In the previous article (this article), I introduced a goal-setting method with the concept of yin and yang. Today, I will explain the concept of yin and yang and why looking at the yin (shadow) side gives us a breakthrough.
How to break through a stressful life
Sometimes, we want to break through a stressful life and live more peacefully. Many noises, such as others’ complaints, negative emotions, busy people, imposition of values, loud advertisements, or the attitudes of people who have lost their tolerance, exhaust us. They make us desire to live more naturally and quietly, even with the sacrifice of social convenience.
However, we sometimes cannot make it happen due to a lack of means. Even though we have done everything that seems to work, nothing worked out. This caused our stagnation.
That is why we want a breakthrough in this situation.
In such a case, the concept of yin and yang might help. Focusing our attention on the yin (shadow) side can provide us with it. Today, I will explain why with an example.
What are monism and dualism?
The concept of yin and yang is a useful one that symbolizes dualism, and thinking based on dualism suits people with individuality. To introduce an example of how to use it, let me explain the logic of dualism first.
There are two ways of thinking, as follows:
- Monism: To think that one problem has one cause. This restricts our perspective to an objective view. This suits technological development or achieving one specific goal. Scientific thinking is based on this way.
- Dualism: To think that things have two contradictory aspects and losing their balance causes problems. This is the mixture of an objective and a subjective view. This suits survival and finding a reasonable solution in a chaotic situation, such as for human life or happiness.
Why dualism works for happiness
Many believe scientific thinking based on monism improves their lives. This is a common phenomenon during the stable period. In a stable era, there is no change, so there is a certain way to succeed in life. In other words, the way to be happy is the same for many people.
On the other hand, during a confused era, thinking based on dualism improves our lives. This is because everyone’s circumstances are different. For example, where there is famine and where there is a war, the necessary things to be happy are different. In addition, we know neither the true cause nor the right answer. We have to live our lives without a certain answer. This is the nature of a chaotic situation.
In such a situation, balancing two contradictory aspects works well. We balance things from various angles, such as our states and others’ states, the preparation for the future and the current satisfaction, or our physical and mental health.
This allows us to choose a reasonable path. Although it might not be the best way, it doesn’t matter because survival is the primal goal in a confused era. By looking at things from various angles, we can find out what we can modify. It means multiple perspectives provide us with a reasonable way.
For people with individuality like us, it means we are always in a confused era. This is because our unique individuality makes ordinary ways of success useless.
That is why thinking based on dualism suits people with individuality. Our unique natures, such as always worrying about many things, being sensitive to environmental stimuli, or long-time consideration, are survival talents.
How to use duality efficiently
This tells us that focusing on the opposite side when we get frustrated helps us.
Frustration means we are reaching the limits of our current approaches. In other words, frustration is a sign of stagnation. We can be motivated as long as we can move forward. The beginning of stagnation makes us lose motivation.
In this situation, looking at the yin (shadow) side provides us with a breakthrough. Let me explain it with an example of an objective and subjective view.
The relationship between yin and yang
In the concept of yin and yang, yin and yang are opposites, but they are two in one and inseparable. Each contains the other side of the element. We cannot tell which is yin or yang clearly.
Imagine a person who is always concerned about his surroundings and exhausted. Suppose he became addicted to alcohol due to stress.
In this case, an objective view suffers him. He always cares about how others think of him. He lacks the subjective perspective of how he feels. From his perspective, the yang (light) side is the objective view, and the yin (shadow) side is the subjective view. He thinks the yang (light) side is good, despite the exhaustion to the point of an alcohol addiction.
In my opinion, sticking to one side causes addiction. They cannot escape stress, so they try to find ways to relieve it. The more stress they have, the fewer means they can choose. They tend to repeat the most affordable and easy way. That causes addiction.
Looking at him from another angle
Let’s get back to yin and yang. In the above example, the objective view hurt him, and focusing on the subjective view would help him.
However, looking at it from another angle makes the effect reverse. This shows us the necessity of dualism.
The above-mentioned person was exhausted by stress. Although he tried to escape from the situation many times, he failed. He thought enough money would solve the problem, so he tried to make money. However, it increased his stress.
The difference that is caused by the angles
Suppose he wanted to live self-sufficiently, and he didn’t know that many people in the neighboring country were self-sufficient in the countryside. If he knew it, he would be energetic and go there willingly.
In this case, keeping the subjective view causes stagnation, and an objective view helps him. The effect is the opposite.
From his subjective perspective, he could only see the world as he sees it with his own eyes. From his eyes, there was no new opportunity.
On the other hand, if he gave up his subjective perspective and saw this world objectively, he could recognize that there was an outside world that he didn’t perceive yet. This would give him hope.
This time, from his perspective, the yang (light) side is the subjective view, and the yin (shadow) side is the objective view.
The necessity of dualism
This is the opposite of the previous angle. Even in the same situation, the objective perspective can be good or bad.
This tells us the necessity of dualism, like yin and yang, and the limit of monism.
Scientific thinking based on monism cannot say, “Focus on the other side.” This is because it is a subjective view, and science excludes it. They can only define the objective or the subjective perspective. In other words, they can only say, “Be objective” or “Be subjective” on a case-by-case basis.
This makes things complicated. In our case, which one is better for us? In addition, in a chaotic situation, it is hard to pinpoint which one is the true cause of our problems. The cause is unknown, and the solution is ambiguous.
It is not only a matter of this perspective, but also deciding by mood is the same. Mood is a subjective term that science cannot define.
This is why scientific thinking based on monism is helpless in the face of chaos, such as a human life or happiness. There are too many factors that we cannot define.
The benefit of thinking in yin and yang
On the other hand, if we use dualism, we can say, “Choose the opposite side.” and “Decide by mood.” It is simple.
When we get stuck, the opposite side is always the yin (shadow) side. This is because a yin can turn into a yang and vice versa.
In other words, a breakthrough is always the yin (shadow) side.
Perhaps this is why people with individuality are usually negative. When we face difficulty, we naturally think negatively because it gives us a solution in a chaotic situation. Our odd natures suddenly turn into talents.
Although thinking positively is useful in competition for common people, it is powerless for life in chaotic situations. It includes creating individual life or happiness.
If you have unique individuality, setting a goal based on dualism might help. You can also use the yin yang goal-setting method I introduced in the previous article.
Conclusion
That is the concept of yin and yang and why looking at the yin (shadow) side gives us a breakthrough.
For people with individuality like us, thinking in dualism for our lives works well.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you in the next one.
