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Couplets and the Co-generating Principle This ancient Chinese symbol illustrates the dynamics of Yin and Yang. It says visually what the couplets say verbally. White corresponds to Active (Yang), and black to PASSIVE (Yin). Take, for example, the first couplet below: Activity evolves forth into PASSIVITY as it works, yet PASSIVITY revolves back to activity as it RESTS; hence, work within the PASSIVITY, yet REST within the activity. 
The white-left side shows: Activity evolves forth into PASSIVITY as it works, yet...The black-right side shows: PASSIVITY revolves back to activity as it RESTS; hence... The lower-white dot shows: work within the PASSIVITY, yet... The upper-black dot shows: REST within the activity . Each couplet begins with an Active term. Look down the page until you see one that interests you. Ponder that couplet. The first part can be a little obscure, especially if you're not used to viewing reality as a circular phenomenon. Is the ending, beginning with "hence," more easily understood? Let's see. Take our first couplet above, for example. How do you work within the PASSIVITY, yet REST within the activity? First, 'activity' plays a larger role in life than 'PASSIVITY', obviously (e.g., the heart and lungs are active until we die). Nevertheless, we occasionally fall into periods of PASSIVITY (laziness, depression, fatigue, failure. illness). Work with PASSIVITY, suggest that in those times we will feel better if we 'hold ourselves up' a little so that our life doesn't 'fall apart'. REST within the activity suggests that we will feel better in all life's activities if we bring a RESTFUL attitude to activity, or as the Tao Te Ching puts it, blunt the sharpness; untangle the knots; soften the glare;... and so on. This approach is also reflected in Buddha's Path, i.e., right understanding, right mindfulness, right attentiveness, right concentration, right effort... and so on. While this balancing process is easy to ponder, following its wisdom is another matter. Or is it? Actually, simply realizing (i.e. right understanding) the extremes, the 'flow', and where potential balance lies is sufficient. As realization 'sinks in', turning back to balance happens naturally. There is no need to work at it, or worry about it. Just watch and ponder. See Correlations for a listing of Active and PASSIVE words to use to create your own couplets. Anger evolves forth into FEAR as it confronts, yet FEAR revolves back to anger as it EVADES; Boldness evolves forth into MEEKNESS as it contends, yet MEEKNESS revolves back to boldness as it BOWS DOWN; Certitude evolves forth to DOUBT as it answers, yet DOUBT revolves back to certitude as it QUESTIONS; Chaos evolves forth into ORDER as it frees, yet ORDER revolves back into chaos as it INHIBITS; Civilized evolves forth into PRIMITIVE as it expands, yet PRIMITIVE revolves back into civilized as it CONSOLIDATES; Cynicism evolves forth into FAITH as it doubts, yet FAITH revolves back to cynicism as TRUSTS; Desire evolves forth into SATIATION as it takes, yet SATIATION revolves back into desire as it GIVES; Elite evolves forth into COMMON as it rises, yet COMMON revolves back into elite as it SINKS; Emotional evolves forth into SPIRITUAL as it excites, yet SPIRITUAL revolves back into emotional as it CALMS; Extreme evolves forth into MODERATE as it goes, yet MODERATE revolves back into extreme as it WAITS; Famous evolves forth into ANONYMOUS as it wins, yet ANONYMOUS revolves back into famous as it LOSES; Folly evolves forth into WISDOM as it rationalizes, yet WISDOM revolves back into folly as it KNOWS; Future evolves forth into PRESENT as it hunts, yet PRESENT revolves back into future as it ELUDES; Gain evolves forth into LOSS as it advances, yet LOSS revolves back into gain as it RETREATS; Hate evolves forth into LOVE as it glorifies, yet LOVE revolves back into hate as it HUMBLES; Human evolves forth into ANIMAL as it progresses, yet ANIMAL revolves back into human as it REGRESSES; Hypocrisy evolves forth into SINCERITY as it shows, yet SINCERITY revolves back into hypocrisy as it WATCHES; I evolve forth into THAT as I emerges, yet THAT revolves back into I as it RETURNS; Ignorance evolves forth into KNOWLEDGE as it speaks, yet KNOWLEDGE revolves back to ignorance as it LISTENS; Illusion evolves forth into TRUTH as it complicates, yet TRUTH revolves back into illusion as it SIMPLIFIES; Imaginary evolves forth into REAL as it brightens, yet REAL revolves back into imaginary as it DIMS; Impulsiveness evolves forth into PATIENCE as it acts, yet PATIENCE revolves back to impulsiveness as it HESITATES; Indulgence evolves forth into TEMPERANCE as it gobbles, yet TEMPERANCE revolves back to indulgence as it NIBBLES; Innocence evolves forth into GUILT as it ignores, yet GUILT revolves back into innocence as it NOTICES; Liberal evolves forth into CONSERVATIVE as it wobbles, yet CONSERVATIVE revolves back into liberal as it STABILIZES; Life evolves forth into DEATH as it visits, yet DEATH revolves back into life as it HOSTS; Logical evolves forth into INTUITIVE as it tightens, yet INTUITIVE revolves back into logical as it LOOSENS; Male evolves forth into FEMALE as it leads, yet FEMALE revolves back into male as it FOLLOWS; Need evolves forth into SATISFACTION as it hurries, yet SATISFACTION revolves back into need as it DAWDLES; Objective evolves forth into SUBJECTIVE as it thinks, yet SUBJECTIVE revolves back into objective as it FEELS; Obvious evolves forth into AMBIGUOUS as it awakens, yet AMBIGUOUS revolves back into obvious as it SLEEPS; Pain evolves forth into PLEASURE as it resists, yet PLEASURE revolves back to pain as it YIELDS; Politics evolves forth into RELIGION as it forgets, yet RELIGION revolves back into politics as it REMEMBERS; Present evolves forth into PAST as it diverges, yet PAST revolves back into present as it CONVERGES; Pride evolves forth into SHAME as it cleans, yet SHAME revolves back into pride as it DIRTIES; Rare evolves forth into COMMON as it narrows, yet COMMON revolves back into rare as it WIDENS; Repulsion evolves forth into ATTRACTION as it pushes, yet ATTRACTION revolves back to repulsion as it PULLS; Solitude evolves forth into COMPANIONSHIP as it detaches, yet COMPANIONSHIP revolves back to solitude as it CONNECTS; Something evolves forth into NOTHING as it fills, yet NOTHING revolves back into something as it EMPTIES; Sophisticated evolves forth into NAIVE as it sharpens, yet NAIVE revolves back into sophisticated as it DULLS; Sorrow evolves forth into JOY as it moves, yet JOY revolves back into sorrow as it STAYS; Sound evolves forth into SILENCE as it flows, yet SILENCE revolves back into sound as it EBBS; Spontaneity evolves forth into CONSTRAINT as it abandons, yet CONSTRAINT revolves back into spontaneity as it RESTRAINS; Success evolves forth into FAILURE as it grows, yet FAILURE revolves back into success as it STAGNATES; Teacher evolves forth into STUDENT as he illuminates, yet STUDENT revolves back to teacher as he PUZZLES; Transitory evolves forth into PERPETUAL as it appears, yet PERPETUAL revolves back into transitory as it VANISHES; Ugly evolves forth into BEAUTY as it biases, yet BEAUTY revolves back into ugly as it BALANCES; War evolves forth into PEACE as it stirs, yet PEACE revolves back into war as it STILLS; Young evolves forth into OLD as it decides, yet OLD revolves back into young as it DELIBERATES; |
