Yin and Yang 陰陽 & Mono no aware 物の哀れ

Within this Dō-In course, we work with the Taoist philosophy of life, in which Yin and Yang are two important concepts. More than 3,500 years ago, this complex relational concept emerged in China to track the movements of the sun, moon, and stars throughout the year. According to Taoism, the universe is governed by this cosmic duality; two opposite and complementary energies that we can observe in Nature. Yin is characterized as an inner energy that is silent, cold, and dark. On the other hand, yang is characterized as an outer energy that is active, warm, and bright.

The Yin Yang symbol represents the sunny (white = yang) and shadow (black = yin) side of a mountain; shadow cannot exist without light, and vice versa. The cycles of day and night, heat and cold, and the seasons are depicted in this way as a collaboration between yin and yang. Within Dō-In we practice moving with these cycles to create physical and mental balance between yin and yang.

Mono no aware 物の哀れ

This month our Dō-In practice follows the Japanese term 'Mono no aware 物の哀れ:

物 'mono' means 'things'.
哀れ 'aware' means 'to appreciate or admire', but with a melancholic taste to it. 'Aware' can also be translated as 'suffering, mourning or compassion'.
の 'no' means 'of'.

Nobuo Suzuki describes it in his book Wabi Sabi as “a realization of the transience of things. It is a feeling of emotion, but also of gratitude and joy in experiencing the many moments of fleeting beauty that make up the best part of our lives.”

In our Dō-In practice, we move with Autumn. We take a literal and figurative ‘breather’ to stop and be thankful for all we have worked on physically, mentally, and emotionally. Our lives are as transient as the seasons, so we better appreciate and move along time: Mono no aware.