WU WEI DOING NOTHING, YET ALL THINGS REMAIN ACCOMPLISHED

“Wu Wei – Doing no thing, yet all things remain accomplished” I remember reading that for the first time, and the many times and translations in many books since.

This idea of Wu Wei holds within itself the conceptualization of phenomena coming forth naturally through no conscious effort or direction, with no human interests acting as the impetus.

As Taoists, if we are able to harmonize with the Natural Way of things, if our mind can follow the path of Tao, then it will be devoid of the biases that normally arise when our human interests in personal satisfaction and recognition take hold and guide us away from the Grand Ultimate. A being such as this is capable of Much Good. A person guided thus will constantly perform acts of kindness, virtue, and merit with no thought for compensation or recognition. Why? – because Such is the way of The Tao. There will be the accomplishment of highest morality without the motivation to ‘do so’ – that is, without trying to be recognized or praised. The Doing will be without any motivation other than the fullfilment of one’s personal nature. Without doing, and accomplishing all things.

WU WEI “HANDS”

The more I walk the Tao the more ‘intelligent’ my hands seemingly become. Looking at the video below, I see Wu Wei splashed all over the place like blood in a murder scene. I noticed it many years ago, and after looking at video of myself now I see that it’s continued to progress. On whatever subconscious level that I process WuWei, it’s Definitely made it’s way into my expression of Kung Fu. I used to have the most Concisely Refined movements, every range of motion was so Clearly Articulated that I looked more like a Kung Fu movie than reality! Don’t get me wrong, I was Very Effective, and still economic in motion and expenditure of energy, 4 ounces to move 1000 lbs, etc. – but Now my hands look as if they’re barely doing anything. I’m ‘Wu Wei-ing’  – while this dude is throwing some fast punches Directly at my face, I’m looking off in the distance, watching people walk by, checking out the squirrels in the trees; I couldn’t give a Damn about anything he’s doing, and somehow – my hands are in Exactly the right places at the right time.  I don’t even Look at him. My hands just drift around a bit gently bumping into his. If Anything, I look as though I’m a confused magician suffering dementia – but the End of each of those waving hand sequences – THAT’S where the Magic is 😉

I also find it interesting that I never have to move my feet anymore – that is, I don’t have to get out of someone’s way unless I decide to make that part of the application for the purpose of explaining some kind of concept or method (yielding, rolling back, etc). That’s a Literal example of Wu Wei in that when it comes to footwork, evasions, stepping, etc. I truly Do Nothing. If I step at all, it’s usually Forward. But in most cases, I’ve drawn the opponent and their limbs in deep enough that when I apply my technique(s) it’s with the understanding that That is where I am standing, and that That is Where I want to finish it. That’s why my head tilts back about an inch when the opponent attacks, I ‘need’ that Extra inch of enticement-commitment from them if I’m not going to step forward and pursue them.

WU WEI AS TECHNIQUE

I teach in a very physically disciplined, most clearly articulated, manner of expressing the nature & philosophy of a technique. And when I’m demonstrating the techniques I make Certain to stick to those very concise, almost Rigid, movement-shapes so that everyone has a chance to see exactly what it is that I’m doing so that they can learn and They can do it too. But every once in a while, the ‘Old Taoist’ cultivated decades ago within me comes out & everything becomes an essay in minimalist expression. Like something hanging in The Louvre with the title “A Polar Bear Eating Snow in a Blizzard”. And that ends up being my ‘final’ Wu Wei, seeming to paint what no one else can see and the finished project shows accomplishment – but only to those who have eyes to see.Ah well, there’s More to Come, perhaps a revamp of the techniques being illustrated as if in a class, with details and explanations in the format of a lesson plan…as if I were a teacher… 😉

PRACTICE.                  -and Don’t forget to click HD on the Video-! :):):)