Taijiquan is a Taoist art, and Taiji is the principle at the heart of Taoism. The Taiji yin/yang symbol illustrates that two fundamental polar principles interact to produce all there is – the myriad creatures. It also shows that at the core of one principle is a kernel of its opposite: at the heart of darkness is a glimmer of light, and vice versa. This must be so otherwise there would be no return – no becoming – no change. We need the other – otherness – otherwise there can be no life. In fact the quality of life – its intensity and spirit – depends upon the otherness it yields to and contains.