Understanding the Symbolism of the Yin Yang

Many people ask about the Yin Yang logo that the school uses; wondering about any religious significance.  Although the Yin Yang symbol is the recognised symbol of Taoism, I for one consider it to have a more philosophical significance than religious, though both are there for those who look.

The Text of the Tao Te Ching is attributed to Lao Tzu a record keeper of the Zhou Dynasty in the 6^th century BC and is the primary text of Philosophical Taoism.

The section I’m reminded of from the Tao Te Ching is the first part of chapter 43 where it says:

Tao produces one
One produces two
Two produce three
Three produce myriad things
Myriad things, backed by yin and embracing yang
Achieve harmony by integrating their energy

The Tao translates as something like the Way.  It is that which has no name and can’t really be reduced or simplified enough to talk about.  These lines remind me of the first three sefirot in the Kabbala tree of life, the first, The Crown reflects the second, Wisdom which in turn gives rise to the third, Understanding.  The only energy the Tao has is that of returning to itself and Being is the product of Not-Being.  The implication is that it is in the very nature of the fundamental principle/process to cause the existence of all else.  I won’t take the time to go into what this might mean in Taoism or Kabbala here, but students of either may well recognise the implications of the similarity.  Anyway, it is the last two lines I’m interested in at the moment.

The ‘myriad things’ in this case refers to all living thing. 

The yin is the feminine principle and implies the qualities of slow, soft, insubstantial, diffuse, cold, wet, and tranquil, is associated with water, earth, birth and generation.  The yang is the masculine principle and implies the qualities of fast, hard, solid, dry, focused, hot, and aggressive, is associated with things like fire and the sun.  When one is calm, relaxed and taking in everything around, one is in a yin state.  When one is tense like a coiled spring and utterly focused on one thing, one is in a yang state.  Neither is good or bad and both are appropriate in their place.  Notice that you can’t live continually in one state or the other.

It is the opposites revolving around each other that create the momentum.  The action and rest of the heart causes it to pump.  The ebb and flow of the seasons causes the ecosystem to function.  The balance of yin and yang forms the basis of traditional Chinese medicine, Tai Chi and Chi Kung etc.

Notice the phrase ‘backed by yin and embracing yang.’  It is when we have the security and solidity, even the serenity of yin beneath us or behind us, that we can take action and move forward.  Picture the successful, confident, motivated entrepreneur having a calm, nurturing, loving mother as the root of his security.  (I know that sounds sexist, sorry!)  Though he goes on to be the strength his wife can rely on, the energy that builds a house and family.  Clichés I know, but you get the picture.  Yin enables yang, yang enables yin.  And of course it is when the two are combined that they produce a third thing, the movement of their combination, the energy of their revolving, this is the principle of fertility, producing ‘myriad things.’  It was a Christian theologian who described the Trinity, referring back to the Song of Solomon, as The Lover, The Beloved and The Spirit of Love.

Picture two people.  First, the utterly passive, the super spiritual, so into ‘resting in the now’ that they don’t want to disturb their meditations of the infinite to do anything like get off the sofa.  As a friend of mine once said ‘so heavenly minded, that they’re no earthly use.’  Now consider the utterly hectic, their feet so ‘on the ground,’ so concerned with every detail of running a busy life that they haven’t the time to stop and enjoy life, they don’t know how to ‘stop and smell the roses.’  They are so stressed with trying to achieve, that they’ve never stopped to consider why they need to achieve the thing anyway.  Both of these are out of balance, they have no harmony, because they need to integrate the energy of both yin and yang.

If one considers the study of Kung Fu as a process of personal development; a life style choice rather than simply a fighting skill, one can see that the harmony implied by balancing these principles is essential.  They have their practical applications of course; the transition through yin and yang physically within the movements is evident.  This learned transition is a skill that eventually becomes so intuitive that the principle flows over into all areas of life.

This idea is not unique to Taoism of course.  The ancient Celts have similar imagery of two circling, wrestling, entwined dragons, one red, one white, the female and the male sexual energies, which is in turn reminiscent of the Red and White Tantric concepts from both Buddhist and Hindu traditions.

For those who’s philosophical or religious tradition is from the middle east and take their frame of reference from the precepts of the Bible, let me point out the word ‘God.’  ‘In the beginning God created’ we are all familiar with the first words of Genesis.  Most people might not be aware that the original word ‘Elohim’ which we translate ‘God’ in English has some oddities.  Eloh could be translated as power, energy or even authority, but it is a feminine word.  In Hebrew to pluralize a feminine word one adds ‘ot’ but to pluralize a masculine word, one ads ‘im.’ To use ‘im’ to pluralize a feminine word is a very strange thing to do.  Of course the personal pronoun attached to God is always singular (e.g. He) and the most fundamental doctrine of Judaism is ‘Adoni Echad’ or ‘The Lord is One.’  Note though that Echad means one as in unity, not necessarily the number and God says ‘Let US make man in OUR image, male and female.’  So we have a feminine word for power, made plural with a masculine element; a plural singularity of masculine and feminine that is creative.

Achieving harmony by integrating the energies of yin and yang is easy to say but difficult to do.  I’m intrigued by another line from the Tao Te Ching; in chapter 28 it reads ‘Know the masculine, hold to the feminine.’ This appears to imply, not so much a priority, but an attitude.  It is the feminine yin that is nurturing, sustaining, it is where we rest and have our peace.  It is the masculine yang that drives and builds, it is where we work and things happen.  If you consider yang is the source of energy like the sun, remember the blinding heat of the dessert.  If you consider yin to be the source of vital growth like a rain forest, remember the decomposition of dark damp places.

Anyone with some familiarity with many pagan traditions will have noticed the Earth Mother and Sky Father of Celtic imagery.  While the power of the Sun is obvious, overt and immediate, the power of the Earth is subtle and covert so I shall finish with another quote from the Tao Te Ching.

The valley spirit, undying is called the Mystic Female… It flows continuously, barely perceptible.  Utilize it; it is never exhausted                   From Chapter 6

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The development of the self through Kung Fu

Our students practice Wing Chun Kung Fu with us for many different reasons.  For some it is a way to keep fit and healthy, develop confidence in having the ability to defend themselves in dangerous situations or just to have fun.  For many others their training represents so much more than these; it becomes integral to their identity, a spiritual discipline, a path of self-development and self-realisation that profoundly improves their whole way of life.  In this article I hope to offer some idea of how your training with us can develop you as a whole person on every level.

What is the self?

One way to contemplate this question is to start with the image of concentric rings.  At the centre is the conscious observer of the world.  The ‘I’ of ‘I’m aware.’  If I speak of my car or my clothes or my body, it is clear that in each case two objects are being referred to; the car/clothes/body and me, the owner of them.  In our normal speech and thus in our thinking we habitually think of ourselves as the conscious awareness that lives inside this physical body.  Now I’m not saying that there necessarily is a clear distinction, but for purposes of communication the distinction helps.  Within this inner self resides our hopes, dreams, our beliefs, attitudes and reasoning.

A huge part of who we are is of course the physical body we exist within.  It enables us to interact with the rest of the world.  It may be more helpful to think of our emotions as being part of the function of this body.  Most of their obvious effects are manifested in the physical body.  It is in the guts that we feel fear, in the chest that we appear to feel joy and a blockage in an attempt to express our emotion is felt in the throat, etc.  The connection between the inner self and the body is two way.  A fearful thought, or a lustful thought, for examples will have a fast effect on our body; heart rate, adrenaline etc.  But equally, we can use physical exercises, whether slow deep breathing and more active movements to affect the state of mind.  We are all familiar with how exercise produces hormones that change our mood.  Whether fit, flexible, strong, week, stiff or in pain, our body changes the way we feel, and our sense of identity.

It is equally the case that how our body looks and moves will influence how we think about ourselves and how we are perceived by others.  Our body language shouts louder than our voice, even though the message may be read mostly unconsciously.  I hardly need point out that whether it is the image in the mirror or that seen by others, the physical self is a huge part of who we are.  Are we attractive, lean, fat, muscular, tall, short, old, young, our racial background, our sex and that’s before we even start on how we dress it up.

Which brings us to the other area I wish to consider; our relationships with others.  I am a different person to each and every person who knows me.  I behave differently and appear differently relative to how I think of them and how they think of me, given who they are and mine and their prejudices.  As a husband I behave differently than I do as a school teacher, as a father I behave differently than as son.  For each person that I relate to, there is a particular aspect of my outer shell that they perceive, they respond accordingly and I, in turn, respond to that.  The dynamic between me and every other to whom I relate is unique, though many may appear similar.  In this way of thinking, my identity exists conceptually in the spaces between me and others; an outer concentric circle that has a different flavour, a different hue in each direction.  Like a spectrum of changing colour surrounding me and reaching out every other person I relate to.  The particular dynamic of each relationship will have elements of how we perceive each other physically and psychologically, including relative positions of authority and social status.  As I can’t immediately affect the prejudices of others, the only way I can impact on this outer circle of my identity is by alterations to the inner two.

So how will practicing/studying Wing Chun Kung Fu affect you?

Let’s start with the most obvious; the body.  Any exercise will affect your physical body, mostly for the better, though each will have a different impact.  Swimming will widen the shoulders and slim the waist.  Long distance running will slim you down.  Lifting heavy weights will bulk you up.  Observe the bodies of athletes, it isn’t just that those with a natural physique gravitate to particular sports, though that is true, the activity itself will change the body.  Notice the difference between a boxer’s and a sprinter’s physique and that of a shot putter or a marathon runner. 

Some sports can have a high risk of injury.  American footballers, rugby players and practitioners of some styles of karate commonly end their careers with particular joint problems.  Tennis players and golfers have more than their fare share of elbow problems.

The style of Kung Fu and the way we teach it at Norwich Kung Fu has been developed to offer significant physical benefits with the minimum of risk.  You will not develop the shape of a body builder nor that of a marathon runner, but you will tone and shape every muscle.  Leaner muscle, (not marbled with fat) burns more calories even at rest and without any major effort you will find fat reducing.  The exercises you will be practicing will develop greater control and balance.  You may notice your posture improving along with your flexibility and increased fluidity or grace in your movements.  While the lessons are not exhausting, if you follow the recommendations in the weekly schedule, your cardiovascular fitness will improve quickly.  You will be shown gentle exercises that will improve your strength and stamina.  The breathing exercises will increase the energy available at any time and people commonly find they sleep better, which improves many areas of life.

An area often missing from many martial arts classes is the philosophy that would traditionally run alongside the physical skills.  As most of our students do not come from a medieval Chinese cultural background this aspect of our training is delivered in a way that English speaking modern people will find relevant and enlightening.  If you’re wondering what that has got to do with physical training, it’s because the two elements are combined.  (Difficult words warning)  Some of the hardest ideas can be learned kinaesthetically, that is, through physical movement.  It is because our bodies, our emotions and our understanding form a continuous whole that this is possible.  You only learn what humility really means when you kneel, you only learn what unity really means when you dance with someone and you only learn what support really means when you are hugged.

It is this connection between the physical body and the mind that is most evident in the way we teach Kung Fu.  Put simply, you learn an exercise; in doing so you learn an idea and that overflows into an attitude, changing the way you think about yourself or the world around you and then how you live your life.  Sounds improbable?  Come and try it.

As your body changes through training you will notice several effects.  You will look leaner, fitter, stronger and generally in better shape.   This will make you more confident and knowing that what you see in the mirror will be reflected in the way others respond to you.  You will feel fitter, stronger and more flexible, which will also affect your mood, the way you behave, the way you treat others and the way they respond to you.

The philosophy that you learn will change the way you think of yourself, the universe and your place in it.  This will change your attitude to life, the way you live your life, your behaviour and the way others perceive and respond to you.

You will have the martial skills, knowledge and the confidence that goes with these.  This will change the way you feel about your place in the world, the way you interact with others and the way they interact with you.  Even at the very superficial level; you might now be ‘that blond in marketing’ when you are ‘that blond in marketing with a black belt in Kung Fu’ believe me, people will think of you very differently.  They will treat you differently and your sense of self will not just be projected by how you think of yourself but respond to how others think of and treat you.

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Martial Arts Rituals & Traditions

MARTIAL ARTS RITUALS AND TRADITIONS

Over the years, the martial arts have developed traditions of their own as well as picking up those of the cultures they developed in. There are many martial arts from several countries and each art has many styles. 

BOWING:

People outside of the martial arts often misunderstand bowing. In the Orient, bowing is a sign of respectful greeting -- not a sign of submission or worship. To bow to another person is to indicate that you trust him enough to willingly take your eyes off of him. In the West, we shake hands. This grew out of the battlefield practice of clasping the enemy’s sword-drawing hand during negotiations to insure that he could not draw his sword. Today it is used as a greeting.

Bowing to instructors and fellow students is a sign of respectful greeting. 

Bowing when entering the Dojo is a good reminder that the ego is left outside.

Bowing before and after sparring shows that your intentions are mutual training and support; you are friends working together.

UNIFORMS

The first martial arts uniforms were nothing more than the common street clothes of the people of China, Korea, Okinawa and Japan. In the late 1800’s, Dr. Jigaro Kano invented the sport of Judo and invented a reinforced Jacket for Judoka to wear so the students’ throwing techniques would not tear their clothes off. This uniform became modified over the years until we have variety available today.

BELTS, RANKS and PROMOTION

Many people, including martial artists, are confused about belts and their colors. For many centuries, the belt did not signify rank. Again, it was Dr. Kano, the founder of Judo, who introduced the use of different belt colors to denote ranks. He did this to make it easy to identify different ranks for competition. Different systems use different colors. Most Chinese martial arts don’t use belts but use sashes instead. In Japanese martial arts, the belt was used to keep the jacket closed and was white. With years of practice, the belt would become soiled and stained and would eventually turn black. The colors used in the Korean martial arts are based on the colored robes worn by the different classes of royalty in the ancient Kingdom of Silla.

After two to three months, you should be ready for your first rank promotion. What does it mean to go up in rank? Does it mean that you have perfected a certain amount of knowledge or skills? No. Rank promotion means that you have an adequate grasp of certain knowledge and skills needed to begin learning the next level. Not to see if you have perfected your previous knowledge.

After three to five years of continuous study, the average student will normally earn his Black Belt.

FORMS, PATTERNS or KATA

These are a prearranged series of movements designed to help students practice their techniques alone and to help standardize techniques among schools. Practicing patterns helps teach the student to focus his attention and to perfect his movements. In Wing Chun forms are practiced unarmed, with weapons or using a wooden dummy.

SPARRING

There are many types of sparring ranging from pre-arranged “one-steps" to full-contact fighting. In all cases the opponent is the same -- your own lack of knowledge and skill. In the martial arts, we do not spar with the intention of trying to win, or “beat" our opponent, we spar to improve our own techniques and to learn of and destroy our own limitations.

VIOLENCE

The Martial arts techniques taught can cause horrific damage when misused. For this reason, as instructors we are selective about who we accept as students and some techniques will only be taught to more advanced students who have demonstrated over time their self discipline and character. The martial arts are intended to teach self-defense, self-control and self-confidence. It is hoped that as a student learns of his potential for destruction, he will also learn of his need for control and discipline. REMEMBER: THERE IS NO HONOR IN DEFEATING A MUCH-WEAKER OPPONENT; YOUR REAL OPPONENT IS YOUR OWN LACK OF SELF-CONTROL.

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