Don’t Force Anything – Alan Watts — Transcript

Alan Watts explains the Taoist principle of wu wei, emphasizing natural action without force and aligning with the flow of life.

Key Takeaways

Wu wei teaches effortless action in harmony with natural rhythms.
Forcing actions leads to artificiality and disharmony.
True spontaneity arises from deep awareness, not rebellion against rules.
The void or emptiness is the essential foundation of all things.
Childlike wonder and openness are necessary to experience wu wei fully.

Summary

Wu wei is a Taoist principle meaning 'non-forcing' or effortless action.
Forced actions, such as in art or performance, feel unnatural and artificial.
Wu wei is not passivity or laziness but knowing the right moment to act, exemplified by judo.
It is likened to sailing with the tide rather than rowing against it.
Lao Tzu’s teaching states superior virtue acts without intention to be virtuous.
True wu wei is spontaneous and unintentional, unlike inferior wu wei which tries to force itself.
The concept relates to Vedanta’s Brahman, the eternal self beyond description.
Spontaneity requires quieting the mind to discover true desires beyond societal rules.
The void or 'ku' is the foundational space of the universe, which is difficult to define or imagine.
Returning to a childlike state helps perceive the endless mystery and flow of existence.

Chapters

Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

Speaker A

There is a principle called wu wei, meaning none or no negation. Wu wei has a combination of meanings. It can mean action, making, but the best translation I have found for it is forcing. And so, wu wei is the principle of not forcing in anything that you do.

Speaker A

forcing in anything that you do now we know when we watch any performance of an artist be it a dancer or a an actor or a musician we know immediately when the performance is forced and we say it doesn't ring true it's too

Speaker A

Now, we know when we watch any performance of an artist, be it a dancer or an actor or a musician, we know immediately when the performance is forced. And we say it doesn't ring true. It's too artificial. It doesn't seem to be natural.

Speaker A

study Judo [Music] you use Muscle only at the right moment when your opponent is hopelessly overextended and off balance and you add a little muscle to it and you throw him across the room but only then you never use Muscle

Speaker A

Many people who study the Taoist doctrines think that wu wei means do nothing in the sense of laissez-faire, be lazy, always be passive. It doesn't mean that. There is a time for action when you study judo.

Speaker A

get with it wu-way is the art of sailing rather than the art of rowing [Music] so one of the most famous sayings of Lao in the laozer book is superior virtue has no intention to be virtuous and thus

Speaker A

You use muscle only at the right moment, when your opponent is hopelessly overextended and off balance, and you add a little muscle to it and you throw him across the room, but only then. You never use muscle at the wrong moment.

Speaker A

in other words this is say is not a matter of cultivated passivity or even of cultivated spontaneity because there are people who think that they are released [Music] that they have realized that they are the Tao as all of us in fact are or that you are

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For Shakespeare knew perfectly well, there is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at its flood, leads onto fortune. And so, wu wei is based on knowledge of the tide, the drift of things.

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well what they do is they look up the rules on which society runs and do the opposite well that's still running by the rules of society and it's the mirror image in Reverse that's not spontaneity you have to be able to realize that you

Speaker A

Get with it. Wu wei is the art of sailing rather than the art of rowing.

Speaker A

goo the void that's what is important most of us don't know this space it comes down to space always space which nobody can Define nobody can imagine appears to be nothing is the foundation of the universe but you have to become again as a child to

Speaker A

So, one of the most famous sayings of Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching book is: Superior virtue has no intention to be virtuous and thus is virtuous. Inferior virtue cannot let go of virtuosity and thus is not good.

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that this is something that never ends then the child asked about time how long ago is long ago well the Bible says that in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth but what did God do before he did

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So one could also say the real wu wei is not intentional and so is wu wei, but inferior wu wei tries to be wu wei that it isn't.

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never beginning so in the same way you think about death go to sleep and never wake up never why it would be as if you never had existed not only you but everything else which is of course the way things were

Speaker A

In other words, this is to say it is not a matter of cultivated passivity or even of cultivated spontaneity, because there are people who think that they are released, that they have realized that they are the Tao, as all of us in fact are, or that you are.

Speaker A

very funny feeling and children you see love to get into that funny feeling children know all kinds of weird things they like to spin around as fast as possible so they watch the suddenly they're all the ground goes

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To put it into Vedanta terms, every one of us is the Brahman, the eternal self of the universe beyond all description or classification or thought. And say, "Okay baby, I'm that. Now I'm gonna have a ball." Well, what kind of a ball do they have?

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admit it being brought up is being taught not to admit it as you know very well what's going on but in order to find out once more is an adult you have to become again as a child so what does that involve

Speaker A

Well, what they do is they look up the rules on which society runs and do the opposite. Well, that's still running by the rules of society, and it's the mirror image in reverse. That's not spontaneity. You have to be able to realize that you don't know what you really want to do until you are very quiet and it tells you.

Speaker A

again when you go out if you feel unsafe without it [Music] I'm not trying to argue you out of your opinions and views I'm merely suggesting that for the sake of an experiment with temporarily suspended and view what is

Speaker A

See, we are in heaven now because the Earth is a spaceship and heaven is space, what is called in Chinese and Japanese, "ku," the void. That's what is important. Most of us don't know this space. It comes down to space, always space, which nobody can define, nobody can imagine, appears to be nothing, is the foundation of the universe.

Speaker A

possible to compel yourselves into this way of looking at things because what Buddhists call habit energy is going on on on on and as I talk to you you will find yourselves thinking in a compulsive and habitual way this is read this is

Speaker A

But you have to become again as a child to see that. Are you? Go back to your childhood. What were the fascinating things? What's out there? What's beyond the stars? How long does it go on? And mama said it goes on always and always and always. The child wonders. It's excited that this is something that never ends.

Speaker A

like shapes in the spray as the sea breaks on the rocks now please don't get agitated that this is an anti-intellectual point of view this is undermining the value of logic and reasons on that we will bring all

Speaker A

Then the child asks about time. How long ago is long ago? Well, the Bible says that in the beginning God created the heaven and the Earth, but what did God do before he did that?

Topics:Alan Wattswu weiTaoismTao Te Chingeffortless actionnon-forcingspontaneityLao TzuVedantaphilosophy

Frequently Asked Questions

What does wu wei mean according to Alan Watts?

Wu wei means non-forcing or effortless action. It is acting in harmony with the natural flow of life rather than forcing things to happen.

Is wu wei about being passive or lazy?

No, wu wei is not passivity or laziness. It involves knowing the right moment to act effectively, like using muscle only when the opponent is off balance in judo.

How can one practice wu wei in daily life?

Practicing wu wei involves quieting the mind, becoming aware of the natural flow or 'tide' of events, and acting spontaneously without forcing or resisting.

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