a key principle in realizing our oneness with the tao is that of wu-wei, or "non-doing." wu-wei refers to behavior that arises from a sense of oneself as connected to others and to one's environment. it is not motivated by a sense of separateness. it is action that is spontaneous and effortless. at the same time it is not to be considered inertia, laziness, or mere passivity. rather, it is the experience of going with the grain or swimming with the current. our contemporary expression, "going with the flow," is a direct expression of this fundamental taoist principle, which in its most basic form refers to behavior occurring in response to the flow of the tao.



we watched a video today in taoism class. about tai-chi and chinese calligraphy and the tao and the wu-wei. it's such a beautiful way of thinking and interpreting the world around us. to draw power and energy from the earth, from the trees, from nature. the tao can be simply explained: taoism's central principle is that all life, all manifestation, is part of an inseparable whole, an interconnected organic unity which arises from a deep, mysterious, and essentially unexplainable source which is the tao itself. the philosophy and world view that arises from these simple principles is so beautiful.



i watch the tai-chi movements and can't help but wonder what i could get from learning about this ancient philosophy. would it open doors to myself? to the world? to a place where i can gain an understanding of life? the awesomeness of nature and the purpose of duality all expose themselves through the motions and the thought processes of the tao.



i believe so much in participating with the flow, in not interfering with life (which is not inaction), not fighting the natural current of things. this, in a way, helps to explain to me the way i am, the way i react to things, the way i function. the duality of objectivism and relativism seems not so much a struggle anymore, but more like opposite forces working together harmoniously. i want to experience the tao. i want to tap into spiritual strength. take the knowledge of a thousands year old philosophy and see what i can glean from it. i've seen tai-chi many times and never really got a good grasp of the meanings involved in the motions. i want to know. i want to open those doors and see what i can find.



it's very hard to put into words the sense of awe i feel at exploring taoism and eastern philosophy. it feels very right. like when i read rand. it feels like i belong to this, and it belongs to me. my modern day interpretation of the tao is summed up thusly, "chill out."