Sunday, July 18, 2010

Finding a Wei Around - 4

Wu Wei is often the Taoist concept that people have most trouble grasping. This is not really all that surprising since it seems to do away with the rigid notion of causality that the Western world-view is based upon. Typically, in order to get something done, it is considered that you must work at it. The more work and effort that is put in, the quicker it will happen.

However, this is not the Wu Wei approach. This is not 'doing without doing' it is simply 'doing'. To use Wu Wei is to have a kind of Taoist patience - it is to allow things to unfold in their own way, in their own time. This does not imply a complete lack of energy expenditure - just a recognition of the flow and cycles of the world around us. Acting at the appropriate time with the appropriate amount of force is the key.
~ from Taoism & The Taoist Arts ~
Go here to read the intro to this thematic series of posts.

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