Wu Wei and the Taoist Philosophy of Non-Action.
By Stephen Marsh

Wu wei simply means non-action, and represents the Taoist ideal that the natural state of things is preferable to the artificial. “Do not act deliberately to achieve greatness, and greatness will be achieved.” Inherent in this principle are several ideas about how non-action can be applied to life. Lao Tzu tells us that Heaven and Earth are not deliberate; they simply exist naturally. As humans we should live in this state, and not interfere by acting. The sage finishes his tasks but does not take possession of them, or try to dominate them. Finally, the way of Tao is vacuous. Tao seeks to decrease to the point of non-action and non-being. It is in this non-being that the most can be achieved.

Heaven and Earth do not act deliberately or with intention. They are said to “regard all people as straw dogs,” meaning there is no preference in nature. When an apple falls off a tree, it does not fall with the intention of hitting the ground. It simply falls because gravity pulls it toward the earth, and that is the way of nature. Human society is in contrast to nature because we act with premeditation. But, the sage “supports all things in their natural state but does not take any action.” Lao Tzu’s example of this is a good ruler who does not brag about his victories or try to dominate his empire. To take action on the world is to harm it.

Taoists believe that the principle of wu wei is the most effective method of accomplishment.  This is because this belief does not simply mean doing nothing. To follow wu is to act without action and do without doing. The Taoist leaves nothing undone. However he does not take possession of his actions. Taoism warns not to value your treasure, not to boast about your accomplishments, and not to praise successes. These are all actions and can be lost. Instead, you should not desire to accomplish a feat, or take possession of it when it is earned. Be empty and vacuous. Zhuangzi explains this by saying that if you grasp nothing you can loose nothing. If you do not act or possess anything, you cannot fail, and you cannot loose anything. This is therefore the ideal way to live.

Taoism, which seeks to decrease to nonbeing, is quite opposite of the current western attitude of “more is better.” So, while I can agree with parts of this philosophy, I think I would find it hard to fully implement in my life.

I agree with the Taoist view that nature exists impartially. The fact that the wind or trees exist without intent seems to be exactly what distinguishes human society from nature. However, to abandon the intentional and conscious side of human beings would be to deny what defines humanity. I believe it is incorrect to say that action or desire is in and of itself evil, but I do agree that too much desire can cloud what is important in life. We should try to live in balance with nature and not try to twist Heaven and Earth to suit our artificial needs.

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