Thoughts From d'Wong
An Imbalanced Yang Society
02/10/14
Thoughts while recovering from the FLU.
(My 14-15 hour fever just broke, last night around 11 or 12 midnight.)
This is a little long winded, so don't feel you have to read the whole thing in one sitting!
The Test: What Are Our Priorities? Most people are conditioned to place external values, above their health and well being, like money and DOING things.
The Yang based society, would rather remain active than to rest. Even if the body/mind really needs to rest, we'd rather push ourselves through the sickness, rather than allow or encourage ourselves to naturally heal!
This is the Yang style of healing. Not wrong… it's just a style and tends to be attractive to the "Fire Types" and Zodiac Signs that have the tendency to over do and over stimulate. However, not everyone is a "Fire Type," nor are we all design to be exclusively Yang. This is why it helps to know what type of a person we actually are and what style suits us best. Hint: It's not all Yin… nor is it all Yang!
In the meantime, it would be to our benefit to figure out what we did, that actually caused us to be sick, so that we can get the message, learn the lesson and support the healing process. However, most of us, can't wait to get back to the way we were… doing things the same old way, even if it was the reason for our illness, discomfort or misfortune!
The Effects of Exclusive Yang Conditioning, From A Yang Based Society
There's no blame here. We just don't realize our options. We only know the Yang Way, because that's all we've been exposed to! So there's not much choice!
But if you are one who has a sense of Yin… apply it to your healing. If not healing, apply it (in moderation), to your lifestyle. You will see a beneficial change. Life becomes more rich in the quality of things. Then we will have a choice, which will provide the best experience for our being… the choice of a relative Yin or a relative Yang expression.
New to the concept of Yin and Yang?
Most people have been told that Yin and Yang are opposites and that's an easy way to describe the concept. Another way to describe Yin and Yang is that, these two polarities complement each other, like the hot and cold water in your shower. We would adjust the hot and cold water, until the temperature is just right for us.
Now if we have a partner, that is going to take a shower after us, they would also adjust the temperature of the water, so that it's just right for them. This example states that like adjusting the hot and cold water to the desired temperature, (that is relative to the individual)… the usage of Yin and Yang is also relative and that it's a living concept. It too needs to change, in order to complement the circumstance. It's a universal law… all things change with time.
Most people want things to stay the same. But if everything stayed the same, how can things get any better? Granted, we don't want things to get worse. This is why I'm suggesting look for options. If we only have one way of doing things, where's the option?
When a Yang method doesn't work, Yin may be an option… providing we know how to use it! Anyone new to the concept of Yin and Yang, will be less graceful in the beginning and will tend to switch from extreme Yin, to extreme Yang… or use their familiar Yang expression, to imitate Yin.
If we're hard on ourselves for not accomplishing as quickly as we want, that's a Yang conditioned reaction. If we want to experience and practice a more Yin response, we can try being gentle and kind to ourselves. Understand that learning anything, takes time. Again, work smart… not just hard.
Style of Motivation?
It's also helpful to recognize the addiction one has, to the subconscious conditioning that any form of motivation, must be harsh. If we are so used to the "Whip," can we get anything done without it? If not… that's the sign of addiction. It's okay to live the rest of your life this way. So long as it's your conscious choice. Again, it may be the theme of this incarnation. In that case, study to the point you know it well. When you're done, move on!
This is a phase that everyone goes through and not to get discouraged. Each individual body / mind needs to learn what works and what doesn't work, under several circumstances. However, consider how long does it take for us to figure out, what's the right amount of hot and cold water does it take, to reach the ideal temperature for us, on that given moment?
Even then, if we take long showers, most likely we would readjust the hot and cold, as time goes on.
You see… Yin and Yang expressions through out life, are very much like taking a shower. As all things change in time, the more time we spend with anything, the chances are, we will need to readjust our Yin or Yang expressions, according to the circumstance.
This is something a Yang based society has had difficulty with in the past. We won't have to be that way, unless we choose. Our Yang conditioning believes that to earn anything of value, the journey must be difficult. We must struggle for anything worth while… right? Hey, 'been there… Done it… Got the T-Shirt!
What if I told you there was another way, that would involve less struggle to no struggle at all and it involves the usage of both Yin and Yang, so that the expression is…
"Just Right!"
(which is relative)
It's called "Wu Wei," which has several definitions. But in this case, we'll focus on the relativity of how and when to use Yin and Yang expressions in our favor, with the least amount of effort or struggle and still accomplish the goal. There's a hard way of doing things… and then there's the Smart way.
If you were like me, one who always did things the hard way, then you must be tired of that way too! That's what made me change and this may be the answer to your discomfort. Daoist teachings suggests that there is a way to get things done, by doing less… to nothing at all. Things will happen on their own. (working smart)
Again, because of an exclusive Yang conditioning, this concept can be very difficult to understand, let alone incorporate. However, being that this is something that I have personally experienced, it's worth the life changing investment. I am just now celebrating the relative accomplishments of incorporating the body/mind/spirit, with favorable Yin and Yang expressions. It's like we were watering the fields with a spoon but now we have an irrigation system!
I can still do things the hard way. But now it's a choice.
All Things Have At Least Two Major Sides
Imagine if we were a Leaf or a Coin. We can exist with just the experience of one side of ourselves. But wouldn't it be more fulfilling, if we acknowledged our other half, for the sake of experiencing our total being?
For some of us, this experience has been denied, even if it's right in front of us. Again, we either don't recognize the option or if we recognize it, we don't know how to receive or incorporate it.
We are already masters at the Left Brain approach to life. Now, let's give ourselves the chance to experience a more Right Brain, Heartfelt side of life. If not, it'll be like a child who won't eat their broccoli, claiming not to like it, even if they haven't tried it yet! Try it first, then make the choice.
As we were conditioned to the familiar Yang ways, it would be to our benefit to invest in learning it's potential complement… the Yin. This is only for those who want to introduce a quality experience to life… rather than just the experience of empty quantity. A lot on nothing = nothing!
Granted, it depends on where we place our values. With all respects for the theme of your incarnation, I'm suggesting, explore the possibilities of your complementary polarity. Especially if one way tends to be dominant, like our actions or expressions are all Yang or all Yin.
50/50 balance?
This doesn't mean to substitute one dominant polarity for another, nor does it mean to accomplish a 50/50 balance! You will learn, that a 50/50 balance promotes stagnation, because it's static… nothing moves!
As I was exploring this approach to life, I went from one polarity, to the other. I called it "Ping Ponging," because I was going from one extreme to the other. Eventually, it made sense to me to Ping Pong to less extreme and I found a happy medium.
This is when I realized that the Yin Yang symbol doesn't mean a 50/50 balance but it meant, given a circumstance, finding an interaction between the two expressions, that encourages the most favorable outcome.
This was my "AH HA" moment, with my explorations of the philosophy of Yin and Yang.
The suggestion is to find the most favorable interaction between Yin and Yang, that encourages the most favorable outcome, with the least chances for consequence.
If all we know is of a Yang nature, then either accept the consequences or rejoice. Don't complain! If the theme of our incarnation is to experience the consequential events in life, from being excessively Yang, then REJOICE! You're Soul is getting the experiences your spirit came here for, according to your actions.
If that upset you… please read on!
Now if this is not to your liking or benefit, consider managing those actions, especially the unconscious ones! You might say… "I've always done it this way, all my life!" Maybe you got away with that method without consequence in the past. But now, circumstances must have changed and so should your methods.
This doesn't mean you have to abandon that method. It just may need a little adjustment! In other words, if your passionate about doing something and it's causing you or someone else harm… you don't have to stop what your doing. It's more a matter of How You're Doing It!
Consider… How are we doing it? What needs to change that we haven't considered? Is it the Intensity, by which we're doing it… or is it a matter of Volume… or how much…?
This way, we don't eliminate a very important element to the quality of life… PASSION! Just imagine a life without passion. Pretty dull… huh? Even if we don't believe in reincarnation, if this is our only life, is this the life experience we want to promote?
Even if our karmic conditions are challenging and life circumstances are difficult, we can at least consciously, make small internal changes in attitude and perception. This will effect our chi and hormones in favorable ways. This will support your efforts and investments in managing karma.
Managing Karma doesn't have to be as unpleasant as we make it. Eventually we will understand our circumstance and shift our attitude to adjust karmic conditions in a more favorable way. This makes a big difference! Managing Karma becomes liberating and an empowerment! That's an incentive!
Another topic to write on… another question…
"Is It Your Karma," you're managing or someone else's?
Are we living out someone else's thoughts, beliefs, values…?
So, if this is not what we're destined for and you're still complaining, try bypassing the motivative expression of complaining and simply explore the complementary polarity. If we're too Yang, then explore and research the values of Yin and vice verse.
In other words: If we are complaining but still not getting anything done, then we're Soiling our Chi. If our complaining is a source of motivation and it does help us to get things done, consider substituting the Nike motto… "Just Do It," to take the place of the habitual complaining.
The chi from complaining tends to have a negative affect, while the Nike motto, is a relatively more positively charged source of motivation. This is Yang used in a favorable way. Just Do it, without the complaining and we'll get things done, without soiling our chi.
Now on the other hand, here's a Yin perspective. If the Nike motto doesn't work, it means there's a greater need for something else, other than getting it done. Maybe we're being challenged to learn how to let things go (the practice of Non-Attachment), without the consequence of feeling guilty or the lack of achievement. Maybe it's actually more beneficial for us to rest and we just didn't realize it. Now can we comfortably rest or will we spoil it with our addiction to Yang?
This is an investment towards an ally relationship with Yin. Yin is there to help… if we only let it!
Our style depends on what we consider is making the best out of our lives!
Is it the…
One Who Has The Most Toys at the end, Wins…
or is it the
One Who Lives Life Well, Wins?
a. One values Quantity.
b. the other values Quality.
Which would you choose?
Hint: c. Moderation of all of the above?
There's no right or wrong way. It's YOUR CHOICE! Remember! Whichever method that works for us, is relative to so many different conditions… let alone the current external circumstances. Keep in mind… one method doesn't apply to resolving all issues forever! If we wish to build a life of good fortune, it would help to learn several skills and have many tools… wisdom being one.
As time goes on, it is to our advantage to understand that circumstances will change. As one matures, the body/mind changes… beliefs change as well as physical capabilities. That in itself, would be a consideration to choose a way that is favorable for the current condition of our body / mind… our being.
Many of us miss this consideration, because of our excess Yang conditioning. Either we're too dense to notice… or we're moving too fast to notice, there are consequences ahead. Even if we notice… it's often too late. This is when nature forces us to slow down and pay attention to the lesson.
I'm not saying Yang is wrong or bad. We just need to moderate it with a little Yin or a little less Yang. Getting back to the shower example, there are two ways to achieve the ideal temperature… a consideration in the management of Yin and Yang.
1. If the shower is too hot or too cold, we would ADD more hot or cold.
However, this method of ADDING, uses up more water. In the case of a drought, this method is not favorable, unless time spent in the shower is less.
2. If the shower is too hot, subtract some of the hot water. Turn the hot down, rather than adding more cold and vice verse. If the shower is too cold, rather than adding more hot water, turn down the cold.
This example of the usage of hot and cold water (Yin and Yang), is based on Chinese Medicine and Pulse Reading. Sometimes it's better to subtract, rather than add, for the best outcome. This may be a consideration, when it comes to High Blood Pressure, Hypertension and excess stress. I know we have been programed to always want MORE. Sometimes LESS it better… then moderate!
Again, these are only suggestions or at least food for thought. We may not agree to any or all of concepts… and that's okay! It may not be the right time or karmic circumstances need to be honored. What matters is that we have an idea of why we're here and what it is, we're here to do!
If we won't consider investing our efforts into these suggestions to benefit ourselves… try doing it for the sake of your loved ones.
Peace and Good Health… Namaste ~ d'Wong ~