Wu wei
The unpleasantness we experience when in difficulty
is more often than not caused by our own reactions.
(I Ching)
What is wu wei?
'Wu wei' is often translated as not doing, not acting or not
forcing.
'Not
forcing' is a principle that ensures accord with what is happening.
It is concerned with following the path of least resistance, of moving with
the
grain.
Wu wei does not involve any form of
imposition or ideation. You must harmonise yourself with existence and offer no conflict.
Trying, doing & being
There is a difference between trying, doing and being.
Wu wei is concerned with being.
Being can be seen as the third stage of development.
Trying
There is the image (or concept) and the reality.
The process of bending reality to fit the image is what we call 'trying'.
Trying is a kind of forcing; it is the act of seeking to adhere to an idea
or pattern that exists in your mind.
When you try, exertion is required.
Effort creates anxiety and tension.
Tension impedes you.
Rather than try... allow.
Allowing is a
passive, relaxed approach that involves
stepping out of the way.
Some things happen by themselves.
Doing
Doing sounds more
positive than trying because struggling has been removed.
However, doing usually entails self-consciousness.
Doing involves the use of willpower.
Willpower is the
act of forcing; attempting to re-shape reality to suit your own design.
The whole point of taoism and
tai chi is that it is not about you.
You must move as part of the situation, rather than regard yourself
as the lead role or focus of attention.
There must be no division between yourself and another.
How do I 'not do'?
Simple - you stop.
When an object in motion is left to settle, it eventually comes to
rest.
Tai chi only starts to work when the student stops
trying and doing.
Stillness and
silence cannot be forced.
Do you force your heart to beat?
Your body does not require your intervention.
When you cease doing, nature is allowed to act according to its own
way.
Wu wei requires that you do not interrupt the flow.
Our
approach to tai chi is concerned with
feeling how the body wants to move and letting it move that way.
Standing in your own way
A stiffness corrupts the tai chi when people refuse to let go.
They become locked in the act of trying...
It is the product of thinking rather than feeling,
forcing rather than
allowing.
In your effort to achieve, you actually hamper your own progress.
Tai chi is the process, the how, the way, the nature - not the
outcome.
Pay attention to the
means and the end will take care of itself.
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Page created 5 January 1999