Yin-Yang

The basis of ancient Chinese philosophy, science and medicine is the concept of yin-yang. The world constantly changes with nothing static. The universe was emptiness - wuji. From that, opposites formed and melded creating the world's balance. Good-bad, winter-summer, love-hate, each holds the essence of its opposite. The symbol of yin-yang is the taigitu. The outer circle is the wuji within that yin and yang co-exist.

In June of 1960, I turned six-years-old. To me, growing up in this period illustrates yin and yang. Beginning with the Eisenhower era of prosperity and superficial family values; ending with the Nixon era of turmoil and social upheaval. These watershed years reached their apex with two events that approach their 40th anniversary. The Manson murders and Woodstock - the opposites of a decade.

On the evening of August 8, members of Charlie Manson's "family" left the Spahn movie ranch for Benedict Canyon. After midnight, they committed grisly, iconoclastic murders. The next evening, August 10, the scene was repeated. Five days later, hundreds of thousands gathered at a dairy farm in upstate New York for the Aquarian Exposition - Three Days of Peace and Music known as Woodstock.

Those 10 days in August 1969 symbolized the yin-yang of the sixties- as ever BB

"I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a "learning experience." Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've done as a "learning experience." It makes me feel less stupid." - P.J. O'Rourke