What is Macrobiotics?
The roots of Macrobiotics can be found in ancient cultures and can be seen in the teachings of Buddhism, The Old and New Testament, Taoism, and other great spiritual movements. The focus of these teachings was the principle that God, Nature, the Universe, and all aspects of creation are One.
Modern Macrobiotics was spread throughout the world by George Ohsawa who called this way of thinking “the Unifying Principle”. He applied it in daily life, through a simple diet based on whole grains, which he called “Macrobiotics”.
After Oshawa died in 1966, four of his disciples, Michio and Aveline Kushi, and Herman and Cornellia Aihara, promoted Ohsawa’s theories to the West, adapting them to Western conditions.
To put things simply, Macrobiotics is about establishing and maintaining balance in all aspects of our lives by living in accordance with the laws of Nature.
These laws are referred to in the context of Yin and Yang and the Five Element Theory.
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang are two complementary opposites.
“Each principle is another aspect of the one same theme; that all separations, differences and opposites are still one. The terms Yin and Yang are simple reference points to describe the extremes of the whole; separate yet united, different yet constantly changing into its opposite. Agreement within paradox.” (Michio Kushi).
Nothing is ever absolutely Yin or Yang, which is that is why there is a white dot (Yang) within the black (Yin) and a black dot (Yin) within the white (Yang).
Some examples of the nature of Yin and Yang or universal relativity include:
