“Nature never hurries, yet everything is accomplished.” — Lao Tzu
道常無為而無不為。
“We do so much, we run so quickly, the situation is difficult, and many people say, “Don’t just sit there, do something.” But doing more things may make the situation worse. So you should say, “Don’t just do something, sit there.” Sit there, stop, be yourself first, and begin from there.” — Thích Nhất Hạnh, Being Peace
Definition
- A concept meaning inexertion, inaction, or effortless action
- A state of personal harmony and free-flowing
- ≠ 什麼事都不做、整天無所事事
- It doesn’t mean inaction, but rather not forcing things unnaturally. Just as water flows best when unobstructed, life unfolds most harmoniously when we don’t constantly interfere.
- = 無為而治，不為自己的利益和欲望做事
- 「取天下也，恆無事；及其有事也，不足以取天下。」
- 「我無為而民自化，我好靜而民自正，我無事而民自富，我無欲而民自樸。」
Philosopher Alan Watts believed that Wu Wei can be described as “not-forcing.”
- The drift of things; going with the flow. It is the art of sailing, rather than rowing.
- The river is not pushed from behind, nor is it pulled from ahead. It falls with gravity.
Doing nothing can be surprisingly productive. I’ve experienced Wu Wei in my life when I’ve chosen not to immediately act on something, or simply do nothing and embrace laziness.
萬物都有個「相對性」，自然也有一個「順序」。若能順應這個自然運作的原理，與其共存，你就不需要再多做什麼，因為自然是經過長時間才形成的東西，早就達成一個「平衡」的狀態。
庖丁解牛
出自《莊子·養生主》，講述一位名「丁」的廚師為梁惠王宰牛，技術達到出神入化的境界。其核心在於「依乎天理」、「因其固然」，順應牛體自然的筋骨縫隙運刀，故能遊刃有餘。此喻指對事物規律瞭解透澈，做事能得心應手，運用自如。
Why do some animals spend so much time just doing nothing?