Yin
& Yang
In
Chinese medicine, health is represented as a balance of yin and yang.
These two forces represent the bipolar manifestation of all things
in nature, and because of this, one must be present to allow the other
to exist.
Hence,
where there is above there is below, whatever has a front also has
a back, night is followed by day, etc. On an emotional level, one would
not know joy had they never experienced pain.
It
is important to note that the balance of yin and yang is not always
exact (even when the body is healthy). Under normal circumstances the
balance is in a state of constant change, based on both the external
and internal environment. For example, during times of anger, a person's
mood is more fiery, or yang, and yet once the anger has subsided, and
a quiet peaceful state is achieved, yin may dominate.
This
shift in the balance of yin and yang is very natural. It is when the
balance is consistently altered, and one (be it yin or yang) regularly
dominates the other, that health is compromised, resulting in illness
and disease.
Traditional
Chinese medicine practitioners determine the exact nature of the imbalance,
and then correct it. As the balance is restored, so is the health of
the individual.