[Faith-talk] Faith-talk Digest, Vol 90, Issue 10

[Ericka Short]

I see a lot of Christian principles in that. It depends on the way you view your Christian faith, but from mine there is a lot of similarities. Thank you for sharing this. That was very thoughtful and reflective.

Ericka
Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 9, 2015, at 6:00 AM, faith-talk-request at nfbnet.org wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. The Principle of Wu Wei (Brandon A. Olivares)
>   2. Re: The Principle of Wu Wei (Christine Olivares)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2015 00:03:51 -0500
> From: "Brandon A. Olivares" <programmer2188 at gmail.com>
> To: "Faith-talk,    for the discussion of faith and religion"
>    <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [Faith-talk] The Principle of Wu Wei
> Message-ID: <40259204-22EB-4D05-87DE-81B02DA9A2CD at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> I wanted to discuss a principle I?ve been studying lately. It?s a principle of Taoism called Wu Wei, or non-doing. Let me quote a passage from the Tao Te Ching that explains it a bit:
> 
>> ?Therefore the Master
>> acts without doing anything
>> and teaches without saying anything.
>> Things arise and she lets them come;
>> things disappear and she lets them go.
>> She has but doesn't possess,
>> acts but doesn't expect.
>> When her work is done, she forgets it.
>> That is why it lasts forever.? (Tao Te Ching, 2)
> 
> 
> In my own spiritual exploration, I?ve realized that life goes the way it does, and we can either flow with it, or fight against it. Even the things that happen that appear to be a mistake, later on turns out to be an essential part of the big picture? an essential fiber in the tapestry, so to speak.
> 
> The principle of Wu-Wei says that we do by not doing. We teach by being silent. There?s no right or wrong, there are only two choices: flow, or resistance.
> 
> And in the end is there even a choice? In Taoism, as well as many eastern traditions, it is seen that we are one with the Infinite, the Tao, whatever. The Tao is everything and nothing.
> 
>> ?Look, and it can't be seen.
>> Listen, and it can't be heard.
>> Reach, and it can't be grasped.
>> 
>> ?Above, it isn't bright.
>> Below, it isn't dark.
>> Seamless, unnamable,
>> it returns to the realm of nothing.
>> Form that includes all forms,
>> image without an image,
>> subtle, beyond all conception.
>> 
>> ?Approach it and there is no beginning;
>> follow it and there is no end.
>> You can't know it, but you can be it,
>> at ease in your own life.
>> Just realize where you come from:
>> this is the essence of wisdom.? (Tao Te Ching, 14)
> 
> 
> And so if we are one with that, then whether we resist or flow, that is the way of the Tao. Resistance is its own kind of flow, if you look at it.
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2015 00:08:19 -0500
> From: Christine Olivares <rafael4490 at gmail.com>
> To: Brandon Anthony Olivares <programmer2188 at gmail.com>, "Faith-talk,
>    for the discussion of faith and religion" <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] The Principle of Wu Wei
> Message-ID: <E9FC1087-B5B9-4F72-9FDD-E47769D9A5BB at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> You know, I think this applies no matter what religion one is. I have certainly noticed that you really can?t stop life from flowing the way it will. The biggest mistake can be the biggest blessing. I call them blessings in disguise because sometimes I can?t see the blessing until much later. so yeah, I totally agree with this.
> 
> Christine
>> On Jan 9, 2015, at 12:03 AM, Brandon A. Olivares via Faith-talk <faith-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> I wanted to discuss a principle I?ve been studying lately. It?s a principle of Taoism called Wu Wei, or non-doing. Let me quote a passage from the Tao Te Ching that explains it a bit:
>> 
>>> ?Therefore the Master
>>> acts without doing anything
>>> and teaches without saying anything.
>>> Things arise and she lets them come;
>>> things disappear and she lets them go.
>>> She has but doesn't possess,
>>> acts but doesn't expect.
>>> When her work is done, she forgets it.
>>> That is why it lasts forever.? (Tao Te Ching, 2)
>> 
>> 
>> In my own spiritual exploration, I?ve realized that life goes the way it does, and we can either flow with it, or fight against it. Even the things that happen that appear to be a mistake, later on turns out to be an essential part of the big picture? an essential fiber in the tapestry, so to speak.
>> 
>> The principle of Wu-Wei says that we do by not doing. We teach by being silent. There?s no right or wrong, there are only two choices: flow, or resistance.
>> 
>> And in the end is there even a choice? In Taoism, as well as many eastern traditions, it is seen that we are one with the Infinite, the Tao, whatever. The Tao is everything and nothing.
>> 
>>> ?Look, and it can't be seen.
>>> Listen, and it can't be heard.
>>> Reach, and it can't be grasped.
>>> 
>>> ?Above, it isn't bright.
>>> Below, it isn't dark.
>>> Seamless, unnamable,
>>> it returns to the realm of nothing.
>>> Form that includes all forms,
>>> image without an image,
>>> subtle, beyond all conception.
>>> 
>>> ?Approach it and there is no beginning;
>>> follow it and there is no end.
>>> You can't know it, but you can be it,
>>> at ease in your own life.
>>> Just realize where you come from:
>>> this is the essence of wisdom.? (Tao Te Ching, 14)
>> 
>> 
>> And so if we are one with that, then whether we resist or flow, that is the way of the Tao. Resistance is its own kind of flow, if you look at it.
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> End of Faith-talk Digest, Vol 90, Issue 10
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