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  • Writer's pictureMairin McCracken
    • May 24, 2020
    • 2 min read

The Huddle #3: Will You be the Yin to my Yang?



First thing's first: Happy Mother’s Day to all the mama’s out there! Special shout out to my mom, Nancy, who is a total badass. Endless gratitude to you, mom.


Before I get into why I just sent you a gif of the Ying Yang twins, I thought I'd share this sweet lil' mom poem from Natalie Kuhn, founding teacher of The Class:


To all the mothers-

Those here

Those past

Those who were

Those who still are

Those who are close

Those who are estranged

Those who are Mother through biology

Those who are Mother through care

You are felt

Today we send you gratitude

For all you have endured

For all you have been capable of giving

For all you have been capable of receiving

Happy Mother’s Day, Mamas.

- Natalie Kuhn, @thisisnatalie


Regardless of who is physically present in our lives, we have these two parents living within us: the yin and the yang. While the yang is masculine, hot, rigid and mighty, the yin is feminine, cool, and fluid.


Taoist philosophy claims that yang is what can be seen, what fills the space (from the window….. to the wall!), and yin is what is on the inside, what makes you YOU (I got a dime, that’s top of the line!). Wow. Who knew the Ying Yang twins were so profound?


To paraphrase one of my favorite Nayirah Waheed poems, you don’t have to be fire and burn through every mountain in your path. You could be water and soft river your way through it.


We live in a very yang world, one that emphasizes the need for productivity, discipline, power, and strength. But too much yang, and we lose sight of ourselves. Gentleness brings us back. Compassion. Softness. Forgiveness- pay attention to the Yin. Nurture it. Water it.


Trust that the worker bee yang in you comes naturally, and cut yourself some slack. Over and over again, turn inward. Coo and coddle and be kind to yourself. Over and over again ask:

What do I need?

What do I need?

What do I need?


Take care of yourself. Fiercely, yet patiently. Every corner of you, even when it’s hard, is deserving of your love. From the window…. To the wall.

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