Wu Wei or the Original Cosmic Order
Wu Wei The Eternal Unwillingness
S.Pucelle -
Wu-wei, is a concept that is at the heart of Taoist philosophy, often translated as "non-action" or "non-intervention". At first sight, the concept of Wu-wei would be an ode to passivity, however this is not the case, indeed Wu-wei is a form of ontological withdrawal, that is to say a reconfiguration of our disposition of being.
Wu-wei refers to the cultivation of a state of being in which our actions effortlessly align with the ebb and flow of the elemental cycles of the natural world. It is a kind of "going with the flow" that is characterised by a high degree of ease and perception, in which - without even trying - we are able to respond ideally to any situation that arises, in sport he would call it being in the zone.
Nevertheless, according to the philosophy of Taoism, this concept gives nobility to action - movement being at the heart of Taoism. According to one of the major texts of Taoism, the Dao De Jing: "The Way never acts and yet nothing is left undone". This is the paradox of Wu-wei. It is not a question of not acting, but of "action without effort" or "action without intention".
Wu-wei is intimately linked to the Taoist reverence for the kingdom of nature, as it implies making our attitude as spontaneous and ineluctable as the laws of nature.
The central principle of the natural laws is the causality of all phenomenas that are born, transitory and ceasing, this causality is expressed by its regularity and universality. These axioms apply and influence all human beings as well, while placing him in a holistic scheme .
More poetically, the Taoists would say, "like the skiff carried by the river's current, or the bamboo bending under the gust of wind".
Wu-wei implies the renunciation of ideals and personal will to put forward the reality of needs according to the events and situations of the moment. These often tend to appear only when we put aside our own self-centred plans.
The Dao De Jing emphasises that we must be like water, which is "submissive and weak", but "cannot be overcome to penetrate what is hard and strong".
To simplify, we can say that Wu-Wei consists of acting in harmony with nature or the way.
In its subtle aspect, Wu-wei suggests an inclination to be receptive and available to the events and situations in which we are engaged without the need to control them. This is an empirical notion in Taoist thought that can be experienced in a process of disidentification.
From an ethical point of view, Wu-wei takes place in the person who has discarded ego-centred actions and replaced them with qualities such as simplicity, kindness, selflessness and tolerance, without any pretence of wisdom, those being qualities of the heart.
It is the balance between know-how and soft skills that is key.
In concrete terms, this can be translated as follows:
Try not to intellectualise a situation or the outcome of the event itself to find a solution. The problem is fuelled by our intellect, trusting the axiom of impermanence, which deconstructs any event, situation or phenomenon.
Accepting that we are the author of the problem, if not the problem itself, our view of it shapes our relationship with it.
To appreciate the natural ebb and flow of the world and to take the place of a witness to the events we encounter, without thinking that we have to act or react every time.
Finding inspiration in nature where natural order prevails, and where harmony seems to flow so easily from one aspect to another.
Taoism is full of subtle poetry, here is an excerpt from the Tao Te Ching that sums up the spirit of Wu-wei:
Verse 40 - Return is the movement of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao.
All things arise from being. Being arises from non-being.
It is an illusion to think that we act independently, we are always part of a much larger conditioning and process that greatly influences our position and perception of all the events we go through.
In the Taoist perspective, we are ideally a channel for higher forces to manifest. Like the centre of the wheel from where the spokes turn, realizing this centre and settle there is to allow the unmanifested Tao to become manifest.
The Butterfly
If we return to the practice of Yin Yoga, we can easily feel and understand the expression of Wu-Wei, indeed Wu-wei is omnipresent in the practice of Yin Yoga; it manifests itself when we embrace the Yin principles.
Letting go, acceptance and observation
The inherent qualities such as letting go, acceptance, observation, non-reaction, are, I would say, expressing Wu-Wei.
For example, if we consider the mechanical aspect of the Yin Yoga practice: we try not to engage our muscles to keep a relaxed attitude, as much as possible.
Without the contraction of our muscles, we use the relationship between body weight and gravity to open the body. It can therefore be said to be an effortless action. The result is surprisingly effective for the practitioner, because the body opens naturally without even wanting to, without forcing, without any intention to do so.
This is of course only the tip of the iceberg of the effect of such approach, the relaxation and release permeates the mind and brings the practitioner into an available and spacious mental space.
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