).

All of these examples demonstrate a consistent pattern in which all relationships and distinctions between man and woman, including those that humans can understand and those that they cannot, are deeper subdivisions of Yin into Yang and Yin. Man follows the Yang pattern of nature. The body of man is organized as Yang is organized. Each man's thinking, personality, behavior, instincts, etc. can each be understood at a deep level in terms of his unique and balanced interplay of Yin within the pattern of Yang. In like manner, woman follows the Yin pattern of nature. The body of woman is organized as Yin is organized. Each woman's thinking, personality, behavior, instincts, etc. can each be understood at a deep level in terms of her unique and balanced interplay of Yang within the pattern of Yin.

1.2 Human Emotions: A Balance Of Yang And Yin

Human emotions are a balance of Yang and Yin. One example will be presented here, that of happiness and sadness. Happiness is Yang to the Yin of sadness.

When a person is happy (Yang), the eyes incline upward (Yang). The muscles of the face incline upward (Yang); for example, the sides of the mouth may incline upward (Yang) to form a smile (Yang), and the chin rises (Yang). The eyes and mouth may be wide open (Yang). There may be a loud (Yang) noise, laughter (Yang). The face may become red, the color of fire (Yang), and the energy flows upward (Yang). The body may shake with much (Yang) energy, and be in motion (Yang). A happy person tends to have great energy (Yang). The head is light (Yang), moves easily (Yang), and inclines slightly upward (Yang). The shoulders may be elevated upward (Yang).

When a person is sad (Yin), the eyes incline downward (Yin). The muscles of the face incline downward (Yin); for example, the sides of the mouth may incline downward (Yin) to form a frown (Yin), and the chin drops (Yin). The eyes and mouth may be closed (Yin). There may be a low (Yin) noise, crying (Yin). The face may form water (Yin), and the water (tears) flows downward (Yin). The body may shake with low (Yin) energy, and be still (Yin). A sad person tends to have low energy (Yin). The head is heavy (Yin), moves with difficulty (Yin), and inclines slightly downward (Yin). The shoulders may droop downward (Yin).

1.3 Human Beings: A Balance Of Yang And Yin

For each man and for each woman, each attribute of their existence is an expression of their unique balance of Yang and Yin. No man is 100% Yang in the nature of his attributes, and no woman is 100% Yin in the nature of her attributes. The entire set of physical and mental characteristics of each individual contains a unique relationship of Yang and Yin. For example, few men would actually be able to reproduce until the very day that they die of old age. Some men have a greater proportion of Yin to Yang than some women, just as some woman have greater proportion of Yang to Yin than some men. Whatever an individual's unique balance of Yang and Yin, that balance manifests itself as a systematic pattern of personality and behavior.

The tendencies that stem from each unique 'balance' are encoded on the genes that each person inherits from his parents. As each person is born, a unique new set of genes has the opportunity to interact with and adapt to the environment. As the physical and cultural environment of mankind is constantly aging, and evolving, those genes that adapt best are perpetuated. The greater the diversity of people, the greater the diversity of genes, the faster the rate of evolution of mankind in line with the evolving needs and capabilities of nature.

In nature, Yin always evolves into Yang, and Yang always evolves into Yin. For example, night (Yin) always evolves into day (Yang), and day (Yang) always evolves into night (Yin). In modern evolving society, women (Yin) are evolving to become more Yang, and men (Yang) are evolving to become more Yin. Women are progressively taking on roles and exhibiting behavior that have traditionally been considered by society as natural and appropriate for men, and men are progressively taking on roles and exhibiting behavior that have traditionally been considered by society as natural and appropriate for women.

Nature follows a pattern. As presented in the previous section, there are 'laws' of nature. Does this mean that everything and everyone in the universe follows these 'laws' in exactly the same way? No. Nature is diverse, and diversity is very 'natural' for nature.

In fact, no man or woman follows these 'laws' exactly as outlined. Each person is unique, and the entire possible range of diversity of each attribute can be found to exist in nature. Nature is diverse because it can be, and nature is as diverse as it can be. The greater the diversity of genes that intermix among the human species, the more quickly that the species evolves to increasingly suitable genes to adapt to an ever evolving nature and to mankind's increasing understanding of it.

Why is maximum diversity best for nature? Nature is not static (Yin), but is a dynamic (Yang) evolution of a cycle. Just as the more exposure that a child has to the world the better able he will be to understand new experiences, nature evolves as much diversity as it is possible for nature to evolve, and those genes perpetuate that adapt best to the constantly evolving environment. It is not possible for mankind, in his short-sighted and narrow consciousness of nature, to be able to determine beforehand what genes will perpetuate and what genes will die out. Even nature does not do that, but can only 'wait and see'. If nature were always and statically 'perfect', the year would be exactly 12 months, the months would be exactly 30 days, etc. Actually, time is evolving in our solar system; the moon is slowly increasing in distance from the earth, causing the month to grow, such that the month will at some point in the future exactly equal thirty days.

Some people, aware that human beings are subdivided into man and woman, assume that man and woman 'should' unite to create children, and so perpetuate the cycle of life.

Could it be that this is the only 'natural', or 'proper', way? There seem to be a number of human beings, a seemingly significant number, who are 'homosexuals', who do not follow this 'law' of nature.

Is homosexuality not 'natural'? Impossible. Everything that occurs in nature must be natural, by definition. If it were not natural, it could not occur in nature. Why is there homosexuality in nature? Because it is possible for homosexuality to occur in nature. Homosexuality is clearly one possible form of diversity in nature.

It is NOT beneficial to attempt to second guess nature, and to consider that there is one 'correct' form of nature, particularly 'my way', and that the more different a form the less 'natural' it must be. The diversity of nature should be respected. We should appreciate the fact that there is diversity in nature, and that we are not all the same, rather than fear and distrust differences. Just because one person or group of people might see no value in a person's sexual orientation, or whatever about another person, does not mean that that person is inferior in the eyes of nature. Each of us has genes that will continue to evolve, and each of us has genes that will die out, and nature at this stage of evolution can only combine genes as it combines them now, not as it might be able to combine them far in the future. (It is not necessary to approve of other forms of behavior in the sense that the behavior should be emulated, but it should be understood that other behavior is not less natural just because one person or a group of people disapproves of it.)

It is not a good argument to assume that people who do not perpetuate their genes will die out, and so cannot be beneficial to nature. 'Death' is the final stage of evolution of the Yang of life into Yin. However, nothing in nature can be 100% Yin, just as nothing in nature can be 100% Yang. People who have lived do not disappear completely from the earth without leaving any trace of their existence. Perpetuation of the genes is only one way that Yang and Yin can perpetuate.

Although simplistic, it can be recognized that a person who dies lives on in the changes that the person induced in others during life. This idea will be expanded in Part III to demonstrate that all people exert an influence (however slight and 'unnoticeable' it may be at a conscious level) that affects all other people, and they do this every second that they are alive.

All of nature seems filled with anomalies. Things are not always as it might appear that they 'should' be. Rather than finding fault with differences, differences and diversity should be recognized and accepted as the rule of nature, rather than as the exception.

Societies are innately aware of the benefits of diversity. This is why it is common for societies to create 'taboos' against marriage within the family, and why societies tend to have people marry outside of the village or outside of their clan within society.

1.4 Health and Disease: A Balance Of Yang And Yin

Each person constitutes a unique balance of Yang and Yin. It is not as meaningful to ask questions in a manner such as 'what is the most healthy (natural) frequency of intercourse for man and woman?' as it is to recognize that all possibilities within the range allowed by nature will exist in nature, and therefore to ask such as 'what is the most healthy frequency for a given person?' It is not possible to establish a universally 'natural' frequency for intercourse, as each person is unique, and the entire range that is possible on earth will exist, for the reason that it is possible. (Each will not, however, occur with equal frequency. The greater the size of a sample of people, the more closely the sample will tend to follow the 'laws' of nature.)

What is proper and natural for one person is not necessarily so for another person. Each person has a personal balance of Yang and Yin. If internal problems (emotions), external problems (weather), or other 'unbalancing' factors of nature cause a person's unique balance of Yang and Yin to lose a state of balance, the person will be in the state of 'disease'. For example, for one person, intercourse three times a week might be too few, and over time will negatively affect that person's harmonious Yang-Yin balance, whereas for another person three times a week might be too often, and over time will negatively affect that person's harmonious Yang-Yin balance.

The Chinese consider 'excessive' or 'insufficient' intercourse, anger, stress, and even happiness, etc., for example, to be just as much causes of disease as catching an infectious disease or any other cause of disease. The goal of traditional medicine in China is to discover the source of the imbalance of Yang and Yin in a person's body and to reharmonize their relationship.

Acupuncture is one method whereby needles are used to bring back into balance the flow of Yang and Yin during their normal daily cycle throughout a person's body, and thereby to bring the body back to a state of 'health'.

Western medicine is extremely powerful, and in many cases is widely recognized even by Chinese to be far superior to Chinese medicine, for example in the use of antibiotics. However, for many types of 'disease', Chinese medicine is far superior to western medicine. One major class of example is in the treatment of pain. Without the use of drugs, and without any negative side effects, Chinese medicine not only can very effectively stop the body's awareness of pain, but can also treat the underlying source of the disharmony of Yang and Yin that causes the pain in the first place.

Western science is more evolved than Chinese science. Medicine, however, is not only about 'science', as will become more clear later in this book.