Columns and Letters

Balance

-by Francene Gillis

Spring has arrived, and with the turning of the seasons it is bittersweet. The green monster is gnashing and demanding attention, as home owners attempt to find their way through the garage or shed to nervously and anxiously turn the key or pull tired, sleepy cords, as the extra long winter's hibernation proves to be either too long or a blissful rest from the mundane. Ears are extra fine- tuned waiting for the hiccups or purring that will indicate that there is life and the annual spring and summer duel ready to take place.

            Most people I would wager hate the chore of cutting the grass, as it is one of those tasks that, once done, only needs to be done again in some respects making it seem futile, but it is a necessary evil which brings with it a sweet smell and feeling of pride when freshly cut, but aggravation and frustration when it grows too fast. Rain also becomes of significance when it comes to lawns and the cutting of them, as days with a lot of precipitation lead to faster growing and tight schedules, as mowing has to take place when the grass is dry. But that just follows the principle that with the good there is often bad, with dry there is wet, and the yin-yang motto comes to life. 

  

 

            Yin-yang for those who might not know is a fundamental concept originating with the Chinese, and it is very much a part of traditional Chinese medicine often used for diagnosis and treatment. The following information was obtained from the Sacred Lotus Arts Traditional Chinese Medicine (2001) site which provides a wealth of in-depth information and further explanation. (Information paraphrased/retrieved May 18th, 2014.)

            The earliest reference to yin and yang is in the I Ching (Book of Changes) appearing approximately in 700 BC. In this work, all phenomena are said to be reduced to yin-yang. There are four main aspects of yin and yang relationships. 1) They are opposites. They are either on the opposite ends of a cycle, like the seasons of the year, or, opposites on a continuum of energy or matter. Yin and yang are never static but in a constantly changing balance. 2) They are interdependent; they cannot exist without each other. This is very obvious in the diagram that visually represents the interdependence. One constantly transforms into the other, perhaps explaining why with the good comes bad, or where there is positive, there is also the possibility of negative and vice versa. Night brings day; energy brings fatigue and so on.

            The third aspect involves mutual consumption and fluidity. Relative levels of yin-yang are continuously changing. Normally there is a harmonious change, but when Yin or yang are out of balance they can and do affect each other; too much of one can eventually weaken the other. This aspect especially shows in Chinese medicine as the yin and yang are said to be responsible for different aspects of the human body, thus showing up in illness and disease. The four possible states of imbalance include: preponderance (excess) of yin, preponderance (excess) of yang, weakness (deficiency) of yin, weakness (deficiency) of yang. The fourth aspect concerns the inter-transformation of yin and yang. One can change into the other, but it is not a random event; it happens only when the time is right. For example: spring only comes when winter is finished.

            In Chinese culture and an ever-expanding western audience, Yin-yang is a fundamental principle and extremely important theory underlying all physiology, pathology and medical treatment. It promotes the  idea of living in harmony with natural laws and offers consequences when aspects of life are out of balance. Ch'i is the life flow or vital energy represented in the yin-yang symbol and for optimization it is imperative that it be kept in balance. Sometimes in the human body this flow is stilted or blocked, and releasing it is necessary for bodily functions to work more efficiently.

            And so we have one philosophy of the importance of harmony of the elements that surround us as humans, yet there are many others that stem from various cultures with much overlap in their basic beliefs. Most speak of maintaining balance, of all things being acceptable in moderation, and the dangers of extremes.

            So as I look at the spring season and my extreme desire to find a home for everything and put everything in its place, I am much more cognizant of order and balance and the dangers of a too narrow focus, or obsession. Whether I follow the yin-yang philosophy or beliefs, or not, I am ever conscience of the flow and need for harmony and balance. Too much time spent in any one place can be to the detriment of all others. If I give all my time to my work, other aspects will shrink, or if I become too obsessed with my house, other areas will suffer from neglect. It makes sense to me that too much of a good thing as in excess can lead to trouble, or too little can lead to dire consequences, so I have to always keep that in mind. If it is necessary, sometimes the grass can wait.

            If I push myself beyond what I am capable of, my body through pain and fatigue will scream, enough, and if I do not listen and attempt to push through, I will hit a brick wall and crash. Most of us do to varying degrees. If I eat too little, I will be hungry getting up from the table and my stomach in discontent will growl. If I eat too much savoury steak from the season's first barbecue, or too much lobster from the first season's feed, I will be left too full, lethargic and in need of a rest. Until my food digests I will be pretty much useless. We all know the signs of excess and the ills that often are their companions.

            And so I leave with some cautionary words and famous quotations to ponder as we eclipse from a most difficult long winter into spring and then summer. I hope they provide much needed food for thought as it is imperative that as we exercise our bodies, we exercise our minds as well. And that is a column for another day. Enjoy your steak and lobsters, and to all those graduating from university, please enjoy the freedom that comes when away from the books; you deserve a reprieve as your brain and body rejuvenate. Remember the importance of balance and the yin-yang philosophy.

            “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” –  Albert Camus.

            “April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.” – T.S. Eliot. The Wasteland.

            “Spring is the time of year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

            “Accept what is normal at any given time? We change just as the seasons change, and each spring brings new growth. So nothing is ever quite the same.” – Sherwood Smith, Crown Duel.

            “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." –  Anne Bradstreet, Meditations Divine and Moral, The Works of Anne Bradstreet.

 

            “Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence. Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.” – Yoko Ono.

 


Oran Dan - The Inverness Oran - www.invernessoran.ca

The Inverness Oran
15767 Central Avenue. P.O. Box 100
Inverness, Nova Scotia. B0E 1N0
Tel.: 1 (902) 258-2253. Fax: 1 (902) 258-2632
Email: [email protected]