Creation and Recreation: Embracing Yin and Yang for Balanced Leadership

A note to young leaders. On creation and recreation.

Taoism teaches that our universe is comprised of two complementary and opposing forces that are interacting all the time.

Yang is the contracting, giving, energy-expending, forward-moving force. It stands for daytime and creation.

Yin is the releasing, receiving, restoring, retracting force. It stands for nighttime and re-creation.

They are flip sides of the same coin. The road up and the road down are one and the same.

In western culture, we tend to celebrate yang over yin. But imagine a heart that only contracted; or an elevator that only went up.

Optimal performance requires balance.

Try inhaling deeply but exhaling shallowly; or exhaling deeply but inhaling shallowly. How long can you do that for?

Too much yang and we feel exhausted. Too much yin and we feel lethargic. Recreation is re-creation.

The more creation you seek, the more recreation you need.