#Wu Wei

[lionofchaeronea]

Fishing in Summer Shade, Wu Wei, 1483

[delirantesko]

O sol não pede para a rosa abrir suas pétalas. Ela o faz pois a carícia dele em forma de luz e calor é irresistível. É simplesmente natural.

[lumiidragon]

The Nine Realms dragons redesigns~

So I wanted to just play around with some ideas for redesigns for Feathers, Plowhorn, and Wu & Wei. Mostly, I wanted to doodle.

I re-designed feathers to actually have more feathers instead of just a few on her head and tail. She's partially based off of a nightjar bird and I wanted her to be a bit more bird-looking over reptile-looking.

Plowhorn kept her rhino-like look, but I added more armor plating instead of the beetle shell. I also wanted to add more crystals along her body to carry out this design choice smoother.

Wu & Wei's designed were changed to represent that of moray eels, specifically a wink to Floatsam and Jetsam from The Little Mermaid. I wanted them to really carry out that aquatic-look and I think the idea of a dragon being eel-like makes for a more interesting design choice with its irony, haha~

I didn't add Thunder on here because I already have a re-design of him and I just didn't have time for Webmaster.

[anne-bsd-bibliophile]

I saw a comment that Xie Lian doesn't follow the Taoist concept of wu wei, but I think that this concept is difficult for us to understand in Western culture. Often it's simplified as "going with the flow," when it is more than that. My favorite explanation of wu wei uses the analogy of riding a wave; when riding a wave you do not want to go against the flow or let it drown you, so you go with the flow of the wave and let it propel you forward. The idea is to find a good balance between being flexibility and strength. Too flexible and external forces will completely control you. Too rigid and the external forces will break you. This also means that to really follow wu wei you are adaptable.

In the case of Xie Lian, he does not try to exert control over the people and situations he comes into contact with. But he also doesn't let them control him. Xie Lian is observant and alert while being open minded. He often sees details and solutions that others miss. And I've also notices during my current rereading of Heaven Official's Blessing that Xie Lian doesn't fret and worry over the future. He does what he can in the moment with whatever is at hand, and sometimes all he has on hand is a half eaten meat bun or a bunch of meatballs. But most of all I think that Xie Lian is a wonderful example of a Taoist because he knows his purpose and does not deviate from his course. Whatever the situation is, whoever is threatening him, and no matter how hopeless everything seems, Xie Lian always faces it was a positive attitude and finds a way to use the flow of his surroundings in his favor.

The more I read about Taoism the more I admire Xie Lian. Of course no one is perfect, and in Heaven Official's Blessing it is clear that not even gods are perfect. But the point is to continue to seek to find a good balance in your life, be flexible, don't worry about the future or dwell too much on the past, and turn bad situations into good ones.

[psykopaths]

In a Land that no longer exists, (2022)

[thunderstruck9]

Wu Wei (Chinese, 1981), Skin and Texture - 5, 2023. Leather, wax and copper on woodboard, 180 x 180 cm.

[f-angy77]

💙💜

I don't like this show but I admit that I had a certain affection for these characters, they are so little and now they are so in love.

Sometimes I feel like the only fan of this ship 😂

Httyd still has a place in my heart, and I don't really feel like these characters are another Hiccstrid, I feel like they are very different... They have their own energy, they are also somewhat toxic but they are still cute 💞

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Dao

The philosophy of Dao, rooted in Daoism (or Taoism), is an ancient Chinese spiritual and philosophical tradition that emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao (or Tao), which translates to "The Way." This concept is central to Daoist thought and is both the source and the pattern of the universe. Here's an exploration of the key principles and ideas within the philosophy of Dao:

1. The Concept of Dao

Dao as the Ultimate Reality: The Dao is an ineffable, underlying principle that governs the cosmos. It is beyond human comprehension and cannot be fully articulated. It is the source of all existence and the force that maintains the natural order of the universe.

The Way of Nature: Dao is often associated with nature and its inherent order. Following the Dao means aligning oneself with the natural flow and rhythms of the world, moving in accordance with the seasons, cycles, and processes of nature.

2. Wu Wei (Non-Action)

Effortless Action: Wu Wei is a key Daoist concept that means "non-action" or "effortless action." It does not imply inaction but rather acting in a way that is in harmony with the Dao, without force or struggle. It is about allowing things to unfold naturally and responding to circumstances with ease and spontaneity.

Harmony and Balance: Practicing Wu Wei involves recognizing and working with the natural currents of life, rather than opposing them. It is a path to achieving harmony and balance in one's actions and interactions.

3. Simplicity and Humility

Living Simply: Daoism advocates for a simple, unadorned life. Materialism and excessive ambition are seen as distractions from the true nature of existence. Simplicity is valued as it brings one closer to the Dao.

Humility: Daoist philosophy emphasizes humility and modesty. It teaches that arrogance and pride lead to discord, while humility aligns one with the harmonious flow of the Dao.

4. Yin and Yang

Complementary Forces: Yin and Yang represent the dualistic yet complementary forces that constitute all aspects of the universe. Yin is often associated with passivity, darkness, and receptivity, while Yang represents activity, brightness, and assertiveness.

Balance: The interplay of Yin and Yang creates harmony and balance in the universe. Daoism teaches that both forces are necessary and that balance between them leads to a harmonious life.

5. Ziran (Naturalness)

Naturalness and Spontaneity: Ziran means "naturalness" or "self-so." It is about being true to one's nature and allowing actions to arise spontaneously from one's innate character and the circumstances, without artificiality or coercion.

Authenticity: Living according to Ziran involves embracing one's authentic self and the natural world, and acting in a way that is true to one's nature.

6. Mysticism and Inner Transformation

Inner Alchemy: Daoism includes practices aimed at inner transformation and spiritual development. These practices, often referred to as inner alchemy, involve meditation, breath control, and physical exercises like Tai Chi and Qigong.

Union with the Dao: The ultimate goal of these practices is to achieve union with the Dao, experiencing oneness with the fundamental principle of the universe and attaining spiritual immortality.

The philosophy of Dao offers profound insights into living a life of harmony, balance, and simplicity. By aligning with the natural order of the Dao, practicing Wu Wei, embracing the complementary forces of Yin and Yang, and pursuing inner transformation, individuals can attain a deeper understanding of themselves and the universe. Daoism invites us to live authentically and humbly, in tune with the fundamental principles that govern existence.

[kamala-laxman]

"To slow down time, practice enjoying the moment. It is where we spend our entire lives." Wu Wei

[wonderwomanart]

Wonder Woman by Wu Wei

[baron-amaro]

Viva la morte mia, viva la gioventù!

[delirantesko]

A naturalidade daquilo que deve acontecer é um oceano perto das gotas de lágrimas do que não está destinado a se confirmar.

[buddhismnow]

Wu Wei (Serene Acceptance)

Wu Wei (Serene Acceptance of events). Short film about 6 minutes. https://wp.me/pFy3u-8FO

Wu Wei is a key concept within Daoism — and refers to a serene acceptance of events. It’s a wisdom we’re very uninclined to remember in our own times. Wu Wei. About 6 minutes.

[phantalgia]

"Just Do It!" And Reflections on Wu Wei

If only it were that simple to just do it. There's this difference amongst people that is just so vast and unique that you can't expect things to be that simple. Telling people to just do things would be great if it worked consistently. As we can see all around us this isnt the case.

We always get this idea that people can snap their fingers and problems disappear for people. Like a magician just comes about and makes you a functioning person. It's all just toxic positivity...

Hustle Culture and Self Care Mini-Rant

There is this very stressful ethic of working hard, reaching maximum effeciency, competitive edges, and so on amidst the culture. There's a video by 1Dime delving into hustle culture and new age self help of bastardized versions of eastern philosophy and religion.

Essentially these concepts such as self-help, and hustle culture are just a new form of social control and auto-exploitation. That we can both be exploiting and exploited.

"Now, under the neoliberal regime of auto-exploitation, people are turning their aggression against themselves. This auto-aggressivity means that the exploited are not inclined to revolution so much as depression" - Byung-Chul Han

This culture hustle/self care industrial complex claims to be non-idealogical. But it's easy to detatch ideology and depoliticize many things under neoliberalism and Inverted Totalitarism. But it's 100% idealogical as many things are. The biggest hallmark of being idealogical is something that claims to be non-idealogical.

It serves a purpose to turn political apathy into economic engagment. Decentralized social control to maintain status quo and managed democracy. It's not hard to see how this emphasis on self help and hustling requires the decoupling of full human emotions and nuances and feelings in favor of a narcissistic and dissasoiative one.

A system in which you can effeciently control your emotions well enough to have the highest work ethic, and least emotional burdens. Supression of trauma, feeling, and other things that make up being human. It's practically eugeneics...and is unrealistic, bad for the species. We need variety of people, not copy and paste.

These movements do nothing but further alienation, take the responsibility of community into imaginary ideas of "self love" and individual responsibility. If you can't meet those expectations then it's no wonder we have such high amounts of anxiety, depression, burnout. Or even narcissim, outsourcing of human connection to for-sale self help books and courses.

I cant believe people are this oblivious to such obvious propaganda made to further alienate us. Especially more sensitively attuned individuals or the neurodivergent. Or the indeginous who have different values and cultures.

Alternative To Self-Care and Hustle Culture

Something to keep in mind about change to yourself is that it takes constant back and forth dialouge between your environment and yourself. It's iterative. You’re constantly doing small things. Refining your approach and reflecting. This has been my experience and I have gotten greater insights into what bothers me.

My problems are not the same as someone else. Mine manifest differently because of my own biology, environment, context, etc. These conditions are different from someone else. So any work I do need to do needs to be tailored into the direction for what works with me and how far I can push it until it hurts and I need to rethink it through and strategize.

Once these are setup, the proper baby steps and positive environmental stimuli are set change can happen. It's not overnight and there's still things that get in the way that aren't understood well. This is a constant dialouge by myself and between other groups with similar experience or therapists.

Daoist Influence

Part of my philosophy of individual (maybe even collective) change comes from Daosim. Wu Wei, translated along the lines of action through non-action. In the West it's been interpreted as the "flow state" athletes get. Of course, I have my own bastardized Western interpretation of it.

Wu Wei makes me think of acceptance of the reality you face. What youre capable of. And to neither force nor be idle of change. When you recognize something is wrong in your life you don’t force anything. But you must respond. Little pushes as you float down stream build up over time.

I think wu wei is a much more realistic approach to problems and challenges people face. It's more human and acknowledges differences among people that are different. It's the antithesis of the eugeneics-like system of capitalism. Often times jumping into things can cause more trauma but can also make you realize it wasn't that bad.

Perhaps you need the right mindset for wu wei to work. You need to be aware that you’re taking action but not forcing anything. That you must be reflective and thinking about the thing in question, how you feel about the thing, and when you can do more and repeat. Be in tune with your body and the task or hobby while directly or indirectly interacting with it. Turn productive procrastination into something productivity. However, I want to be careful of using such charged language like "productivity".

Instead maybe we need to think of hobbies, interests, books we want to read, goals as something else. Something that doesn't align with the capitalist hegemony over culture and language. What are they? Experiences? Elements of you? Something else? Perhaps we need to rethink how we talk, name, and word about those things to make them less overwhelming. Need a new name for these things. Forget goals and hobbies. Experiences, intentions?

We need to try and set our environments up in such a way that reinforces a positive atmosphere. If you can, get some plants, create an environment around you that makes you get good stimuli. Surround yourself with friends and family for support if you can or other communities. Again, use wu wei if you have a hard time. Let the process happen. These little things, material things will compound. Get you to seek new things to try. Little by little.

Perhaps we could refine the practice of wu wei to further encapsulate a full way (Dao) of being contrary to that capitalist hegemony over culture I spoke of. I’m sick and tired of motivational speakers and self help gurus telling me how to live. They WONT help you. Capitalism and government won’t.

We need a new culture of imperfect perfection. But, again, that language still implies a certain expectation in society that exists to be aware of. If we had never invented the concept and word "perfection" perhaps 99-100% of us would be MUCH BETTER OFF. We need to move away from this dystopian newspeak or double speak.

We need something that matches the process, the flow, and acceptance of things as is and to "enjoy the ride". This isnt just with language. But in our thinking too.

I am not sure how to adjust thinking with wu wei. There are parts of me that struggle. I’m unsure how much of it is physical or mental or both. But I cant be expected to be anyone else but me. Any expectations otherwise is idealistic. Here comes my favorite word! Reconciliation. And iteration!

Using Wu Wei to Get Wu Wei (Compounding Wu Wei)

I thought of the achievment of being in that wu wei state as a challenge in of itself. But I haven't seen wu wei be applied to getting into a wu wei state of mind. As in, acceptance of your mind as is to achieve a new state of mind.

I think this starts with an acknowledgement of what your mind does. If you can play with the things your mind does. Leave a note. Write your thoughts in a journal.

Expose yourself to more wu wei concepts. Let it play around in your mind, mingle with your existing chaotic mind. Don’t try to replace thoughts, introduce new thoughts that can play nice with your current ones. So if you’re an obsessive perfectionist, let those thoughts exist. But introduce counteracting thoughts that slowly introduce you to wu wei. "I’m worried about this thing, but I accept I feel that way and myself" "I feel worried and anxious. I gotta do this. But that's ok to feel like this. It's part of the process". Let your thoughts exist. But conclude that you feel that way at least!

Get Creative and Even Indirect With Your Personal Change!

Ideally, we'd need a world in which we have solid community foundations and sense of solidarity and care to enhance human growth and potential. But I think Daoist philosophy and wu wei, especially taken to its extreme can be great and better ways to achieve alternatives to the self help industrial complex. And for what comes after revolution.

Also be sure to keep yourself open to getting a support group or community of shared struggles and interests. This can be very helpful!

But be creative with your own growth, don’t be attatched to the outcome or the "proper" and "effecient" way to get where you "need to be". You are who you are now. It probably won’t be possible to change everything at once. So instead find new creative ways to change through "non-action". These can be direct or indirect. They can be subtle or substantial.

Perhaps explore and research creative ways to change thinking patterns. This will get creative juices flowing. Write down in a journal or diary. Have a public diary where you go through scenerios of action and non-action. Or how you feel about something and challenge it.

Perhaps spend time to practice intentional imperfection and feel that experience. Listen to music to let your thoughts dance around and introduce new challenging perspectives or feelings of the song, have them dance together.

Contridict yourself on purpose! Let yourself be contridictory and practice that back and forth a few times. Accepting both possibilities. Do some non-thinking or imperfect scribbling/doodling. Use "what if" when stressful thoughts come up. Keep a log of imperfect actions and how you acted.

Ask non-action questions like leaving something be. Journal in paradoxes or open-ended questions, like "How do I physically read this book without reading it?" And be reflective of any acceptance or change or growth in tbis area.

Celebrate imperfections, and non-actions. Write them down, how they made you feel and how you can reconcile with change. Environmental settings that remind you of wu wei. Sounds or sights. Reduce effort on things. Choose something to let go of like a typo. Paradoxical affirmations like "I grow by letting myself be still".

The point is, to embrace your own functioning mentally and the potential freedom of action through non-action.

Concluding Thoughts

Journaling for me helps a lot. And this entry made me explore things I didnt think of before like really taking wu wei to an extreme, mentally. And finding creative, direct, indirect ways of slowly accustoming myself to this shift. Perhaps I will take these ideas seriously and turn them into actual diary entries! "Today I read a little bit and picked up my guitar and plucked one string and here is how I feel" or "Today I looked at my guitar and felt nervous here is how I feel, it feels hard to explain but that's ok I can accept that too" and ending with those paradoxical affirmations "I didnt pick up my guitar today but I played with the idea of it and here is how it makes me feel".

These shifts and slowly pushing myself towards more and more action as long as I can tolerate it is great. Cultivate the environment for these changes. The MINDSET is also important to have. All you need is acceptance and a possibility of change. Maybe more I don’t know.

I’m sick of these tough love and hard ass "self care" and hustle culture advice. You don’t need it. Nobody does! Be free with yourself! Adjust yourself as you go! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! Have agency! Autonomy!

[buddhaclap]

You'll find me somewhere between Wu Wei and Wu-tang

[f-angy77]

I was preparing several drawings for one of my favorite TNR character, I think the hate she receives is undeserved when it is the same script that treated her very badly.

I like the concept of this character and it's a shame that they couldn't overexploit her as she deserves.

Headcanon moment:

I like to think that like Astrid, Jun also improved her personality as she grew up.

She still retains her tough character but now she is calmer, also more intelligent, she has a deeper connection with dragons, especially with her dragon.

In a great effort to challenge her mother's thinking about being CEO of the company, she uses her knowledge of mythology to be a researcher, she and Tom would like to discover and study another hidden world.

Plus: She was thinking about cutting her hair but Tom insisted that she not do it, he likes her hair down 💜💙