Yin and Yang are two independent yet complementary energies. They represent energies so vast that they encompass everything in the universe. Yin and Yang cannot exist without the other; they are never separate. This inseparable and interpenetrating relationship is reflected in the form of the Yin-Yang symbol.

In the Yin-Yang symbol, Yin (the black) contains a seed of Yang (in the form of a white dot). So there is Yin, but Yin is also Yang. So there is balance–and even more–there is harmony. When two things are balanced, they are equal but separate. In a relationship of harmony, the two energies blend into one seamless whole, as perfectly embodied by the swirling Yin-Yang symbol.

This means there’s a dynamic flow happening that automatically and continuously balances and rebalances these energies. In the natural world, this phenomenon is seen in the changing of the seasons: the cold of winter yields to the warmth of spring and summer heat, and then gradually turns cool in fall to become winter once again. You can also see this perpetual balancing in a shorter time frame when a thunderstorm clears the air on an unusually hot and humid summer day.

So how do Yin and Yang apply to your life? The theory of Yin-Yang tells us that on the largest scale imaginable all things are always balancing and rebalancing into a state of perfect harmony.

It’s often difficult to actually see this harmony in our lives. It isn’t always apparent in our complicated modern lives. But Yin and Yang is the Universal harmony that underlies and impacts all beings. So in essence, harmony is the only ground we walk on and is the very air we breathe.

A foundational piece of TCM’s healing approach is to help you step back from your life and look at where things are not working, and how your lifestyle might be creating health issues for you. For most people, this is a process that happens over time; for some, it comes in a moment of great insight. Rather than continually treating symptoms that are caused by emotions, patterns of thought, or a lifestyle that is out of balance, TCM looks for the root cause of the problem. The entire Universal pattern is one of always establishing balance and harmony. So what does this say to you about the perspective from which to view this world and your life in it?

As a deep and authentic healing system, TCM understands and applies Yin and Yang to help you harmonize your body, mind, emotions, and spirit, and then harmonize your individual energy with nature.

In terms of your personal health, if you think of how you feel when you feel really well, you might realize you don’t think of wellness at all! Everything in your life just flows and moves seamlessly—in harmony. Your body, mind, emotions, and spirit can adjust and readjust to the circumstances in your life. This is precisely the state TCM seeks to create in you in terms of health and well-being.