Lao Tzu - "Do Nothing", Achieve Everything

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  • Опубліковано 3 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 502

  • @FreedominThought
    @FreedominThought  3 роки тому +46

    Thanks to Morning Brew for sponsoring this video! If you’re looking for a more productive way to spend your mornings (rather than scrolling through social media), check them out: bit.ly/mbfreedominthought

    • @Jackgritty28
      @Jackgritty28 3 роки тому +1

      It sounds like an interesting concept, could be the way of thee future, who knows, what knowledge says that we must be effective to succeed , so the opposite would be do nothing but still succeed at everything, the trick is to take drugs without taking drugs, if your searching for a natural high, society needs you to be practical, if you don't have a good job you won't please others, if there's no real consequences then you follow the path of least resistance if your not forced to do anything,you say why I'll say why not,why do anything,if I could live off crypto currency💲,i wouldnt have to work for a living🆗🆘🚩✅

  • @michailvoivod4944
    @michailvoivod4944 3 роки тому +326

    For me personally, as it is personally to you, Wu Wei is the action of non action. I have practiced meditation for 7 years very seriously. I can, with the right technique, enter a state of 'in the moment.' In this specific state, I distance myself from thoughts, and foster feelings as a natural occurrence of my body. I have understood (i am aware) that my thoughts are just thoughts, and I can choose to engage with them or not. Yet, my goal is not to be thoughtless. Yet, to be meaningful in my thoughts. I will be honest and say that the majority of my thoughts happen without my will. They are a natural occurrence of a certain formula that I have set in my head. Psychologically speaking, my thoughts are self generated by my brain, without my direct control. If for instance, I have a conversation with someone, i have noticed how different ideas pop up, pending on the type of synapses that I have created thus far. So if my mood, emotions, conscious actions are in a certain way, naturally the mind (brain) will follow. We are so much in our minds, that we are a lot of the time unable to notice what is in front of us. For example you, scrolling down the comments sections, shows an instinct of curiosity. My point is this, the mind is a complicated map. It is the size of the universe, and more. Your world is your world and you are the only one who can experience it. How you choose to live your life is up to you. But living a happy and truthful life requires your attention. This will be my last point. You go out for a run. You think of a million different things. You engage with your thoughts and you might wish to turn them real. But let's say, you run, and instead of focusing on your mind, you focus on the birds that form that amazing V formation. It is wonderful, you had never thought that something so small and insignificant to your life can show signs of pure consciousness. You admire for 3 4 minutes the beauty in their flight, and start to understand their logic (of better said intuition). Nevertheless it makes sense. In either scenarios, you are still you. There is no right or wrong way. Both actions happen at the same time, yet, still they are seen from different places in your mind. To be Wu Wei, is to be in the present. To admire the beauty in front of you, while becoming wise with your thoughts. You may never achieve this. Yet this is not the point. The point is, if you feel that your instincts push you to watch and observe, why not follow and allow your consciousness to develop.

    • @zackarymomoh6784
      @zackarymomoh6784 3 роки тому

      Poignantly put

    • @taha7shaikh
      @taha7shaikh 3 роки тому +2

      Thanks for your advice

    • @strix3827
      @strix3827 3 роки тому +11

      This is so cool, I've been meditating for 4 months I've realized that I'm not my thoughts but my thoughts are what controls my emotions and overall understanding of a particular subject, so I think we should seek of how to think differently, it's all about how our psychology is structured. We should try to change it if we need it. And most of us need in these times the most.

    • @ElmerMarvin
      @ElmerMarvin 2 роки тому

      Thank you

    • @АлександраГришина-с5р
      @АлександраГришина-с5р 2 роки тому

      I really don't understand it. Be in the moment... Well, I do. I mean this is obvious. What else to do? That's natural when you're not worried, though worrying is natural too. But why to turn this 'be in the moment' into religion and repeat it over and over again as some holy truth?

  • @Janrick0518
    @Janrick0518 3 роки тому +772

    What a perfect time to watch philosophy

  • @ngohaiminh1269
    @ngohaiminh1269 3 роки тому +147

    Very deep insights!
    The first fundamental thing is to believe in yourself, in your destiny. The real problem right now is we have tons of sharing, talks, advice which lead to misunderstanding for many people. So to be quiet, listen to your heart and follow intuition is not easy!

    • @kendallwright7222
      @kendallwright7222 3 роки тому +6

      Well said.
      Simple, but not easy!

    • @BubbyBold
      @BubbyBold 3 роки тому

      This sounds impractical. We as humans thrive by relying on one another, to rely purely on yourself invites failure as much as relying too much on others.

    • @solonada9602
      @solonada9602 3 роки тому

      The last person I would trust is myself. I can never ensure that what I do or what I say is proper and correct. Even if I state such obvious facts as 2+2=4, I still anticipate criticism; I still believe that someone is going to point out that my statement was wrong.
      For this reason, I solely rely on others, and never on myself. Moreover, I wish I had never existed.

    • @vicoli89
      @vicoli89 3 роки тому +1

      @@solonada9602 You have not tried because it’s hard. It’s hard because you haven’t tried.

    • @mdmmalou
      @mdmmalou 2 роки тому

      @@solonada9602 It may well be that the critical voices in your head are not your own. As a child we are programmed by family, parents, teacher etc. We are then molded to the projection of the opinions/thoughts of others. We adopt their opinion and 'truth' about us, without even realizing we only learn to think like them. Many never find out, and indulge in programmed thoughts and lies of others. It takes courage and time to detach yourself from those implanted thoughts, bc who are you then...? Very interesting though. 😉

  • @mikavahle5905
    @mikavahle5905 3 роки тому +343

    How could it be that every piece of philosophy I made up for myself can be found in the thoughts of other humans who thought about it in a similar way. What a pleasant coincidence to be able to give it an official name now. Its just so nice to see that your thoughts can be revisited in the telling(s) of someone else. (sorry for my English, I hope I didn't get the word wrong)
    What a peculiar thing that makes me wonder, it's an experience that makes me happy and thankful in some kind of way
    Your Channel is a treasure
    :)

    • @formula1340
      @formula1340 3 роки тому +14

      maybe we have same experiences in life and hence we came up same ideas and philosophy. Actually, many religions have same concepts and philosophies, just different name. For example, taoism and buddhism shares many same teachings in life. You could also include stoicism in this group.

    • @jamisonu6964
      @jamisonu6964 3 роки тому +20

      That's what's amazing about the internet cause imagine how lonely it would be thinking only these thoughts by yourself

    • @vanceaskance884
      @vanceaskance884 3 роки тому +14

      Hey, this might sound crazy but i feel so vonnected with your comment.

    • @FestivaLagoon
      @FestivaLagoon 3 роки тому +9

      What's up with everyone apologising for their English?

    • @bye7451
      @bye7451 3 роки тому +2

      algorithm

  • @Sol-ui2if
    @Sol-ui2if 3 роки тому +184

    This is my simple truth: I don't mind what happens.
    Those who understand the meaning of this powerful statement are indeed wise.
    Those who genuinely live by this statement, are already sages.
    Stay blessed.

    • @randomperson11yago22
      @randomperson11yago22 3 роки тому

      @77ranko nice

    • @randomperson11yago22
      @randomperson11yago22 3 роки тому +2

      @77ranko Thank you for the explanation and examples. It is a very big help to me ☺️ Keep it up! Have a great day

    • @babaylanx
      @babaylanx 3 роки тому

      @77ranko thank you so much I really needed this today! Especially I'm tired running on circles it's tiring I have to accept I'm really mentally ill, the way I think is really wrong I know that it will take time but I want you to know this just saved me so I'll probably screenshot it... Thanks!

    • @randomperson11yago22
      @randomperson11yago22 3 роки тому +1

      @@babaylanx I hope the process will be quick yet, gives you a great experience about it. Good luck ☺️

    • @babaylanx
      @babaylanx 3 роки тому

      @@randomperson11yago22 well I'm also stuck on mindset that process takes time and sometimes it doesn't really apply on anything, I just want to reset ugj

  • @harleelroyalqueenzel3451
    @harleelroyalqueenzel3451 2 роки тому +2

    U just made me cry bro, so much pain from your words because ,they are truthful af. Well for me they are because, I play games, n eat junk all day. However I’m also on a healing journey where I view my thoughts n emotions as I’m going through my day to day…almost everyone I know is working,but me, so this brings a lot of shame, and guilt. I would literally force myself to do what everyone else was doing, because of the beliefs of “if u not working then u not doing anything” THAT HURT ME IN THE LONG RUN SO MUCH! just with going to work my body would literally beat me up ,n I wouldn’t even be there no longer then 2 to 1 hour. I got curious about my body pain ,and my thoughts ,n emotions. Learning that we make our destiny was a hard pill to swallow, because I was following my family’s way, n anyone else’s ways that I inspired to be like I never truly accepted myself until this healing journey I came across…watching this video shows me exactly what I need to do in my next steps…( subscribed) truly appreciated to have seen this. Thank u for giving me answers I’ve been looking for I will never forget this shit.

  • @redfullmoon
    @redfullmoon 3 роки тому +62

    As a writer, my only contention with the word "sincere" or the word "sincerity" is that, while it is genuine and comes from a place of authenticity, does not capture the concept of "instinctual" or "intuitive" action that wu weo implies. Sincerity as you explained it still implies mental activity, when the concept of wu wei means disengaging the mental mind so that the intuition, the HIGHER mind beyond the brain mind can take over and guide our actions, hence not forcing but "flowing" as my taichi teacher loves to say.

    • @mikavahle5905
      @mikavahle5905 3 роки тому

      There is an awesome word for Sincerity: In Havaiian it's called ʻOiaʻiʻo

  • @GiianniR
    @GiianniR 2 роки тому +1

    "Without should"
    Beautiful!

  • @RealJamieBarclay
    @RealJamieBarclay 3 роки тому +142

    After learning about this concept, I align my life so that everything feels "effortless"
    My work should feel effortless to work at.
    My friends and relationships should feel effortless to spend time with.
    My daily exercise should feel effortless to do.
    This concept has absolutely changed my life in the most incredible way.

    • @sans4124
      @sans4124 3 роки тому +4

      That just means you are doing the easy stuff and if you manage to win with than then gg

    • @RealJamieBarclay
      @RealJamieBarclay 3 роки тому +5

      @@sans4124 It's not so much that it's easy stuff, more so that I just naturally do it. It's easy to clean your room but a lot of people don't do that. I currently post youtube videos on the side for example, which requires a lot of research, then I have to film and I do a lot of editing. I wouldn't consider all that easy personally, but I find myself doing all of it without having to force myself.

    • @sans4124
      @sans4124 3 роки тому +3

      @@RealJamieBarclay Oh that effortless as in requiring minimum mental effort

    • @RealJamieBarclay
      @RealJamieBarclay 3 роки тому +7

      @@sans4124 Sort of yea. There's just hardly any mental resistance to doing it.

    • @Sol-ui2if
      @Sol-ui2if 3 роки тому +7

      The power of non action.
      The effortless way of living where what is yours, comes to you and what is not, goes away. It's all vibrational.
      Stay still. Stillness reveals the secrets of the Universe.

  • @exploradordeideas6393
    @exploradordeideas6393 3 роки тому +60

    Read with alan Watts voice:
    There is a principle called wuwei…
    No action, not doing
    But the best translation I have found is not forcing.
    When a performer force,
    It doesn’t seem to be natural”

  • @adamcampbell2787
    @adamcampbell2787 3 роки тому +70

    To be honest, I feel like you're trying too hard to explain it as more than it has to be.
    We Wei is like a state of being in "flow." Athletes talk about being "in the zone" and anyone who has mastered a repetitive task can achieve this sort of mental state. While in "the zone" you don't have to think about what you're doing. You just do it, and beyond that you're able to do so almost effortlessly. You're truly going with the flow.
    The key to my own experiences with wu Wei has been preparedness. Knowing what I need to do, knowing what I need to have ready in order to do what I need to do, and taking the steps to have everything in place before I begin. Suddenly it's like dominoes falling in a row, and the energy carries me where I need to go because I have removed the obstacles from my path.

    • @dotpixell
      @dotpixell 3 роки тому +6

      this makes more sense. thanks for sharing. i feel like the boat example is not really following the flow, he was just ignorant lmao. but if the case is athlete, it would be make sense to me.

  • @_NguyenTrinhNguyenPho
    @_NguyenTrinhNguyenPho 3 роки тому +2

    I found this channel several weeks ago. This is such a great place for me to cultivate and develop my mental health. During the lockdown of covid 19, i got some mental problems and i could not know how to escape from it. Thank u for bringing many philosophical lessons to my life !

  • @stalolsen5253
    @stalolsen5253 3 роки тому +2

    I've been awake for 10 minutes, so thanks for giving me a good start to the day

  • @leocarbaugh5074
    @leocarbaugh5074 2 роки тому +2

    No more searching, you can only have what you have in THIS moment. In this moment, right now, things are as they are and can not be any different. It's effortless.

  • @rolandoe.diazolivom.d.4777
    @rolandoe.diazolivom.d.4777 3 роки тому +10

    Wu Wei could be loosely translated as: "Let yourself get carried away. Trust."

  • @joshchristopher551
    @joshchristopher551 3 роки тому +1

    Dont worry too much over things that are beyond our possession, just do your best in your current position.

  • @ArkianBeats
    @ArkianBeats 3 роки тому +1

    Hey. just wanted to sincerely say thank you to you for this video in personal. watched this video 2 days ago. so initially I like the idea of working hard with the mindset of "should, should, should, i should done this, i should done that in order to get this to get that" and that, honestly give me certain of anxiety on how i want things would turned out. this video came up in the right time. i like the idea of "idk, i just do it with no reason" but virtually there's a reason why i do it subconciously (i do art, graphic design and music btw, as a career it can be very stressful) but when you reframe the way of your thinking with this framework, everything just made sense and it made you less stressed out by all those unnecessary "shoulds". sure goal setting is cool and all, but sincerity is the most important thing here. art has always been a form of sincerity right? it comes from the bottom of your heart. i will try to apply this wisdom into every aspects of my life. thank you again for this great video 🙏 bless

  • @alexisjesusgonzalez5074
    @alexisjesusgonzalez5074 3 роки тому +1

    You just uploaded this.
    This is a synchronicity for me, just opened Tao Te Ching in my kindle and watched a video about this in the morning, time to go deep into this and apply the doing without doing.
    Thank you

  • @sensus_pragma
    @sensus_pragma 3 роки тому +2

    Your explanation of wu wei is the first one I found that actually makes sense. Thank you for sharing.

  • @youbute4877
    @youbute4877 3 роки тому

    The ad in the end sounded so soothing that I listened to it till the end, I usually never do that. The background music was nice and calm. I liked it.

  • @saraboushi2754
    @saraboushi2754 2 роки тому

    thank you for this video. for a long time i asked myself why does everyone seem to know how to act, and admired how their good and wise actions were reciprocated with more connection, more friendships, and more meaningfulness and happiness. i noticed that they "understand things" more than me. Then i blamed myself for not understanding and felt even more paralyzed as i did not know, what should you do in order to understand things? what is the thought process? this video was enlightening, and i noticed that, the more i let my brain worry and get anxious about "learning" something or understanding people, the more it clouds up and gets involved with itself as opposed to involving with the thing i am trying to learn; thus enter extreme frustration and self-depreciation. What i'm supposed to do is: relax, flow. our brains will automatically learn and draw conclusions from the experiences they go through. so, all knowledge and understanding will eventually come along, i just have to not force it and "clench" my imaginary "cognitive jaw". This comment was a personal effort to pin down and clarify my own thoughts, hope it helps someone else too, to understand their selves more. we all are human that's why we relate.

  • @peuheise
    @peuheise 3 роки тому +1

    I'm 17 as I'm writing this. About a year and a half ago, with random conversation with strangers, I stumbled into the Taoism world. People first told me about Wabi-Sabi (which is basically the beauty in the imperfection, correct me if I'm wrong pls), and I was fascinated in everything in this culture, it just seemed so right. After more research I began to know more about Taoism and Wu Wei, and "the way", and "nothingness", and I've been trying to live by it ever since.
    In the literall sense, Wu Wei would mean doing nothing, as to, let your life be your life, and let it guide you through its own journey. But I partially disagree. I think it means doing what you can, without being emotionally targetted into failure or sucess, so nothing is as it may seem. If one wins something, one most likely gets happy. If one loses something, one most likely gets sad. But I dont think it should be that way. I think facts are just facts and they just happen, you are the one who chooses how to feel. A knife normally seems harmless, but to a person who has been stabbed, a knife is a bad thing. That goes for everything.

    • @ohnoo4468
      @ohnoo4468 3 роки тому +1

      But happiness and sadness are natural parts of life too, no? Isn’t fighting against certain feelings still forcing?

    • @peuheise
      @peuheise 3 роки тому +1

      @@ohnoo4468 ohh nice point! I guess what I was trying to say is that we shouldn't cling to these feelings, you know? I don't think it's bad to feel these things, I just think we should be careful with them. Sadness for example. Many people, when sad, tend to suffer right? And we don't need to suffer, we can always be sad, it's a part of life, but the suffering and the stress and anxiety are all consequences that we choose to have. At least I see it that way, I tend to think that a life without suffering is a happier life!! :)

    • @ohnoo4468
      @ohnoo4468 3 роки тому

      @@peuheise I totally agree!

  • @lillianmurphy3937
    @lillianmurphy3937 3 роки тому +1

    I love your videos. One of the most informative & inspiring channels on UA-cam!

  • @tusharmhatre7609
    @tusharmhatre7609 Рік тому

    It is my thought that bringing should in your thinking actually helps to do things at right time and if you dont do right things at right time you will stay in the same place but i loved how you showed what wu wei is and how not to take it negatively but positively and act on it.

  • @carolinamachado6668
    @carolinamachado6668 2 роки тому

    This channel is unbelievable it adds so much in such little time and it’s fun and simple

  • @Stracciulein
    @Stracciulein 3 роки тому +6

    nice video. I interpret this concept differently. I like to believe that he's referring to when you truly stop chasing goals after goals, you end up achieve them instantly (happiness). We try to achieve goals to feel happy with ourself, but this is an illusion because you can achieve happiness anytime you want. So when you don't set goals it's like you automatically achieve them, because you instantly feel the same as when you would reach the goal. Also, after one achieve a goal, he immediately chase another one, making it an endless loop that he can't stop. Happiness in this case is only temporary. If you stop chasing, you remove these illusions in your mind and you'll soon realize that you don't have to achieve anything because you already got everything you wanted.

    • @derealratos6332
      @derealratos6332 2 роки тому +1

      the key to happiness is to set goals, but reward your efforts, not the results. Thank me when you're rich.

  • @alexandraalmanzar570
    @alexandraalmanzar570 3 роки тому

    I think he did really good in his explanation. Other people usually like explain this concept and they stay attached to the objective definitions of it. But the truth is that Chinese is sprinkled with a lot of subjectivity so by you adding the "sincere" to it, it brings on a whole lot of meaning to the concept and really helps color the understanding. So, thank you. You did great!

  • @Adriancatdad
    @Adriancatdad 3 роки тому

    Wow this is the first UA-cam video that tells me that whatever I'm doing with my life isn't entirely wrong. Thanks 👍🏻

  • @dmtdreamz7706
    @dmtdreamz7706 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you so much for all your love and all your encouragement. We love you. Thank you.

  • @cesarmo469
    @cesarmo469 3 роки тому +4

    Interesting definition of sincerity. My initial reaction is that there are many things we are forced to do where our heart is not really into it. In other words, we are just going through the motions which might be misinterpreted as going with the flow. The missing element of sincerity (could it also be called genuine motivation) seems to define the difference. Thank you for this video and expanding my understanding.

  • @BitcoinFootball
    @BitcoinFootball 3 роки тому +1

    After 5-6 months of learning to day trade , I went from losing regularly to rarely losing. You simply have to drop the training wheels and go your own way after trying to learn by following a guru. Once you take charge and believe that you are doing enough you'll see opportunities everyday. I just had to stop worrying about failure and use my own creativity to find interesting trades.

  • @inthemomenttomoment
    @inthemomenttomoment 3 роки тому +6

    The text translation from Chinese to English is a cultural difficulty, as it is, so when they say, "Doing nothing", it means, "Act as if you're doing some- thing as if it were nothing in order to be sincerely effortless". This entails not forcing or pushing your way over The Way to really accomplish it. For example, a musician plays the hard music effortlessly because the note is not forced from the instrument & smoothness is naturally attainable.

  • @likemo722
    @likemo722 3 роки тому

    One thing I like about this channel is this guy lays out his ideas. Even if u disagree with him, you can always point to specific points to say yes, that's where I disagree. In other words, this channel good

  • @relaxingtopology256
    @relaxingtopology256 3 роки тому +2

    Do not be overly critical of the video game medium. Do not think of them as a waste of time. Many of the classical JRPGs from the nineties and early 2000's are literary masterpieces, such as those discussed in State of The Arc Podcast and Retrograde Amnesia, like Xenogears, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Final Fantasy VIII, and while they are time-consuming, they are neither a waste of time nor a vice. They are deeply political and spiritual in nature, contributing to many older gamers' sense of spiritual wholeness and emotional well-being. Everything else in this video is spot on.

  • @adityawagh8987
    @adityawagh8987 3 роки тому

    For me wu wei is not abandoning common sense. But living in harmony with oneself and other.

  • @tushaar39
    @tushaar39 3 роки тому +3

    I recently came across this channel. Thank you so much brother for sharing everything on your channel. Your voice and your level of explanation is truly awesome! I never skip ads in your videos just to appreciate the hardwork that you put in to make these awesome videos.

  • @acraze2287
    @acraze2287 3 роки тому +27

    I just noticed that wu-wei sounds like oogway, the wise turtle in Kung fu panda. Holy crap and his philosophy was similar to this, this is mind blowing...

    • @stephaniemorales6089
      @stephaniemorales6089 3 роки тому

      LOL FR

    • @李心-o5f
      @李心-o5f 3 роки тому +4

      Kung fu is a martial art developed by daoism. And wu wei is the main principle of daoism. So that is why kung fu panda is actually daoist cartoon as winnie the pooh.

    • @milkyway6021
      @milkyway6021 3 роки тому

      uhm… are you okay?

  • @eternalwaze2889
    @eternalwaze2889 3 роки тому +1

    Best explanation why still most of us getting suffered emotionally, mentally and spiritually as well because we focused our sincerity on a wrong way not on our way which we always wanted to be, if you want to achieve what you want to achieve you must have a sincerity on your action even sometimes wothout a purpose just for your self!

  • @prithvirajpawar5797
    @prithvirajpawar5797 3 роки тому +4

    Your voice is so good that anything you say feels like wise words

  • @rickmiller8893
    @rickmiller8893 3 роки тому

    Makes a lot of sense. Better to not inflict your own perceptions for others, but only worry about your own (but don't worry), and never let your own perceptions be dependent on others, or you may never feel truly happy with what you are naturally geared to. But be mindful, as that can change as well, and so can your ability to be truly happy based on who you are. Know that, and know it for others so that we don't criticize or think of others based on their own progress, compared to your own. Once you know and do that..shut up. If you don't..shut up. It's both everything and nothing at the same time.

  • @kenwen7791
    @kenwen7791 3 роки тому

    I think your opinion is wonderful this time and in that you divide the philosophy into detail like always, it helps me understand the smaller how to. Especially in wu wei, when you subdivided it into smaller steps such as involvement, sincerity and feedback alongside giving the examples has never been more helpful.

  • @smorik00
    @smorik00 3 роки тому +24

    This sounds very similar to getting to a state of flow and deep work

    • @Schitcum
      @Schitcum 3 роки тому +2

      Well the whole “state of flow” and “deep work” aspect was just borrowed from toaism. It pops up in stoicism as well but it just means doing something for the sake of doing it, alan watts talks about it a lot

  • @gzayas08
    @gzayas08 3 роки тому +2

    What a wonderful video. I generally understood Wu Wei as unforced action - as a performer who makes it look easy - but this video takes great detail to explain what that actually entails. Bravo!

  • @TEAforMIND
    @TEAforMIND 3 роки тому +71

    "Rushing into action, you fail.
    Trying to grasp things, you lose them.
    Forcing a project to completion,
    you ruin what was almost ripe.
    Therefore the Master takes action,
    by letting things take their course.
    He remains as calm at the end,
    as at the beginning.
    He has nothing,
    thus has nothing to lose.
    What he desires is non-desire;
    what he learns is to unlearn.
    He simply reminds people,
    of who they have always been.
    He cares about nothing but the Tao.
    Thus he can care for all things."
    Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching.

  • @ouioui6377
    @ouioui6377 3 роки тому +1

    Very sincere of you to make this video

  • @willieluncheonette5843
    @willieluncheonette5843 2 роки тому

    " These three great Masters remained individuals. Once in a while somebody was impressed by their writings, but it remained intellectual, so there is no hope in the near future of Lieh Tzu, Chuang Tzu or Lao Tzu being born again in China, or their influence in any way changing the course of China’s history, because in fact they have never been of any great importance in China’s mind. Confucius and Lao Tzu were contemporaries. Confucius had even gone to meet Lao Tzu, because Lao Tzu was certainly a man of tremendous qualities. Confucius was a great thinker, but only a thinker. He had nothing as far as his own inner consciousness is concerned, no experience, no idea who he is, but he had planned for the society perfectly well, a very mannered, cultured society.
    Hearing that Lao Tzu was nearby, living in a cave beyond the lake, he went to see him. A few of his disciples also went, but he told them, “You wait outside the cave.” They said, “Why? It will be good, we can listen.” He said, “You don’t understand. I will tell you the reason later on. Let me go first. If I feel it right I will call you in.”
    They stayed outside, Confucius went in. Lao Tzu was sitting silently. He did not say to Confucius even to sit down, and Confucius was man of manners, etiquette. He had not expected that a great sage, Lao Tzu, would not even ask. He did not say hello or even hi - even that short form, “hi.” He simply sat down, looking at Confucius, and Confucius said, “Sir, don’t you believe in manners?”
    Lao Tzu laughed. He said, ‘I thought you knew all the manners - what is the need for me to tell you? If you feel like sitting, you will sit down! You are not a man who does not know manners. If you like to stand up, it is my etiquette not to disturb you. You can stand up!” Confucius said, “But you… you did not even say hello.” Lao Tzu said, “I said it. You could not hear it. It was a test: I said it silently. I wanted to know whether the famous philosopher Confucius understands silence or not. So you understand only words - that much is decided! And you have expectations. You cannot sit down on your own, you have to be told. This cave does not belong to me. When I came here, nobody said ‘sit down,’ because nobody was here. Why should I say it? It is not my cave, nothing belongs to me. Just the way I am sitting, you can sit down. You are not a child to be told.”
    Confucius had never met such a man. And on each point he was rebuffed badly. Then Lao Tzu said, “If you really want to learn anything, first go and renounce all the idiots you have collected as your disciples. You don’t know anything and you have thousands of disciples. It is hilarious! You just go and tell them the truth, that you don’t know anything, and then come, because I teach only if somebody does not know. If he knows it already, why should he bother me? An old man… Leave me alone!”
    Confucius came out, and he had not the courage to say to his disciples that he did not know. He had thousands of disciples, he was the most famous man at that time. Very few people knew about Lao Tzu. Confucius has remained a shadow over the whole of Chinese history. It is only somewhere in the footnotes you can find the name of Lao Tzu.
    Confucius was not courageous enough to say “I do not know.” The disciples said “You didn’t ask us to come in. He said, “It was good that I didn’t ask you to come in. And please don’t ask the reason. That man is not a man; he is a dragon. He is dangerous, avoid him as far as possible. This is my first and last meeting with that old guy!”
    And he was perspiring. It was a cold morning and the cave was very cool, but he was perspiring. The disciples said, “But why are you perspiring?” He said, “I am alive - that’s enough! Just take me away from here.”"

  • @FirstRisingSouI
    @FirstRisingSouI 3 роки тому +4

    What a perfect message for me to hear right now.

  • @pts13miffy16
    @pts13miffy16 3 роки тому +2

    This is exactly how I learnt and got good at my current job, I didn’t think anything I just did what felt best at any given moment with sincerity and yeah I learnt much better then revising off a paper for a test. I just zone out go into a flow like state where I’m just doing jobs as they pop up without thinking 🤔

  • @ibara6205
    @ibara6205 2 роки тому +2

    i dont know what to do i dont have dream other than a good simple life

  • @carlojohntingson4981
    @carlojohntingson4981 3 роки тому +59

    I just want to say THANK YOU! 🙏 for what you do. Your contents are amazing and are helping me see the world in a better perspective. You are helping me put into words the things in my head. Thank you!

  • @MZ.steve23
    @MZ.steve23 3 роки тому +3

    I love the way how he explain this philosophy, help me understand better, Thank you !

  • @charlesdahmital8095
    @charlesdahmital8095 2 роки тому +1

    A Bukowski version of Wu Wei is his 'Don't Try'.

  • @Birdsplant
    @Birdsplant 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you for your wise reflection. 🙏😌
    I also discovered these beautiful laws of Wu-Wei built into the universe when I really understood authentic Islam (peaceful willful sincere surrender to the Creator). I have now become finely tuned to the natural fluid processes of self regulation that occur within me throughout the day...letting go of forcing, or trying to control. My full prostration prayers at 5 times in the day are instructed by my Creator to maintain this beautiful "Wu- Wei" state. It has triggered within me an authentic interactive relationship with the Creator that I cannot even begin to describe. "And whoever surrenders his consciousness to God, He will provide for them in ways that they never expected. And whoever puts their full trust in God, He alone will be sufficient for him. Indeed God will accomplish His purpose, for He has set for everything a decreed measurement." (Quran 65:2-3)

  • @ilsemarielaperezflores3212
    @ilsemarielaperezflores3212 3 роки тому +2

    It's weird, lately I have realized my weirdness and how people avoid even talking to me on the internet, but I think in a certain way there is a reason to understand that, and see beyond everything and Accepting that sincerity and external response exist and my ability to adapt is key to getting closer to what I want to achieve.

  • @ogsxl
    @ogsxl 3 роки тому

    Great, ive studied wu wei for time and also arrived at the value lf sincerity

  • @UVGOETZ
    @UVGOETZ 2 роки тому

    I look at wu wei as acceptance, as going with things, as not trying to change things, as letting things be, as being willing, as not trying to do anything special, and as getting used to doing all of this, moment by moment, as life goes on.

  • @PickledPixiePie
    @PickledPixiePie 2 роки тому

    This describes by take on virtue perfectly. I say that one must live by their own moral code. When these morals become second nature, they are therefore inscribed onto the tablet of your heart and have become virtue, which is effortless. Morals manifest as muscle memory, instinct. There is no trying, only Being. I am who I am.

  • @moogthemog7061
    @moogthemog7061 2 роки тому

    i discovered your channel today and i love your videos! they are so simple to understand, thank you for these

  • @sonias9722
    @sonias9722 3 роки тому

    Clicked so fast, seems this Lao Tzu is my kind of person

  • @catblack7349
    @catblack7349 2 роки тому +1

    Taoist ideas think that human beings are able to contact themselves to the universe by using their brains . When you can make it,your spirit is integrated with the universe,you become immortal,an existence godlike

  • @MrSaemichlaus
    @MrSaemichlaus 3 роки тому +1

    Sometimes I forget that my mind (soul, spirit) and my body are on the same team. "Me" is mostly my mind, while my body tends to move independant from my mind because there's no teamwork anyways. Your mind is a good slave. But a bad master.

  • @jcbs
    @jcbs 3 роки тому +1

    the “involvement” that you speak of hides your “shoulds”.

    • @carles3316
      @carles3316 3 роки тому

      True. You shouldn't walk a new/unknokwn path without being a very good spotter

  • @socialmediaalliance
    @socialmediaalliance 3 роки тому +1

    Loved it

  • @johnnyofthesticks7260
    @johnnyofthesticks7260 3 роки тому +17

    Good video. Of course theres no "doing nothing", theres contact with reality, theres reality, day by day action, which you call feedback.
    I do not like the example of the boat in the middle of nothing; I (and I think 99% of people) would never choose going apart and alone, just due survival reasons. Its totally unreasonable choosing being alone in that circumstances. Totally cocky, arrogant, etc. You just have to stay with people, no matter what your intution says, you will discuss it, but never divide. The solution maybe lies in you becoming the leader, but theres a process to that.
    And sincerity is not that easy, to find what you really and trully like, it takes time, and movement. You just have to try, enjoy the whole process, survive, etc, but keep searching. Never give in.

  • @manoswinipanda8916
    @manoswinipanda8916 3 роки тому

    I think life is made to discover new things that's why curiosity exists and walking in your way can help you to do so... ☺️

  • @elysianfields1671
    @elysianfields1671 3 роки тому

    There is a balance between acting based on intuition/guts and acting based on reason/thoughts.
    Sometimes you will need to calm down and let certain things happen and sometimes you will need to act and make things happen.

  • @axelndjore1896
    @axelndjore1896 3 роки тому +1

    I liked.
    Hi from Côte d'Ivoire, western Africa 👏🏽

  • @zzz-oc4fe
    @zzz-oc4fe 3 роки тому

    Great video. I agree on a lot of your ideas, but what I’ve come to understand (prior to watching this video) is Learning which enables Understanding, then Application. I think “Knowing” has its place prior to Learning - you can not know something, but once you know it doesn’t mean you’ve really learned it. If you’ve learned about it there’s an invisible threshold you must pass before truly understanding. Thus, a true understanding of things and where they fit allow for amazing actions to take place.
    I can see how our outlines are very similar, but I’m glad I came across this because the “real world feedback” really hit me along with the equations themselves (sincerity + feedback).

  • @andersonsalome3976
    @andersonsalome3976 3 роки тому

    I follow my instincts, not my passions. But i go in direction of my "needs and wants".

  • @tejeshwarsingh9069
    @tejeshwarsingh9069 Рік тому

    Thank you so much brother..... love from 🇮🇳

  • @johnathanstephenson8107
    @johnathanstephenson8107 3 роки тому

    5:24
    Another way to explain Wu wei is to think of swift water rescue and how you don't just fight with the current as you will always lose but you work with the current and it's force to reach your goal and you set your goal by the observation of the reality of the situation before you. It is this way that someone with nothing more than a rope can rescue several people at once in a flooded river or a whole boat or even a sinking car. By attaching the rope to something on the shoreline up river before a bend going the opposite way and the other end to themselves or even only something that floats and letting the rivers current pull on the rope in an ark that leads to the shoreline and letting you rescue anything or anyone being carried away by the river.

  • @cccircuit8296
    @cccircuit8296 3 роки тому

    This might be your best video yet!

  • @almogivanov440
    @almogivanov440 2 роки тому

    I like the part of sincerity+feedback. I'll use it from now on

  • @JivanChitra
    @JivanChitra 3 роки тому +1

    Zero thoughts, Zero Stress.

  • @jamesythetrue
    @jamesythetrue 3 роки тому +17

    I like the presentation here and the message this video is trying to convey. The challenge is that I don't think "sincere" is the right word. The rest of the video makes sense, but the "sincere" part just doesn't fit. The concept of sincerity and the concept of Lao Tzu's Wu Wei or accomplishing through essentially "going with the flow" are two vastly different ideas. In my opinion, the concept would be more accurately expressed by describing the action as "flow action" or "momentum action" to match the core of Lao Tzu's meaning. Just my two cents, for what it's worth. Thanks for making this video and keep up the good work!

  • @stanblank7579
    @stanblank7579 3 роки тому

    wu wei is the best reason to do sth. its when u ask a child why it just built the sandcastle only to destroy it a few moments later and it answers 'just because'. its not the acting to achieve sth, its the acting for the sake of experiencing the doing.

  • @vkataoka
    @vkataoka 3 роки тому +2

    Thank you for the video.. I love when something applies so well to my routine and I can, consciously, practice it to improve what i'm doing. This is such a thing ^^

  • @MrNimbus420
    @MrNimbus420 3 роки тому

    I have been living that way some years now and got everything I wanted basically. I'm extremly lazy though and unmotivated to get more, I am happy now.

  • @Ly_Warrior
    @Ly_Warrior 3 роки тому

    Best type of video's to watch in morning

  • @forehandburrito
    @forehandburrito 3 роки тому

    I love the sail boat example! Go where the wind blows

  • @utkarshpriydarshni8425
    @utkarshpriydarshni8425 3 роки тому +2

    The basic funda to achieve everything is to be sincere at the time of works at least ....that makes the work easy and it seems like do nothing , achieve everything 🌹🌹🌺🌺🌺🙂🙂

  • @lifechallengs2315
    @lifechallengs2315 3 роки тому

    one of the best videos i have recently seen👌 thanks🙏

  • @phamminhnhat6948
    @phamminhnhat6948 Рік тому

    🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
    00:00 🤔 Wu Wei, often translated as "not-doing" or "effortless action," suggests that you can achieve everything through sincere action, not by doing nothing.
    01:25 🌬️ Sincere action, a form of Wu Wei, is about making decisions based on your own judgment and not following external authorities' "shoulds."
    02:48 🎮 Learning and improvement come from sincere action and feedback, where you genuinely engage with the world and receive consequences for your actions.
    04:16 🕹️ Sincerity without feedback results in no learning, while feedback without sincerity leads to basic memorization without true understanding.
    05:08 🌪️ To live Wu Wei is to allow the winds and currents of life to guide you, achieving everything by "doing nothing" in the sense of not resisting the natural flow.
    Made with HARPA AI

  • @polrusstomakriss9001
    @polrusstomakriss9001 3 роки тому +3

    I'm definitely been keeping everything in the forefront upon it

  • @jacklang363
    @jacklang363 3 роки тому

    This is what rich people tell others to eliminate competition. Truth is, nobody gives you anything, you have to take it.

  • @garbashokan8856
    @garbashokan8856 3 роки тому

    Productivity is decreasing the gap between thought and action.

  • @luke4garden
    @luke4garden 3 роки тому +1

    Hi. Appreciate the video, very nicely made. Through all the study of Taoism, somehow I never come across translation as sincere action, but got to admit, that was on the point. Many Blessings to you _/\_

  • @samhoushmandan
    @samhoushmandan 3 роки тому +1

    To me, wu wei is like allowing a flower to grow with no effort, like the wind that takes the boat, if you try and try for a flower to florish and you force it eventually you will break it apart

  • @joshuay.4224
    @joshuay.4224 3 роки тому

    I love Lao tzu, that man is so wise

  • @thoreauaway876
    @thoreauaway876 2 роки тому

    I have seen action in non-action compared to a dance. Imagine you’ve practiced a dance for thousands of hours. Eventually, you’ll be able to perform that dance without deliberation, without focus. You’ll just be able to tap in and perform it. When you’re tapped in like that, you’re performing action in non-action, so imagine that in everyday life.

  • @marwanerabia19
    @marwanerabia19 3 роки тому

    When I understand I really smile the smile of freedom I swear 👁👁

  • @kimayraa1864
    @kimayraa1864 Рік тому

    I love your channel!

  • @EpsilonCobra
    @EpsilonCobra 3 роки тому

    You know playing videogames made me learn about the world, culture, philosophies and art so its not that much valid but your explanation is very well made

  • @NewNormall
    @NewNormall 3 роки тому

    Dude you changed my life

  • @brandonjoseph3422
    @brandonjoseph3422 3 роки тому +1

    Now I know that by doing nothing I’m doing the right thing

  • @jalan_jalan_santai
    @jalan_jalan_santai 3 роки тому

    Thank you my friend 🙏🌻

  • @jontheory
    @jontheory 3 роки тому

    Dude, you add so much value 💛

  • @grapeshott
    @grapeshott 3 роки тому +1

    Sincerity + Feedback= Learning. Right understanding and Right action can take you to long distances without unnecessary pain

  • @DanielleMoraYT
    @DanielleMoraYT 3 роки тому +2

    Awesome video, I love the background music, thank you so much!