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Wu Wei: Do Without Doing

By Steve Clayton

We, as a culture, have become obsessed with the notion that we should always be doing something, or else we are wasting precious time. Ironically, the last fifty years have introduced us to an incredible array of gadgets that really are a marvel but which allow us to waste time at an incredible rate. Even when we become dissatisfied with the latest gadgets we often buy others in our quest to fill the gap.

This idea of constantly ‘doing’ is so ingrained in us, that people who have spontaneously awoken to the conundrum of always ‘doing’ and begun to walk a more spiritual path may ask, “What can I be doing to help speed up the process of enlightenment?”

This answer is: Wei Wu Wei. Simply put, Wei Wu Wei means, “to do without doing”. Put another way, it means simply to be…to be in your space; to be in touch with who you are. Let the good things happen.

There is meditation, self reflection, yoga, Tai Chi, and countless other ways to discover who you really are. The key is not to try to find yourself, for even you have set or preconditioned ideas of whom you are. We are told our whole lives who we are and it can be quite hard to ignore a lifetime of conditioning.

There exists a meditation that helps you focus on the gap (space/time) between each breath rather than the breath itself, but it really does not matter how you obtain the gap. Once you get there, removed from all external influences, what you will find is unique. Without even looking, you will discover the authentic YOU. This ‘new’ discovery will bring you peace and happiness because everything will feel so right that you just accept it. With this acceptance you will find that the discombobulated pieces of your life will start to fit together in harmony. All this will happen without you doing anything other than being still long enough to meet the real you.

Author

  • Steve Clayton

    Steve is a compassionate, wise energy healer who helps people and animals regain their inner balance. For years, he supported the local holistic community as the founder and organizer of the Riverview Holistic Fairs, and as a member of the Riverview Health and Wellness Committee.

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