...the way of Tao.
To understand Wu Wei we need to look at the underlying philosophy of Tao.
The Tao is a poem. Tao or Dao is a Chinese word signifying 'way', 'path', 'route', or sometimes more loosely, 'doctrine' or 'principle'.
Tao allows natural things happen naturally.
(The two factors that may come into play when we allow things to happen naturally are Interference and Intervention. It is important to know the difference:
Interference - Something - could be an act or instance - that hinders, obstructs, or impedes. Interference would cause conflict leading to external and internal discord. This is where the 'but' comes in. 'But this.......' or 'but that......'.
Intervention - When you modify or determine events in a manner that improves the situation. This would involve patient assessment and planning to remedy or prevent a problem or issue.)
The Tao says that most goals are not gained by struggle but by patience.
Wu Wei (Chinese, literally “non-doing”) is an important concept of Taoism and means natural action, or in other words, action that does not involve struggle or excessive effort. Wu-Wei implies that there’s an inherent flow, a certain natural order to everything.
Wu Wei is the cultivation of a mental state in which our actions are quite effortlessly in alignment with the flow of life.
What is the flow of life? Lao-Tzu puts it beautifully: “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
No matter how much structure we create in our lives, no matter how many good habits we build, there will always be things that we cannot control — and if we allow them to, these things can be a huge source of anger, frustration and stress. The simple solution: LEARN to go with the flow. Accept change without getting angry or frustrated. Take what life gives you, instead of trying to mold life to be exactly as you want it to be. Struggling towards a goal is not always the best way to attain it. Sometimes, you have to let it be, give it time...
Slip into Wu Wei...