There are many things in contrast.
For example,
Man and woman
Sun and moon
Night and day
Right and left
Live and death
The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous
Hot and cold etc…
In orient, people considered these contrast as dark and light, called yin yang. In the picture above, yang (light) is to le left and yin (dark) is to the right. people tried to keep them in balance by the way they live and eat.
It can be considered as “a dispensation of Nature” or “a system of the Universe”.
7 ways to spend comfortable winter using yin yang
It is not the matter of “good or bad”. The important thing is that everything is in balance. If you look at things in terms of yin yang, you can feel the nature and its depth, and very interesting.
I will introduce “How to spend the time using yin yang” by each seasons, spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November), and winter (December-February). Hopefully, you can feel the sense of nature and yin yang.
Today, I will introduce “winter” in yin yang.
Winter is the season of negative in nature (yin). Cold and chilly.
The trait of yin is coldness, quietness, centrifugal force (the power to move away from the center) and upward tendency.
Such as
Radiational cooling in the chilly morning
Snow diamond dust seen on a cold day
They are cold, quiet, centrifugal, and rising.
In the yin seasons,
1. Eat positive foods
In the yin yang theory, we keep the balance of yin and yang by taking in the lacking side.
If the environment is yin, take in yang.
Followings are yang foods (=with downward tendency and centripetal force.)
①Foods with downward tendency (things that grow toward the ground)
Burdock, Chinese white radish (daikon radish)
②Dried foods (filled with power of Sun)
Dried vegetables (such as dried radish), dried fruits
2. Eat in positive way
It is interesting that the way you cook changes the yin yang in same food.
①Heat for a long time
Meal such as stew is a popular winter dish which requires long cooking time. People of the past always thought of the principal of yin yang when they cooked.
②Cook with strong seasoning
A salty taste is the typical positive factor. Using positive flavors such as salt and miso in negative season keeps the balance of yin yang.
3.Slow the pace of your life
Think about bears. They hibernate in winter. It is their wisdom to save energy, to survive harsh winter. Humans should do so, but we cannot.
In addition, December is usually one of the busiest times of the year to many people.
In yin yang beliefs, winter has the character of “drifting”, or floating.
Spring that follows has the strong nature of upward tendency, so winter should be spent as the time to plan and reserve energy for the time to come.
4. Go to bed early and get up early
Winter has the shortest daytime. It is a dispensation of Nature.
Short daytime means short time to acquire positive power.
The sun is the symbol of positivity.
Therefore, wake up and go to bed early to receive the benefit of the sun as much as possible. Going out late everyday in winter leads to physical fatigue in spring.
The most negative season is winter. Spend the days with positivity is the key to withstand the negative period.
It is OK to take longer sleep than in summer. Keeping the energy is the best way to spend most negative times.
5. Not exercise too much
You’ll get influenced by negativity of the season, if you don’t do anything.
Exercising is good for your body, but it’s not good to exercise and sweat as same as in summer. Your body will experience a drastic drop of temperature, or require great amount of drinking water. It is better to do yoga or Pilates method to sweat just a little. No way to drink beer after hard workouts!
6. Dress warm
You might dress lightly and higher the temperature setting of the heater in cold days, but it is not good at all.
With lightly dressed, you will release energy you should save, and outer negative energy (virus) will easily attack you.
Instead of using heaters, dress warmly (wool is preferred, not cotton) and avoid release of energy.
7. Organize needless energy
Now you understand that the winter is the time to save energy.
And the spring that follows is the time to uplift reserved energy. Before the spring, let’s organize needed and unneeded energy!
For example, “persistence to past” is a kind of energy. You don’t need it anymore!
To organize energies, think whether you want to experience it again in spring or not.
If you can see yourself cheered by it, it is the important energy (positive energy).
If you feel a little sad by it, it is not needed anymore (negative energy).
Ask yourself and take some time to organize your energy.
I’m sure you will be refreshed!
The above are the ways to spend winter in terms of yin yang.
The most important, I think, is what you eat. It is the best way to get energy, so making your diet to positive side balances with the negative power of the winter. I can assure you that it will lead to the good balance of your mind!
7 ways to spend comfortable winter using yin yang
1. Eat positive foods
2. Eat in positive way
3. Slow the pace of your life
4. Go to bed early and get up early
5. Not exercise too much
6. Dress warm
7. Organize needless energy