LAO TZU

•Han Dynasty / Zhou Dynasty

•Lived at the same time as Confucius.

•Tao Te Ching/Daodejing – philosophical and

religious scripts; 81 poems.
Three Manifestations:
The Way of Heaven
-ultimate reality which is unknowable; “The way can be spoken
of but it will not be the constant way.”
The Way of Nature
-its integrating principle of the whole which is driving the power
behind nature and other principle behind life. It establishes the
cycle of life; “The named is the mother of all things...”
The Way of Human
-aka ‘The do-able Dao’ bc it includes the guidelines for man’s
ability to go through life; “Only where all is clean will it reveal
itself.”
*One must put aside all emotions and desires in order to perceive
the true way.*
 Zhuangzi & Authentic Life

• Zhen-jun – authentic slefhood

• Happiness will follow and is only possible

when one has realized their zhen-junn

• “...It is said that the Perfect Man has no

slef; the Spiritual Man has no
achievement; the Sage has no name.”
Wei-wu-wei : "the action of
nonaction"

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

~ Lao Tzu
 Wu wei: Non-action

Often translated as active not-doing or

creative quietude

The principle affirms that one should live

spontaneously in accordance with the natural
flow of the cosmos called the Dao, and not act
against this natural order and rhythm of
nature. According to Daoism, human
happiness occurs when one aligns with
the Dao, and Wu-wei allows practitioners of
Daoism to live in harmony with one's natural
surroundings and to be mindful of the
interconnectedness of all life.
Wu wei: Non-action

• Defines a quality of life in tune with the universe

- involves a disassociation with the self and
private ego - not self-assertive nor competitive -
generates meekness and self-effacement - the
person is “to blend with and to befriend nature.”
(Huston Smith) Four Principle Images:
• The Dao moves nature through Wu Wei
establishing simplicity and happiness without • Water
formalism or ceremony -a guide to creativity • The Valley
stressing spontaneity and flow. • The Uncarved Block
• It is important to note that wu wei is not • The Female
complete passivity – it describes a way of getting
things done with the absence of excessive force –
not a way of life which gets nothing done!
• Wu wei vs laziness/ wu wei vs procrastination
 Wu wei: Water

• One learns from water following

the path of the stones yet
powerful enough to carve great
canyons - the Way is in fact the
easiest way and the best way to
follow.
• “The most submissive thing in
the world can ride roughshod
over the most unyielding in the
world – that which is without
substance entering that which
has no gaps.” (Daodejing XLIII)
 Wu wei: The Valley
• The valley symbolizes Tao's inclination toward the lowly, the
underlying, rather than the prominent or impressive.
“…Know the white
But keep to the role of the sullied.
And be a valley to the empire.
If you are a valley to the empire,
The constant virtue will be sufficient…”
(Daodejing XXVIII)
Wu wei: Pu -The Uncarved Block
The uncarved block is human nature before society limits it. To gain
Wuwei, human nature must become like the uncarved block; It
symbolizes the priority of natural simplicity over social adornment. A
block of wood or jade, before it is carved, has infinite potential, but
once we have made it into a table or a piece of jewelry, its use is fixed
and limited.
“…When the constant virtue is sufficient,
You will again return to being the uncarved block….”
(Daodejing XXVIII)
Wu wei: The Female
The female is a lesson in the power of
passivity, of yielding and adaptability. She
influences not by assault but by
indirection, by nuance and suggestion.
“The spirit of the valley never dies;
This is called the dark female.
The entry into the dark female
Is called the root of heaven and earth.
Tenuous, it seems as if it were there,
Yet use will never exhaust it.”
(Daodejing VI)
The Art of Self Preservation

Routine vs Unknown
Routine - annoying but comfortable
Unknown – alluring but worrying

Ergo, we need balance.

 The Art of Self Preservation
Success begins in our mind
- Any change takes place only if we are really
convinced of what we are doing, everything falls
into line consequently
No victory, no defeat, only learning
-Everything that happens is always a life lesson
Intention promotes action
-The image taking place in our minds lead to action,
turn our communication and behavior
Trust and let go
 Trust and Let Go

The ‘feeling of fear’ your ability to trust and let go can be

destabilized and even swing your energy wildly out of balance

Difficulty in balancing and harmonizing the energy of trust:

• lack of self-confidence or self-esteem
• anxiety (now labeled by Western healthcare professionals
as ‘Generalized Anxiety Disorder’
• suspicion, doubt, uncertainty or hopelessness
• rejection, worthlessness
• restriction, rigidity, stubbornness
• being judgmental of yourself and others