The Construct of Wu Wei
One of my favorite parts about sharing this blog is the cool new ideas that I come across in finding research to partner with the blog posts. As I was preparing for this week’s blog, I came across an idea in the mindset realm that was new to me, and I could not help but share!
The first article cited below discusses the detailed construct of Wu Wei, a Chinese philosophical stance. As I read this article, I felt as though I was familiar with pieces of Wu Wei from other mindfulness practices. However, a few pieces significantly stood out to me:
Non-Striving Mindset (Not Non-Action)
Nonduality: Engaged in the present moment and the experience, while being free of perceptions, concepts, evaluations, or boundaries.
The idea that many different forms of action can have massive results
I appreciate the reminders that are in the Wu-Wei approach. As someone who is sometimes a perfectionist, and is always striving to be and do better, I think there are reminders here that help us stay balanced in our approach to a life of actualizing our potential. The first bullet point above states that Wu Wei is about maintaining a non-striving mindset. This resonates with me because I feel I often get caught up in actions I have to take or the plan I am executing to achieve a certain goal, that I rarely take time to take action simply to be in the experience of taking said action.
On a regular basis, if we can remove the expectation that we must take action to lead to a specific outcome, and open the door into simply experiencing the action we are taking in full, this will in the end lead to the outcome we were seeking in the first place. This is where the idea of Nonduality comes into play. Being fully engaged and present in the action or experience of this current moment, with the absence of outward expectations or perceptions. If you can practice bringing this approach into the things you are passionate about, then you will watch these areas of life flourish in new ways!
It is in reconnecting with the pureness of the experiences and being present for it, that in turn leads us to the end goal or outcome we were seeking. This path to the outcome has less stress and anxiety, and more openness and growth which in turn positively impacts your Wellness overall.
The construct of Wu Wei can only be practiced if one understands mindfulness practices. The reason I wanted to share the construct of Wu Wei in this blog post, is because science shows us the positive effect on wellness from regular mindfulness practices. The second article cited below provides evidence that regular mindfulness practice does have a positive impact on stress and anxiety levels.
Many of us in this big and busy world now struggle with stress and anxiety at some level. Whether it is learning more about a new construct like Wu Wei, or simply introducing Mindfulness Meditation several times throughout your week, increasing the frequency and depth of your mindfulness practices will have a positive impact on stress and anxiety, and in turn your Wellness!
Sources:
Ying Hwa Kee, Chunxiao Li, Chun-Qing Zhang, John Chee Keng Wang,
The wu-wei alternative: Effortless action and non-striving in the context of mindfulness practice and performance in sport, Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Volume 1, Issues 2–3, 2021, Pages 122-132, ISSN 2667-239, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajsep.2021.11.001.
Strohmaier, S., Jones, F.W. & Cane, J.E. Effects of Length of Mindfulness Practice on Mindfulness, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: a Randomized Controlled Experiment.Mindfulness 12, 198–214 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01512-5.
