The Yin and the Yang: The Ring and The Well

By Julia Hickey

In many ways, we all aspire for balance in our lives. Work-life balance, balance with family, friends, and time to ourselves, as well as balance within our health. At Revival Fitness + Wellness, we curate balance through the ring and the well, as well as within the difference aspects of our fitness and wellness offerings.

The yin and the yang, or yin-yang is a core concept based in Chinese philosophy for balance that has been utilized for thousands of years. The yin-yang is derived from the concept of the duality found in nature, such as the sun and the moon, heat and cooling, hard and soft, passive and active. Though these opposing energy’s do exist throughout the world, they complement each other and rely on one another. Such as the cycle and duality of day and night. As yin-yang stay in balance, and interchange with one another often times there are elements of the yang within the yin, and yin within the yang. This is how one can see the balance and interlacing of the dual energies in each other.

The yang is noted for the white within the yin-yang symbol. Yang represents the day, light, heat, strong, active and can also be identified as more of the ‘masculine’ energy. The yin is represented as the black or dark aspects within the yin-yang symbol. Yin is associated with night, dark, cool, soft, passive, and is often identified with ‘feminine’ energy.

One could compare the ring and the well, to the yang and the yin. Boxing offers an opportunity to explore power, strength, heat, and active energy. Yoga and restoration can be a guide to softness, reflection, cooling, and sometimes passiveness. With this, the ring and the well, boxing and yoga can balance with one another. This is how to find balance in activities where you can take time for yourself to connect inwards. Though both activities may encourage you to tap into different types of energies, both require focus and the chance to grow through perseverance.

Diving deeper into Yin-Yang, the visual symbol includes a circle of white within the yin, and a circle of black in the yang. In nature, there can still be elements of yin in the yang, or yang in the yin. This is seen with glowing moonlight at night, or the shadows cast by tall trees in the middle of summer.

Even in boxing where yang energies are more prominently cultivated, yin elements can also be felt. Through the physical activity with you, the gloves and the bag you can release built up energy or emotions, battle inner challenges with focus and let go of any emotional baggage or negativity.

Within the practice of yoga, there is still strength to utilize and heat to build, which is where you can connect to the yang within the yin. Through yoga, you are given the chance to meet your edge, explore challenge with intention. Particularly with yoga, and the well classes at Revival, there are different types of yoga offerings that utilize more strength, inner-heat, and yang energy, alternatively there are other types of yoga that utilize restoration and passivity.

Both yin and yang are energies in duality, that are found in nature, and yet still intertwined with one another. Being able to connect to these energies within the ring and the well are based on your intentions, experiences, and perspectives. No matter what aspect of our life, we all crave balance (which may look different from one person to another) especially with the way that we move our bodies and take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally. As we shift our energy with movement and intention, one could notice the balance of Yin and Yang also shift. Though naturally we are not always perfectly balanced, the Yin and Yang is an element we can be mindful of when we choose movement, activity, recovery or reflection.