“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle.When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.”− Bruce Lee

There is a possibility that this column could prove to be a challenge to many. The various strange words presented every month may mean nothing at first. However, the fact is that these very words reveal great insights worth exploring as they can prove to be beneficial to us holistically, both physically and psychologically.

This time, we are exploring the Chinese term ‘Wu wei’ which basically means ‘non-action’.

Now, according to Western thinking, we don’t appreciate this concept as the general attitude is that one needs to strive and struggle to get things done. But once the philosophy behind Wu wei is understood, it is not by doing - but by allowing − that gets things manifested. The nature of the mind is stillness and it is where spontaneity happens.

There is no need to be anxious about anything if one embraces Wu wei. In our busy society, being Wu wei is not easy as it needs wisdom and courage. It is easy to be misunderstood as being irresponsible or lazy for not acting in a situation. If not strong enough, people can easily influence us and we end up doing things that are against our will and seem unnatural.

With Wu wei, one can live in tune with life, allowing the creative juices to flow and letting everything to unfold naturally. It is a kind of intelligence that without using much effort, you get everything to cooperate with you. The paradox of Wu Wei is ‘effortless action’ or ‘actionless action’.  It involves being at peace while in the midst of some frantic tasks, so that one can carry these out with maximum skill and efficiency.

It teaches us how to develop a natural state of consciousness not governed by thought or preconceived limitations but by creating a new unity between the self and its environment

Often, we are in danger of hurting ourselves through an obstinate adherence to ideas which simply don’t fit the demands of the world – and here lies the wisdom behind the adoption of Wu wei, where we allow things to take their course rather than aggressively expecting things to be our way.

When we don’t force ourselves upon life, we discover that we are life. Our culture makes us feel that we don’t belong in this world as if we are ‘aliens’ living in a hostile environment and, therefore, we get to fear one another and trust nobody. So, our lack of trust is affecting our civilisation through force and control. Our neuroses get us to confuse our identity with our social identity. We do not act authentically.

It is the same as when we feel that we are ‘in the zone’ – in a state of deep concentration and flow. Artists understand this very well and create best when in such a zone of surrendering to the natural unfolding of time. It means that, similar to nature, we swim along rather than against the currents. It is a letting go of ideals that we tend to force violently onto things.

Wu wei is the Taoist principle of trust where we allow life to take place – not with violence or control. Trust gets us in harmony with the entire unfolding of the cosmos – a non-forcing and non-reactive realm of Wu Wei. It is a vehicle we use to realise our innate freedom. It is not a theology or ideology, but an allowing of life to take its course without interfering.

It teaches us how to develop a natural state of consciousness not governed by thought or preconceived limitations but by creating a new unity between the self and its environment.

Allowing the way of nature and experiencing the spontaneity of life, we cease to cling to the experiences of the past and instead become rejuvenated in the present.

Wu Wei invites us to respond to the true demands of situations that we get to notice once we put our ego-driven plans to one side.

The point of exploring Wu wei is ultimately to understand that there exists a way for living at ease. Nature does take its course anyway – whether we use force or not. Knowing that we are part of life itself, we are supported by it through the right synchronicities that will be presented to us if we just allow ourselves to be in silent openness to the natural unfolding of life. Wu wei actually helps us to be more productive.

Through Wu wei, we cultivate a mental state in which our actions are quite effortlessly aligned with the flow of life. Similar to water, water has no resistance in life, it always follows the flow without any struggle but it is able to flow everywhere and penetrate even the hardest surface.

It is the art of effortless living.

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