Hi Briana and all, You have made a quite impressive and perceptive interpretation there!!!
There's nothing else I could add to it. However,I do remember what he said about the ultimate state of loving relationship: "Let me take your hand,and let's grow old together." It was extremely romantic to me!LOL It wasn't just me who found it romantic because a couple of years later,one brilliant English teacher of mine from Israel quoted it,too and shared my view.;) Good day to us all! Claire On May 15, 11:16 am, briana moore <[email protected]> wrote: > * > * > > *Wu Wei > * > > *Wu Wei* is an important concept of Taoism (Daoism), that involves knowing > when to act and when not to act. Another perspective to this is that "Wu > Wei" means natural action - as planets revolve around the sun, they "do" > this revolving, but without "doing" it; or as trees grow, they "do", but > without "doing". Thus knowing when (and how) to act is not knowledge in the > sense that one would think "*now*" is the right time to do "*this*", but > rather just doing it, doing the natural thing. > > The aim of *wu wei* is to achieve a state of perfect equilibrium, or > alignment with the Tao, and, as a result, obtain an irresistible form of > "soft and invisible" power. > > There is another less commonly referenced sense of *wu wei*; "action that > does not involve struggle or excessive effort". In this instance, Wu means > "without" and Wei means "effort". > > In the original Taoist texts, *wu wei* is often associated with water and > its yielding nature. Although water is soft and weak, it has the capacity to > erode even solid stone (e.g., Grand Canyon) and move mountains (e.g., > landslides). Water is without will (i.e., the will for a shape), though it > may be understood to be opposing wood, stone, or any solid aggregated > material that can be broken into pieces. Due to its nature and propensity, > water may potentially fill any container, assume any shape; > > Taoist philosophy recognizes that the Universe already works harmoniously > according to its own ways; as a person exerts their will against or upon the > world they disrupt the harmony that already exists. This is not to say that > a person should not exert agency and will. Rather, it is *how* one acts in > relation to the natural processes already extant. The *how*, the Tao of > intention and motivation, *that* is key. > > Related translation from the *Tao Te Ching* by Priya Hemenway, Chapter II: > > *"The Sage is occupied with the unspoken* > > *and acts without effort.* > > *Teaching without verbosity,* > > *producing without possessing,* > > *creating without regard to result,* > > *claiming nothing,* > > *the Sage has nothing to lose."* > > The concept of *wu wei* is often described as performing a selfless act but > this merely exposes the background of the writer. Faith-based religions have > selfless acts and “doing good” as part of their belief system. In Taoist > teaching however “good” is unknowable and a selfless act can only be > performed by someone in an egoless state. > > Every act performed by someone in the usual way of things has some kind of > reward attached whether it is financial, power, love, status or just feeling > good about oneself. All these things are ego re-inforcing. To perform a > selfless act one must let go of one's ego and pass into an altered state of > consciousness. This is called wu wei – the state of doing without doing. > Here every act is selfless for the ego has ceased to exist. There is no I > making decisions and the outcome is always perfect. > > The ultimate goal : harmony with the Tao > > The goal for wu wei is to get out of your own way, so to speak. This is like > when you are playing an instrument and if you start thinking about playing > the instrument, then you will get in your own way and interfere with your > own playing. It is aimless action, because if there was a goal that you need > to aim at and hit, then you will develop anxiety about this goal. > > Zhuangzi made a point of this, where he writes about an archer who at first > didn't have anything to aim at. When there was nothing to aim at, the archer > was happy and content with his being. He was practicing wu wei. But, then he > set up a target and "got in his own way." He was going against the Tao and > the natural course of things by having to hit that goal. > > A dramatic description of wu wei is found in chapter 2 of Zhuang Zi: > > *"A fully achieved person is like a spirit! The great marshes could be set > on fire, but she wouldn't feel hot. The rivers in China could all freeze > over, but she wouldn't feel cold. Thunder could suddenly echo through the > mountains, wind could cause a tsunami in the ocean, but she wouldn't be > startled. A person like that could ride through the sky on the floating > clouds, straddle the sun and moon, and travel beyond the four seas. Neither > death nor life can cause changes within her, and there's little reason for > her to even consider benefit or harm."* > ** * * * ** --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "English Learner's Cafe" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/english_learners?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
