Download or read book Trying Not to Try written by Edward Slingerland and published by Crown. This book was released on 2014-03-04 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A deeply original exploration of the power of spontaneity—an ancient Chinese ideal that cognitive scientists are only now beginning to understand—and why it is so essential to our well-being Why is it always hard to fall asleep the night before an important meeting? Or be charming and relaxed on a first date? What is it about a politician who seems wooden or a comedian whose jokes fall flat or an athlete who chokes? In all of these cases, striving seems to backfire. In Trying Not To Try, Edward Slingerland explains why we find spontaneity so elusive, and shows how early Chinese thought points the way to happier, more authentic lives. We’ve long been told that the way to achieve our goals is through careful reasoning and conscious effort. But recent research suggests that many aspects of a satisfying life, like happiness and spontaneity, are best pursued indirectly. The early Chinese philosophers knew this, and they wrote extensively about an effortless way of being in the world, which they called wu-wei (ooo-way). They believed it was the source of all success in life, and they developed various strategies for getting it and hanging on to it. With clarity and wit, Slingerland introduces us to these thinkers and the marvelous characters in their texts, from the butcher whose blade glides effortlessly through an ox to the wood carver who sees his sculpture simply emerge from a solid block. Slingerland uncovers a direct line from wu-wei to the Force in Star Wars, explains why wu-wei is more powerful than flow, and tells us what it all means for getting a date. He also shows how new research reveals what’s happening in the brain when we’re in a state of wu-wei—why it makes us happy and effective and trustworthy, and how it might have even made civilization possible. Through stories of mythical creatures and drunken cart riders, jazz musicians and Japanese motorcycle gangs, Slingerland effortlessly blends Eastern thought and cutting-edge science to show us how we can live more fulfilling lives. Trying Not To Try is mind-expanding and deeply pleasurable, the perfect antidote to our striving modern culture.
Download or read book Eating the Wu Way written by Steven Acuff and published by . This book was released on 2016-03-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Daoist concept of Wu Wei means literally 'Not Doing' or 'Without Effort'; Do nothing that disturbs the harmony of the natural order. 'Go with the flow' of nature.
Download or read book Effortless Living written by Jason Gregory and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-03-13 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide for achieving an enlightened mind through the art of non-doing • Details meditation practices, focused on stillness of the mind, along with Patanjali’s yoga methods to maintain a consciousness referred to as “being in the zone” • Builds on Taoist, Confucian, and Hindu principles along with scientific findings to support wu-wei--the art of non-doing, non-forcing--as a way of life • Explains how wu-wei practitioners cultivate intelligent spontaneity and effortless action to allow the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail The practice of non-doing, non-forcing is an essential aspect of Taoism known as wu-wei. Attributed to the great sage Lao-tzu, the philosophy of wu-wei teaches you how to develop a natural state of consciousness not bound by thought or preconceived limitations. Experienced by the greatest artists, athletes, musicians, and writers, this heightened state of consciousness, referred to as “being in the zone,” is where intelligent spontaneity and effortless action flourish via a practice rooted in permitting the natural harmony of the cosmos to prevail. Merging Taoist philosophy, Hindu principles, and Confucianism along with scientific findings, Jason Gregory outlines the practice of wu-wei as a vehicle to realize our innate freedom, revealing that when we release our ego and allow life to unfold as it will, we align ourselves more closely with our goals and cultivate skill and mastery along the way. Equating “being in the zone” with a stillness of the mind, Gregory shares meditation practices coupled with yoga exercises from Patanjali that allow you to approach life with a mastery of acceptance, releasing deluded beliefs of how to achieve success that make your mind “sticky” and poised for conflict. The author shows how practicing wu-wei paradoxically empowers you to accomplish all that you desire by having no intention to do so, as well as allowing you to become receptive to nature’s blueprint for expressing beauty. Revealing wisdom utilized by renowned sages, artists, and athletes who have adapted “being in the zone” as a way of life, the author shows that wu-wei can yield a renewed sense of trust in many aspects of your daily life, making each day more effortless. As an avid wu-wei practitioner, he provides keen insight on how you, too, can experience the beauty of achieving an enlightened, effortless mind while reveling in the process of life’s unfolding.
Download or read book Open Secret written by Wei Wu Wei and published by Sentient Publications. This book was released on 2004 with total page 902 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the best-loved of Wei Wu Wei's books, 'Open Secret' enlightens us as to the true nature of the self, as well as time, space, and enlightenment itself. The work includes extensive commentary on the Heart Sutra, regarded by Buddhists as the summation of the Buddha's wisdom. The pseudonymous author studied deeply in Eastern and Western philosophy and metaphysics, along with the esoteric teachings of the great religions. In his writing he distils this knowledge into uniquely elegant prose -- full of humour, metaphors, profundity, and his essential understanding of the open secret of life.
Download or read book Wei Wu Wei Ching written by Brian Browne Walker and published by . This book was released on 2013-04-01 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book is an attempt to put a collection of diamond cutting tools in the pocket of anyone who seriously wants to make use of them to realize enlightenment, the Self, Big Mind." from the Introduction Wei wu wei, or "doing non-doing," is the central liberating idea of Zen, Ch'an, Taoism, and -- under whatever name -- most every other enlightenment tradition in the world. From decades of reading in them all, Brian Browne Walker, author of beloved translations of the I Ching, Tao te Ching, Hua hu Ching, and Art of War, has formulated a subtle, calming set of teachings designed to usher the practitioner through the back door of realization. That door, the ancients teach us, is always left ajar. Designed to be read in an ordinary manner or consulted as an oracle in the fashion of the I Ching, Wei wu Wei Ching is also available as an app for iPhone, iPad, and all Android phones and tablets via the store at www.brianbrownewalker.com. In this tradition of wei wu wei, we don't have a thing to offer you. That is why you can rely upon it for everything.
Download or read book Ask the Awakened written by Wei Wu Wei and published by Sentient Publications. This book was released on 2002 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author shares his deep understanding of Taosim--specifically the texts attribued the Heart, Diamond and Lankavatara sutras; and attributed to Cahn Buddhism as taught by Hui Neng, Huang Po, Hui Hai, rct.
Download or read book The Tao of Wu written by The RZA and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2010-11-02 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the founder of the Wu-Tang Clan—celebrating their 25th anniversary this year—an inspirational book for the hip hop fan. The RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, imparts the lessons he's learned on his journey from the Staten Island projects to international superstardom. A devout student of knowledge in every form in which he's found it, he distills here the wisdom he's acquired into seven "pillars," each based on a formative event in his life-from the moment he first heard the call of hip-hop to the death of his cousin and Clan- mate, Russell Jones, aka ODB. Delivered in RZA's unmistakable style, at once surprising, profound, and provocative, The Tao of Wu is a spiritual memoir the world has never seen before, and will never see again. A nonfiction Siddhartha for the hip-hop generation from the author of The Wu-Tang Manual, it will enlighten, entertain, and inspire.
Download or read book Effortless Action written by Edward Slingerland and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2007-05-24 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a systematic account of the role of the personal spiritual ideal of wu-wei--literally "no doing," but better rendered as "effortless action"--in early Chinese thought. Edward Slingerland's analysis shows that wu-wei represents the most general of a set of conceptual metaphors having to do with a state of effortless ease and unself-consciousness. This concept of effortlessness, he contends, serves as a common ideal for both Daoist and Confucian thinkers. He also argues that this concept contains within itself a conceptual tension that motivates the development of early Chinese thought: the so-called "paradox of wu-wei," or the question of how one can consciously "try not to try." Methodologically, this book represents a preliminary attempt to apply the contemporary theory of conceptual metaphor to the study of early Chinese thought. Although the focus is upon early China, both the subject matter and methodology have wider implications. The subject of wu-wei is relevant to anyone interested in later East Asian religious thought or in the so-called "virtue-ethics" tradition in the West. Moreover, the technique of conceptual metaphor analysis--along with the principle of "embodied realism" upon which it is based--provides an exciting new theoretical framework and methodological tool for the study of comparative thought, comparative religion, intellectual history, and even the humanities in general. Part of the purpose of this work is thus to help introduce scholars in the humanities and social sciences to this methodology, and provide an example of how it may be applied to a particular sub-field.
Download or read book Fingers Pointing Towards the Moon written by Wu-wei Wei and published by Sentient Publications. This book was released on 2003 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first of a series of extraordinary spiritual manifestos written by the anonymous Wei Wu Wei.
Download or read book Wu Yun s Way written by Jan de Meyer and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2006-02-15 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is the first booklength study of the life and works of Wu Yun, one of the most remarkable figures of eighth-century Daoism. Blending literary criticism with religious and cultural history, this book assesses the importance of Wu Yun the Daoist priest, the poet, the anti-Buddhist, the defender of reclusion and the philosopher of immortality, and in doing so, sheds new light on the very nature of Tang dynasty Daoism. The book, which should be of special interest to students of Tang literature and Medieval Daoism alike, alternates narrative and analysis with annotated translations of two thirds of Wu Yun’s remaining writings, including two stela inscriptions, three prose treatises, four rhapsodies and several dozens of poems.
Download or read book In Such Hard Times written by Yingwu Wei and published by Copper Canyon Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents one hundred fifty poems in Chinese and English translation by a classic eighth-century Chinese poet little known in the West, with explanatory notes accompanying each one.
Download or read book I Ching Life written by Wu wei and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this landmark book, author wu wei shows how life can be fulfilling, exhilarating, and successful when lived according to the wisdom of the I Ching and when the I Ching is used as a decision enhancing guide.
Download or read book Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan written by Wen Zee and published by North Atlantic Books. This book was released on 2002 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Developed over many centuries, Tai Chi Chuan incorporates the principles of Taoist philosophy with the accumulated knowledge of the traditional martial arts. Wu Style is known as the "three-in-one exercise," invigorating the mind, the internal energy (qi), and the body. Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan describes the origin and philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan, and then details its multiple health benefits. Step-by-step instruction in the practice of the Tai Chi Chuan solo form is presented.
Download or read book Laotzu s Tao and Wu Wei written by Dwight Goddard and published by Cosimo, Inc.. This book was released on 2007-04-01 with total page 125 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this clarion translation of Laotzu's Tao Te Ching, first published in 1919, Goddard brings the complexity and depth of the ancient philosopher's poetry into the English language, his great love for the topic overcoming the necessary shortcomings of translation. There are three concepts that are essential to the Tao Te Ching-Tao, Te, and Wu Wei-that all have complex meanings that cannot be directly translated, but spiritual seekers and those with an interest in philosophy and religion will find Goddard's treatment of Laotzu lyrical and deeply meaningful. American writer DWIGHT GODDARD (1861-1939) studied at a monastery in Kyoto, Japan, for a year and was among the first Westerners to bring Zen Buddhism to the United States. His most famous book is The Buddhist Bible (1938).
Download or read book Wu Wei written by Henri Borel and published by . This book was released on 1907 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The I Ching Workbook written by Wu Wei and published by SCB Distributors. This book was released on 2010-04-20 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The I Ching Workbook contains everything you need to know about the I Ching--one of the world's most profound sources of universal wisdom--and how to use it. The I Ching Workbook contains the entire text of Wu Wei's revised and updated edition of The I Ching: The Book of Answers as well as 100 special workbook pages to record your answers, a detailed explanation of how to use yarrow stalks, and a key for identifying the correct hexagram. It describes how you can work with the I Ching, one of the world's most profound sources of wisdom and divination, to receive guidance in every area of your life. This practical and easy-to-use workbook will help you keep an accurate record of every reading you do as well as the results you experience. As the years pass, you will be able to look back over your workbook to gain an invaluable overview of your progress on the path you have chosen for this lifetime.
Download or read book The I Ching written by Wu Wei and published by SCB Distributors. This book was released on 2010-04-20 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This revised and expanded edition of Wu Wei's well-loved version of the I Ching is unparalleled in its clarity, making this the easiest-to-grasp I Ching ever published. The I Ching is a book of answers that miraculously guides us to success in every possible situation. Yet, if we are to rely with absolute certainty on the I Ching for guidance to our most vital questions, we need answers that are clear and straightforward, leaving no room for confusion or misunderstanding. Wu Wei has guided thousands of people in the use of this great book and knows precisely what you need so you can put your trust in its prophetic guidance. Wu Wei's insightful interpretations of the I Ching's sixty-four hexagrams provide perfectly clear, unambiguous direction while remaining completely true to the ancient writings. You will know exactly what action to take to avoid misfortune and achieve success. The I Ching: The Book of Answers contains everything you need to know about the I Ching and how to use it.
