Studying yin and yang is like trying
to hold an eel.
The harder you try to grasp it, the quicker it slips
away.
—Herman Aihara
The understanding of yin and yang
is intuitive, spontaneous, and practical.
The
Yin Yang Quiz can help you polish your understanding of the universal laws of
change.
Try answering the following questions:
In comparing
a stone to water, which has a yin form?
see
the answer
In comparing water to air, which has a yang form?
Which
of the following moves in a yin direction?
Evaporating mist
Falling rain
During which time of day is energy moving in a yang direction?
Sunrise
Sunset
Which of the following occupies a yin position?
Apple
seeds
The skin of an apple
Which
group of people is yang?
A
team playing a game
The spectators
watching them
Which activity is yin?
Problem-solving
Daydreaming
Which
relationship with money is yang?
Earning
money
Spending money
Which
structure has a yin form?
The
Empire State Building
The Great
Pyramid
Yang produces heat. Yin produces cold. True or false?
Between
water and fire, which has a yin effect?
In
which environment do we find yang plant life?
A
northern climate
A tropical climate
Which type of hair is yin?
The
hair growing on your head
The
hair growing on your body
Which activity makes us yang?
Lying
on the beach
Shoveling snow
Brightness
is yin, darkness is yang. True or false?
Which of our senses is yin?
The
sense of touch
The sense of hearing
Which occupation is yang?
Musician
Construction worker
If
you want to make yourself yin, to which country would you travel?
Russia
Brazil
Which part
of the atom is yang?
Proton
Electron
Which hormone
is yin?
Estrogen
Testosterone
The front of the body is yin. The back is yang. True or false?
Which
type of reproductive cell is yin?
Egg
Sperm
During which
phase of the moon does energy move in a yin direction?
Full
moon
New moon
Which
type of fingers are yang?
Long
fingers
Short fingers
Congratulations!
You have now completed the Yin Yang Quiz.
Answers are
below
Answers to the Yin Yang Quiz
In comparing a stone to water, which has a yin form?
Answer:
Water
Water is more diffuse and expanded (yin) than a stone. A stone is
compact and solid (yang). When you throw a stone in a pond, it sinks (yang.)
In comparing water to air, which has a yang form?
Answer:
Water
Water is more dense and compact (yang) than air. That is why bubbles
rise to the surface (yin.) Water is yin compared to a stone and yang compared
to air. Things are yin or yang only in relation to other things.
Which
of the following moves in a yin direction?
Evaporating mist Falling
rain
Answer: Evaporating mist
Mist is more expanded than
rain. It moves upward and outward (yin.) Raindrops are more condensed. They
fall downward and gather to form puddles (yang.) Like everything else, water
always cycles between yin and yang.
During which time of day is
energy moving in a yang direction?
Sunrise Sunset
Answer:
Sunset
Upward motion (sunrise) is expansive (yin.) Downward motion
(sunset) is contractive (yang.) In the morning people get up. The sun causes
things to expand. At night, people lie down. Things become more contracted.
Day after day, yin changes into yang and yang changes into yin, in an alternating
cycle.
Which of the following occupies a yin position?
Apple
seeds The skin of an apple
Answer: The skin of an apple
Expansive
force pushes things out toward the periphery. Contractive force pushes things
in toward the center. Apple seeds form at the center. The skin forms on the
outside. The core is yang, the skin is yin.
Which group of people
is yang?
A team playing a game The spectators watching them
Answer:
A team playing a game
The players occupy a central or inside position
(yang). The people watching the game are outside the action in a peripheral
position (yin.) Fans watching the game on television are more peripheral or
yin than those attending it.
Which activity is yin?
Problem-solving
Daydreaming
Answer: Daydreaming
Problem-solving requires
concentration and focus (yang.) Daydreaming occurs when you let your mind
wander (yin.) When you daydream, you unfocus your eyes and look into the distance
(yin.)
Which relationship with money is yang?
Earning
money Spending money
Answer: Earning money
In order
for money flow toward you (yang), you need to contract and focus your energy.
When you relax and expand, money tends to flow outward (yin.) Work is
thus more yang than relaxation. However, what is yin for the buyer is yang for
the seller, and vice-versa. Whether something is yin or yang depends on your
point of view.
Which structure has a yin form?
The
Empire State Building The Great Pyramid
Answer: The Empire
State Building
Things with a vertical form expand upward (yin). Things
with horizontal forms contract downward (yang). Tall buildings are yin, squat
buildings are yang.
Yang produces heat. Yin produces cold. True
or false?
Answer: True
Heat is a property of yang or
contraction. In order to light a match, you need to rub it against a surface.
If the match doesn’t come into contact with something, it won’t ignite.
Contact (yang) produces heat; separation (yin) produces cold.
Between
water and fire, which has a yin effect?
Answer: Water
Adding
water to something makes it expand (yin.) So does soaking it. Fire makes things
contract (yang.) When you burn logs in a fireplace they eventually contract into
ashes. Roasting seeds in a dry skillet makes them hard and crunchy (yang.)
Soaking them makes them softer (yin.)
In which environment do we
find yang plant life?
A northern climate A tropical climate
Answer:
A northern climate
Cold weather (yin) causes things to contract. Hot
weather (yang) makes things expand. As we approach the North Pole, vegetation
becomes smaller and more contracted (yang.) At the equator, vegetation is
lush and expanded (yin.)
Which type of hair is yin?
The
hair growing on your head The hair growing on your body
Answer:
The hair growing on your head
Head hair grows in an upward direction (yin.)
Body hair grows in a downward direction (yang.) Head hair is generally softer
(yin), while body hair is coarser (yang.)
Which activity makes us
yang?
Lying on the beach Shoveling snow
Answer:
Shoveling snow
As with other forms of physical activity, shoveling snow
requires contraction and tension of the muscles (yang.) Lying on the beach
causes our muscles to relax (yin.)
Brightness is yin, darkness is
yang. True or false?
Answer: False
In the universe,
light is generated by tiny condensed points known as stars (yang.) The expanse
of space (yin) that surrounds them is dark. Light is a property of contraction,
darkness a property of expansion.
Which of our senses is yin?
The
sense of touch The sense of hearing
Answer: The sense of hearing
Our ears process sound waves which are more diffuse and expanded (yin)
than the physical objects processed by our touch receptors. The sense of touch
requires contact with an object (yang). Sounds can originate at a great distance
from the hearer (yin.)
Which occupation is yang?
Musician
Construction worker
Answer: Construction worker
A construction
worker deals with physical objects (yang). A musician deals with sound vibrations
(yin.) Construction work usually involves heavy lifting and other forms of
intense physical exertion (yang.)
If you want to make yourself
yin, to which country would you travel?
Russia Brazil
Answer:
Brazil
Brazil’s hot climate causes things to expand (yin.) Russia’s
cold makes things contract (yang.) Foods grown in a hot climate are yin. When
we eat them, we become yin. Foods grown in a cold climate are yang. When we
eat them, we become yang.
Which part of the atom is yang?
Proton
Electron
Answer: Proton
Protons are found at the center
of the atom (yang.) Electrons spiral around the periphery (yin.) Protons have
a greater density of mass (yang) than electrons. Electrons, which have practically
no mass, exist at the boundary between matter (yang) and energy (yin.)
Which
hormone is yin?
Estrogen Testosterone
Answer: Estrogen
At puberty, estrogen causes the female body to become softer and more
expanded (yin.) At puberty, testosterone makes the male body more lean and
compact (yang.) Testosterone stimulates the development of body hair and aggressive
behavior (both yang.)
The front of the body is yin. The back is
yang. True or false? Answer: True The front of the body is
softer and more expanded (yin) than the back. Running down the center of the
back is the spine, which is made of condensed minerals (yang.)
Which
type of reproductive cell is yin?
Egg Sperm
Answer:
Sperm
Sperm are lighter and more diffuse (yin) than the condensed ovum.
Sperm are produced through a process of differentiation (yin.) One ejaculation
contains millions. Sperm move in an upward direction (yin.) The ovum moves
downward (yang.) Egg and sperm are strongly polarized. That is why they are strongly
attracted.
During which phase of the moon does energy move in a
yin direction?
Full moon New moon
Answer: Full
moon
The brightness of the full moon (yang) causes energy to move upward
and outward (yin.) We discharge more actively when the moon is full. The
darkness of the new moon (yin) causes energy to be held inside (yang.) We tend
to be more stable and centered when the moon is new.
Which type of fingers are yang?
Long fingers
Short fingers
Answer: Short fingers
The fingers extend outward (yin) from the palm.
Long fingers indicate a greater degree of expanding
energy.
People with long fingers are often comfortable with
music and other artistic pursuits (yin.)
A person with short fingers is often more comfortable
with physical activity (yang.)
