Wu Wei Definition What is Wu Wei? A simple wu wei definition is “doing nothing.” The word is a translation of 无为, first seen in the Tao Te Ching written by the Chinese sage Lao Tzu 2,500 years ago. 无 means “nothing,” and 为 means “doing.” It is, therefore, often translated as “doing nothing”. It’s…
Cyclical Movement and Taoist philosophy Are things in this world moving along a straight line or in a cyclical manner? Those who are used to linear thinking would see it as a straight line. After a day, it’s a night. After life, it’s death. What else can that be? It can, therefore, be puzzling when…
If you want to be a good boatman, don’t worry about controlling the boat The art of control is to give up control. In the fable of Chuang Tzu, a disciple of Confucius meets the master boatman who is known for his dexterity of boating. Curiously he asks, “How marvellous! Can anyone learn how to handle…
Importance of Non-being How can emptiness be of any value? Emptiness can be the very purpose of an existence. When we value something, our attention is often on what we can see or touch. For example, when you see a pot, your attention is likely to be on its shape, its colours, workmanship and the material…
Tao is The Way, Not ‘Your Way’ There are many things that you can learn in Tao Te Ching, and these are three of them. First, staying detached. The first thing that you’d have to learn is to see yourself as part of the universe that you are in. You may wonder why I’m saying…
Tao is hard to explain – Reason 3 What does tao mean? “The Tao that can be mentioned is not the eternal Tao,” says Lao Tzu in Tao Te Ching. There are many reasons for Lao Tzu to say so, and this is reason 3 — from my perspective. It has to do with size….
Tao is hard to explain – Reasons 4 & 5 “The Tao that can be mentioned is not the eternal Tao,” says Lao Tzu. Why? There are many reasons for Lao Tzu to say so, and these are reasons 4 and 5 — from my perspective. They have to do with form. Reason 4:…
Are you wise, or simply being smart? It’s easy to tell how smart a person is. There’re IQ tests and a whole host of cognitive exercises to help you measure. As to whether a person is wise, it’s not so easy to tell. Many people associate the wise with the old. It’s an impression that…
Practice Tao is like swimming in water. If you trust yourself to it and stay relax, you float. If you are doubtful and strive to be in control, you sink. You are Tao. Trust yourself to it and stay relax. It will exude the confidence of water and make you proud. He who does not…
“The name that can be named is not the eternal name.” What does Tao Te Ching mean? None of the three words in the title of the book by Lao Tzu is in English, so we will need to look at the original Chinese characters to find out what it means. First, let us see the three…
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