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The Tao In Action (Wu Wei)

I often reference the Tao Te Ching because it resonates deeply with me, though I am far from embodying the qualities Lao Tzu expounded upon. One of the most perplexing concepts is Wu Wei, which translates to “Effortless Action.” Below are some hypnagogic musings about what Effortless Action might look like:

Rooted in Stillness
Action must originate from stillness. Therefore, frequent meditation throughout the day is necessary to cultivate this foundation.

No-Mind
Thoughts are problematic because they take you away from effortless action. They create comparison, judgments, and deadlines.

Presence
Presence is the number one thing in Wu Wei. Is is often talked about in the contemporary term “Flow State”. Being in a state of flow is also peak performance.

Playfulness
Wu Wei is playful and curious. Not rigid nor authoritarian. Generally Wu Wei is leisurely, except when it needs haste as dictated by flow. Approach like it’s the first time you’ve ever done a thing.

Nature as Example
Wu Wei is seen in how nature does nothing, yet everything is done.

The nocturnal animals wake with the sun and nestle down to sleep upon it’s setting. Perhaps we should too. Except when we don’t – and that’s ok too.

Awareness of Inner and Outer
Taking action in the way of Tao includes a heightened sense of awareness between what is inside and outside. And actually that there is no differentiation between “inside” and “outside”.

Qi Gong and Centering
Wu Wei can be seen in Qi Gong movements where awareness and movement originates and stays centered in the lower dantian area. Or the lower core of our body.

Ultimate inspiration comes from our center – the mysterious place where all things and non-things originate – but the next best inspiration is Nature itself, followed by elements within Nature.

Acceptance
We accept all things that are done and not done. The way things are. We improve, but we do not judge. Just like watching a child learn how to walk. All things done have to start somewhere.

We understand there are cycles of winter, spring, summer and fall. Of death and coldness, followed by rebirth, flourishing, entropy and death again. Times of feast and famine. We accept all things just as nature does.

Do Not Compare
We do not compare to others. There is no competition, envy or jealousy with a person in line with the Tao. Because there is no separation.

No Goals
Wu Wei is like writing stream of consciousness thoughts (morning pages) without care for grammar or spelling. Without an audience. Without a goal.

Wu Wei is found in doodling.

Spontaneity
Effortless action is covered well in the book “Big Magic” which talks about creative ideas as being muses that come and go spontaneously looking for someone to work with.

Be the Master of Work, Not Vice Versa
But what about long term projects, projects which require hardwork, collaboration with others, diligence. This seem contrary to effortless action?

Consider if these projects are your slave master. Just as how technology can both be a tool but can also uses us as a tool. We can be the master of a project. Or the project can be a master of us.

In many cases, these strenuous projects are not aligned with the tao. Or perhaps they are. There is no right or wrong. But there is going with the flow of a river vs going upstream.

Only Focus on the Immediate Next Step
The thing to know is that “a journey of a 1000 miles begins with the first step”. You can only do the next step. You can’t do the step that is 5 steps ahead of you.

Maybe the next step is making a plan / itinerary / gantt chart. But then the next step after that is “Item #1” on the list. When doing “Item #1” just be present with it, no need to simultaneously plan and future project.

Simplification
Occam’s Razor is “a problem-solving principle often used to explain how the simplest explanation is likely to be the most correct explanation”. This is also the way of life. Reduce the number of simultaneous projects happening. Get rid of possessions. Let go of future projects. Make the equation of your life simplified. Then see your light expand as a result. It can be tempting to fill the new found space with exciting things, relationships and projects. But resist the temptation and revel in the levity of spaciousness.

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Inspirational Art Quotes

When I visit my mom, we like to watch art documentaries together. Brian Rutenburg has some particularly great videos on creative inspiration. Here are a few quotes I want to share with you:

  • Make a shit ton of work, then destroy 90% of it.
  • Nothing interesting results from perfection.
  • If you can’t explain something simply, then you don’t understand it.
  • Success is confused with popularity.
  • Choose friends carefully.
  • You won the greatest lottery… you were born.
  • The only way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing.
  • Boredom is the fuel of creativity.
  • There will always be someone smarter or stronger, but there is no one exactly like you. Be totally, authentically you. Be the most like yourself.
  • Simplify to clarify.
  • The world is full of love songs, but there is always room for one more.
  • Anything self-conscious sucks. (Get out of your own way).
  • No one cares what you do.
  • If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.
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Consciousness Defined By Suffering

In the book “Nexus” by the controversial figure Yuval Harari, he examines the potential problems with AI in the future. Namely that AI is the ideal tool of authoritarian power for implementing the social credit system. In watching other talks by Yuval, he suggested we consider the definition of “Consciousness” in our age of AI. He suggests that Consciousness should be described as whether the thing can suffer. If a thing can suffer, then it is conscious.

This is an interesting thought and could help prevent us from inaccurately labeling AI as conscious as we have labeled corporations as “People” (and we’ve seen what that has done).

However as an animist, I believe all things are conscious. There is not one place in our reality where there is not consciousness, meaning and inherent value of existence.