Chapter 8-2 The Law of Yin-yang Balance

Everything in the universe has yin and yang, and yin and yang are constantly transforming each other, much like the "Tai Chi Yin-yang fish " depicted by Chinese ancestors (Figure 8.3). The relationship between yin fish and yang fish is not one of competition where one is above and the other below, one exists and the other does not, or one lives and the other dies. Instead, they coexist and depend on each other, with each containing elements of the other. They constantly consider exchange, mutual benefit, and interchange, operating in cycles, which is the "Tao" of the universe.

Figure 8.3: Tai Chi Yin-yang fish, known as "the first image of China"

Yin and yang exist in all things, like the two sides of a coin. "All things carry yin yet embrace yang. They blend their energies to achieve harmony. (Tao Te Ching)"

Are "yin" and "yang" the same thing or two different things? In fact, they are two different aspects of a single entity. They are unified into "One", born from the "Tao", continuously transforming and interacting to create all things. This is expressed as: "The Tao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two give birth to Three, and Three give birth to all things.（道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物）"

 Just as every matter in the world has its anti-matter. If the "relative universe" is yang, then the "absolute universe" is yin; if real numbers in complex numbers are yang, then imaginary numbers are yin; computer programs are based on binary code, with 0 representing yin and 1 representing yang.

As humans, our physical body is yang, while our consciousness and soul are yin. What we see with our naked eyes is yang; what we cannot see is yin. Our "ego"（本我）is yang, and our "higher-self"（高我）is yin. They coexist simultaneously, equally important, mutually transforming, constantly evolving, and perpetually renewing, with "yang within yin" and "yin within yang".

It can be understood that there are three kinds of forces in this world: the force of yang, the force of yin, and the force that drives their interaction and unification. This third force of interaction between yin and yang ultimately needs to balance the energies of yin and yang, achieving a state of "harmony" to realize "dynamic equilibrium", leading to localized stability.

The balance of yin and yang is the state where everything returns to and approaches its origin, bringing harmony and completeness to all things. Why do all elements in the world tend toward stability?

Stability is a manifestation of energy efficiency. In the observable universe, energy is not infinite. Each star system is a closed energy system that will eventually die out due to the exhaustion of stellar energy. Everything in nature must adapt to the environment, aiming to save energy and resources, which is an intrinsic law of the universe's operation.

The requirement of Tao's operation is to conserve energy as much as possible and to avoid rapid "Entropy Increase" in a closed system. For example, water is a stable structure formed by hydrogen and oxygen with minimal energy consumption. Once hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water, it takes more energy to break this bond.

However, the evolution of life and the development of human civilization have never been satisfied with "existence" for the purpose of saving energy. This often goes against the "Law of Yin-yang Balance", creating a seemingly irreconcilable contradiction. Human history can be simplified to a history of energy development. Every scientific and technological invention has significantly improved production efficiency.  However, due to the expansion of desires and unwillingness to be restricted, people want "this and that", which has led to war and serious environmental pollution, using development as an "excuse". Due to the darkening of collective human consciousness, we are collectively paying the price for "drinking poison to quench thirst", facing increasing earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, volcanic eruptions, plagues, and diseases...

Thus, human consciousness, along with the amplification of desires and greed for the material world, has become increasingly complex. This complexity makes it impossible for us to return to the balance of yin and yang and harmonious state of internal energy that we should have. What should we do? To return to harmony, we must rediscover the balance of nature. The opposite of "natural" is "artificial", or "false", so let's strive to "remove the false and retain the true"!

Before humanity has the ability to break through the confines of the universe, we must conform to "Tao" for survival and development. Any behavior that consumes least energy while generating most energy, thus achieving highest energy efficiency, is in line with the development of nature. Conversely, any behavior that consumes a large amount of energy without contributing to human development is harmful.

Humans are advanced beings, each individual inherently possessing the ability to achieve the "Unity of Man and Nature", meaning we are "complete by nature"（本自具足）. Thus, we are not limited to experiencing our physical bodies, but can also connect with our higher spiritual dimensions. Many people succeed because they have tapped into their innate spirituality, achieving a state of Yin-yang harmony. Without this, it is difficult to make significant achievements in life.

If consciousness is yang, then the mind is yin; consciousness is the "ego", while the mind is the "higher-self". We can temporarily define consciousness as the thoughts generated by perceiving external material world through our five senses, and the mind as the subconscious unaffected by external world. Most of us, most of the time, are governed by the thinking system of brain—consciousness. We desire to taste delicious food, admire beautiful women, feel envy when seeing others enjoy life, get annoyed when caught in disputes, and feel sadness when experiencing hardships. These emotions and desires make the "ego" suffer greatly. However, if we can "look inward" and observe our mind, which remains unaffected by the external world, it would be akin to discovering our higher-dimensional "microcosm", quickly bringing clarity and relief.

The "ego" and "higher-self", consciousness and mind, yang and yin, are like seesaws, always in balance. When consciousness is strong, the mind is weak; when consciousness is weak, the mind is strong. When desires are clear, talents are dim; when talents are strong, desires are weak. Most people around us have strong physical desires but dim talents, which validates the saying: "Those with deep desires have shallow heavenly insight." Conversely, those with talents often have low desires and require little from material life. For example, Elon Musk sleeps on the floor in his office, Jensen Huang seems to always wear the same black leather jacket...

How can we illuminate our mind and connect with the "higher-self"? There is only one path: reduce the use of the conscious system, diminish desires, and our innate talents and the divinity of our "higher-self" will naturally manifest.

Let's share a convenient method (shortcut), encapsulated in one word: tranquility（静）.

Tranquility can give rise to wisdom, and wisdom can give rise to intelligence. "When water is calm, the image becomes clear; when the mind is calm, wisdom arises."

For example, imagine you're reading in your study and hear noisy dog barking, it's easy to get emotional, and then your consciousness might drive you to act. At this moment, try to calm down, treat everything happening outside as a state of being. Consider your eyes and ears as mere "information receptors", viewing the situation of "reading while hearing a dog bark" as if watching a movie. Instantly, you're standing from a higher dimensional perspective, able to objectively grasp the underlying logic of the event and know how to manage it better. This is when the wisdom of "tranquility giving rise to wisdom" emerges, a state of connecting with your "higher-self".

There's also a universally accessible convenient method: simply lie down and relax. Thus, the best way for couples to resolve disputes is often to sleep; a night's rest can dispel resentments, bringing clarity.

Everyone's body has energy. Life is like Super Mario in the game, fighting monsters and leveling up. Interference is always present, setbacks are inevitable, and there are many seemingly "poisonous mushrooms" along the way. If you are not careful, you will lose energy. The ultimate goal is to use "this life" to increase energy through various experiences, otherwise this game will be played in vain, so these experiences are to help us better understand how to "pick good mushrooms" to increase energy. Avoiding "poisonous mushrooms" relies on experience, which is also gaining wisdom.

Once the heart becomes "tranquil", external energy consumption decreases, connecting with the essence of your "higher-self". What energy you absorb depends on your inner state: resonance and attraction. A compassionate and inclusive heart draws in a continuous flow of temporal energy. When one truly manifests a Great Will, infinite energy often arrives instantly, as if aided by "divine help". Conversely, when the heart is full of fear, resentment, helplessness, jealousy and irritability, the original energy quickly dissipates, illness and aging follow closely.

For a deeper connection with your "higher-self", a greater state of tranquility is necessary, suppressing the "ego" to elevate the "higher-self". Entering a quieter bodily state is akin to meditation. Extending the state of "tranquility" allows one to experience more profound and meaningful levels of life. The most direct way is to stimulate the subconscious and innate divinity.

From the perspective of "Tao", "He who knows others is wise, and he who knows himself is enlightened" is a kind of "refreshing" that has never been experienced before. Different paths lead to the same destination. Many people like to meditate, stand still, and sit in Zen. The methods are different. Everyone takes what they need and meets it as fate dictates.