5 Secrets to Wu Wei, the Taoist Principle of Effortless Effort
The process of ascension consists of several different stages. Would you jump off of a plane without a parachute?
Wu Wei is the art of effortless action. It is described in the Taoist teachings and translates from Chinese pinyin to “action-less action.” Wu Wei is considered to be the ‘natural’ way of doing things while this is not ‘doing nothing’ it is quite different than the way we live today. The state of Wu Wei is actually quite amazing, it does not give us an excuse to observe life from the sidelines while judging the actions of others. It instead is the best definition of a person who is performing actions overflowing with life energy.
This person shows how dedicated they are to oneness and their purpose through their actions. In order to understand Wu Wei and the Tao better, you must first learn the 5 secrets to Wu Wei:
- No Action Does Not Mean That ‘Nothing’ Happens
- In understanding Wu Wei you will learn to do things while not doing things at the same time. You can live your life without critiquing others.
- Physical Action Is Not The Only Form Of Action
- Wu Wei has a lot to do with your mind as well as your body. Through Wu Wei, we aim to quiet our minds in order to understand the Universal flow. Lao Tzu says that we must be quiet and watchful in order to learn and listen to our inner voices and the voices of our environment.
- Being at One with the Tao Means Accepting Change
- One of the most important parts of Taoism and the practice of Wu Wei has to do with the realization that there is a constant flow of change in nature. Fighting the laws of change serves no purpose and will get us nowhere. We are a part of nature and will change with it.
- The Cosmos is Not Working Against You
- In order to practice Wu Wei, you must understand that we are connected to the Oneness of all things. While we have boundaries we should do our best to remain vulnerable to the lessons there for us to learn. We do not have to fight against the Cosmos. It is never working against us.
- True Wu Wei Involves Purposeless Wandering
- Flowing is something that is very important to Wu Wei. However, in current times wandering is much more difficult than it has been in the past we should do our best to maintain some sort of spontaneity.
For a little more information on Wu Wei please watch the video below. Wu Wei can eliminate stress from your life. If you are overly anxious or riddled with stress Wu Wei might be for you.