☯ Wu-Wei (U-Way) is a philosophy of doing nothing or contemplative passivity.
According to Lao Tzu, “If anyone wants to master the world and manipulate it, he will fail. For the world is a sacred vessel not to be manipulated. If anyone wants to appropriate it, he will lose it.”
This phrase encapsulates the essence of wu-wei philosophy. Such views are fundamentally at odds with the Western philosophy of success, which calls for being proactive, acting against all odds, conquering the world, and always striving for more. However, as we know, this approach is often the cause of depression and stress, while wu-wei helps to overcome a difficult period in life. It is only important to imbibe the basic tenets and secrets of this philosophy.
☯ 1. Inactivity does not mean that nothing happens Wu-wei means “no-action” or “action without action” in Chinese.
It is living in harmony with the natural course of events, as opposed to actively pursuing goals and forcing them. Wu-wei should not be confused with idleness. Following the wu-wei philosophy is no reason to sit idly by, idly observing life and criticizing others. Wu-wei is the inspired state of a person who is full of life energy and devotes his actions only to a higher goal. This person does not waste energy on trifles and acts only when it is the best time to do so. And then the whole world supports him. Wu-wei can be described through the well-known Yin-Yang symbol. On the one hand, it is active male energy, implying an extension of himself into the world. On the other hand, it is the passive feminine energy, which symbolizes inner knowing. All Chinese medicine, martial arts, gymnastics, and acupuncture are designed to help balance masculine and feminine energy, that is, to act and not act at the same time. This is wu-wei.
☯ 2. The universe doesn’t work against you. We don’t live between heaven and earth, we are heaven and earth. To practice wu-wei you have to realize that you are a part of the universe. You have to feel a close connection and unity with everything. Only in this way you can find inner freedom and stop living in a struggle with the world around you. Lao Tzu wrote about it this way: “Man depends on the Earth, the Earth depends on the Cosmos, the Cosmos depends on the Tao, but the Tao depends on nothing.” Accordingly, a man who knows the Tao depends on nothing. For him all the events of life pass before his eyes, like a movie on a screen.
☯ 3. Physical action is not the only thing. Even when our body is at rest, our restless mind keeps fidgeting. We worry, think through situations, and plan for battles to come. According to wu-wei, it’s not only important to calm the body, but also the brain. Otherwise, it is impossible to know whether we are acting according to the plan of the universe or indulging our ego. Even in the practice of meditation, we should not try too hard.
Lao Tzu advises us to be calm and attentive, learning to listen to both to our own inner voices and to the voices of the environment. This requires a calm and perceptive mind.
☯ 4. We have to learn to accept change. Everything in nature is subject to constant metamorphosis. These changes are governed by higher laws that we cannot understand. So it is useless to resist them or to try to fight against changes. It doesn’t occur to you to stop the natural changing of the seasons or the sun rising over the horizon, does it? When you stop fighting against change, you can only see the positive aspects of it.
☯ 5. Learn how to move aimlessly. The Chinese philosopher Zhuang Tzu advised a way of life he called aimless movement. Today the absence of purpose is considered almost a mortal sin. Yet the rhythm and way of modern life promote neither harmony nor balance. In his treatises, Zhuang Tzu wrote: “Imagine a painter or a skilled craftsman. A talented woodcarver or a fine blacksmith does not reflect or reason logically in the course of his action. He performs it instinctively and spontaneously, without knowing why he succeeds. His skill is so much a part of himself that he simply trusts his movements and does not think about the reasons. This is the kind of state one should strive to achieve with wu-wei.
