Traditional Chinese Medicine is such a wide area that it would take many years to just scratch its surfice. Such is the degree of detail and complexity that it has. Macrobiotics however, as Loli Curto puts it, is the “granddaughter” of this type of ancient medicine. One could say that it is like a “simplified” version and somehow adapted to the way of looking at things in the West.

According to the Eastern cosmogony, the infinite universe is divided into two “forces” or “tendencies”, Yin and Yang. These oppose, complement, contain and transform one into one another constantly. They create division and yet they are always looking for each other. The infinite One, the Unity, arises from their union. Or it could be said that it is rather the other way around. Yin and yang attract each other and in their interaction creates all phenomena in the manifested and relative world we know.

Yin and Yang are terms used since the dawn of oriental philosophy, more than 4000 years ago. Yin and Yang are relative, as expressed in this small Taoist poem:

“For the frogs of the temple pond

The stems of the lotus are tall.

For the gods of Mount Everest

An elephant is small. “

Macrobiotics is the understanding of the manifestation of the two opposite and complementary tendencies (Yin and Yang). To live in harmony with nature, it is necessary to abide by its rules. The Unique Principle helps us to better understand these rules and allows us to unite theory and practice. As long as our eating habits make balance with nature, we will live in harmony with it. The macrobiotic way of eating helps us to feed our body in the best possible way, without deficiency or excess.

Macrobiotics is the science of understanding the “forces” Yin and Yang and achieving balance and biological (nutritional) peace, socially, ideologically and emotionally.

However, many people ask me to be more specific, they need “labels”, they need to define what macrobiotics is. I often give the following definition:

Macrobiotics promotes home-made, organic, seasonal, locally-grown food , as an essential part of a way of life that takes into account not only personal health, but also social health, environmental sustainability, social justice and compassion for life. It is a way of life in harmony with nature and the environment, which includes a lifestyle of healthy eating, regular physical exercise, meditation and do-in practice, as well as paying special attention to your emotions, thoughts, inner peace and wellness.
It implies working on yourself to become your own teacher. And since we are all interconnected, it will become a source of inspiration for other people.

It will continue in the following entry “Macrobiotics and the Theory of the Five Transformations II”