In a world that celebrates all things Yang, how can we learn to love the Importance of being Yin?
I was once (in what feels like another life time ago) living a life completely embodied within my Yang qualities. I worked in a very fast paced, high pressure environment; I trained for hours on end every day, ate spicy foods, lived for caffeine & pushed myself beyond my limits to excel at everything no matter the cost. I was very successful at this Yang style living & felt validated within the societal norms – unfortunately I was on the road to burn-out & didn’t stop to read the warning signs on the way down.
This is not an uncommon story, in a world that loves ‘Wonder Woman’ and soon again we dust ourselves off for another round of back to back schedules, alarm clocks, meetings, deadlines & away we go again on the never-ending wheel of Yang.
In the West we often disregard Yin qualities, seeing them as less productive or weak, more suited for an aging way of life rather than for someone who is in their prime. As a culture, the beautiful flow of Yin has been pushed aside for the quick fix of instant gratification.
When we live within our embodied Yin qualities we sit & meditate, we embrace the darkness & Winter months, eat cooling foods, read for pleasure, draw & nourish our minds.
Our Yin is our internal reflection, the way we speak with ourselves & our vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, there has been no Super Hero portrayed with all these qualities as of yet but with the very gently shifting awareness towards Mindfulness perhaps we will not be waiting that long for one to emerge.
The iconic symbol of the Yin-Yang sign shows the importance of living in entwinement of both light and dark that a well-lived life must consist both of Yin & Yang combined.
We miss-out on so much Yin in our fast-paced lifestyle that we deplete ourselves completely in such a short span of time. Let Yin into your life & reap the rewards, you will find that with an equal balance of Yin & Yang you are able to achieve more in such a way that you feel balanced & calm. You will notice that you have more energy & patience, more time for yourself & also the things that matter to you – you will be living in balanced harmony.
The following 8 activities will help you balance out your Yang qualities.
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Eating slow-cooked meals – what a beautiful way to celebrate the returning of the Yin months then to spoil yourself with soul nourishing soup. Try using herbs such as Ginger to keep your insides nice & warm.
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Put on a nice warm coat & go for a walk – pay attention to the changing of the seasons as Mother Nature puts on a spectacular display for us.
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Meditation – allowing yourself 20mins of down-time a day is the perfect way to stop & embody your Yin.
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Yin Yoga – this is such a delicious form of Yoga & will allow you to tap into the true essence of Yin
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Read that book that you have been taking about – reward yourself for all your hard work by giving yourself time to just sit & be.
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Start journaling – the act of putting pen to paper is so calming for the mind & helps you set yourself up for a peaceful sleep.
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Take part in Full Moon ceremonies – this is the perfect activity for you to write a list to the Universe, manifesting what you are wishing to bring in & let go of.
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Go to bed earlier – this will put you back into the rhythm of the earth helping you become more aligned & centered.
Remember: opposites do not collide; they intertwine.
It took me a long time to truly understand the power of embracing my Yin & to be honest I don’t know how I survived before without it.
Chardee McEwan
Kinesiology and Reiki Practitioner at Angea.
