24 A JOURNEY INTO YIN YOGA
In this chapter, we explore the mystical tradition of Taoism and how it relates
to yin yoga. Taoism, like yoga, offers a powerful and insightful way of under-
standing our reality. We will learn about Taoism’s roots and some of the key
concepts of this ancient tradition, including chi, yin and yang, and the five
elements of Chinese medicine and how these relate to the modern world.
The goal of this chapter is to provide context for the inseparable relationship
between yin and the Tao.WHAT IS TAOISM?
Taoism is a philosophical path whose roots date back to around 550 BCE in
China. Tao means the way or also a road, channel, or path. In early times,
the Taoists were known as magicians and sorcerers who were able to perform
superhuman feats. As legend has it, they were even able to conquer death
and reach immortality. Taoists, ancient or modern, attune themselves to the
great laws of nature, which extend beyond religion, gender, and nationality
and apply to all of humanity. When we fight these laws of nature, we create
our own suffering. When we align with these laws of nature, we tap into an
invincible and indestructible power.
For thousands of years, ancient Chinese shamans devoted their lives to
studying nature. Tribal leaders made offerings to the sky, earth, mountains,
valleys, and rivers as a way to strengthen the connection between humanity
and the sacred mystery. They believed that encoded within nature were the
secret laws of the universe. Lifelong observation began to reveal certain pat-
terns and rhythms that were then passed from generation to generation. The
deeper the Taoists’ focus, the deeper the revelations. Through various forms
of Taoist practices, they began to tune into more subtle layers of reality, and
they discovered that within all matter was an undercurrent of energy and
vibration. One example of this is a Taoist meditation known as Holding the
One. In this meditation, the practitioner starts by stilling the body and mind
until thoughts, emotions and sensations cease. Once stillness is attained, then
the ‘mind of the Tao’ is revealed. The mind of the Tao is consciousness that
sees all things as one. On the surface, things appeared solid and concrete,
but that was because their perspective was limited by what they could see
and feel. Special practices like Holding the One took the Taoists beyond
the limitations of the gross senses. As oneness was experienced, the Taoists
practiced harmonious living with nature.
In 1905, Einstein theorized that the ultimate stuff of the universe is pure
energy. For example, a table is typically made of wood. A closer examination
of wood reveals that it is made of fibers. Now, what are fibers made of? They
are made of patterns of cells. Going even deeper, it is revealed that cells are
nothing but patterns of molecules. Under further investigation we discover
that molecules are patterns of atoms which are made of subatomic particles.
This includes electrons, protons, neutrons, and photons. According to particle