Wu Wei

[Douglaspocock]

I see a bunch of contradictions that make no sense...but I'm sure that's because I don't know a thing about the Tao Te Ching or Wu Wei. Maybe you could give some sort of sensory images or perhaps explain how "seeing without seeing" is supposed to work.

Also, are the characters at the bottom part of the poem? I've never seen a poem switch languages before, but I think it'd be pretty cool.

I will definitely take your advice about adding some sensory images and try to explain a little further. Do you think it would be better to lengthen the poem, or switch out some things? I will try for both and post them in time.

"Contradictions" don't exist as much in eastern philosophy as they do in western philosophy. For example, the axioms of the law of non-contradiction [P or ~P], and the law of the excluded middle [~(P and ~P)], do not exist. Something can be and can not be at the same time.
However, that doesn't really have anything to do with the concept of Wu Wei, which can be explained using the logic of a very influential and famous 'western' thinker. He doesn't really come from the west, and actually comes from a time long ago and in a galaxy far far away.
(I'll get to the poeming shortly, this is just a tangent to explain)

"Do. Or do not. There is no try" - Yoga, a Taoist Master.

Do (True), Do Not (False), and Try (Nothing). Exist in a mindset of possibilities. However, in essence, if something is tried and not completed, then it simply was not completed.
Example, You can either scratch your leg or you don't scratch, if you "try", then you still are not scratching your leg.
When you Try to do something, you are 'Doing something' when actually not doing anything. Your heart doesn't ever try to beat, it simply beats. Water doesn't try to flow, it simply flows.

I will address the Chinese. 朴 - means Simple and 子 means Seed, Child, or Small thing. 子 Also can mean Master, if used at the end of a name. There is more, but I use it when starting something at as simple as I can.

--
Tectak, my purpose, I suppose, is to try my hand at poetry. But, if the meaning of the poem is the question it is two parts.
1) To use poetry to explain Taoism, as it is the general format of one of the great works of Taoism.
2) To try to grasp the process of Wu Wei in poem form.

The problem with Taoism when explaining it is that by its very nature, it can't be explained. Think of Taoism as the truth that you can know and experience in yourself, but can not share with words, symbols, or any form of communication.
--

I will continue editing the poem now. Thank you for the advice so far.

---

The Eyes see without seeing.
The Ears hear without hearing.
The Tongue tastes without tasting, the Nose smells without smelling. Just as the Skin feels without feeling.

One can look, and see nothing before them.
One can listen, and hear nothing around them.
But,
If one sees, nothing is unseen, and if one hears, nothing is unheard.

To look for the leaf, is to miss the whole of the tree.
To look for the tree, is to miss the whole of the ground.
To look for the ground, is to miss the whole of the sky.
To look for an object, is to miss the whole of the subject.
And to miss the whole of the subject, is to miss the whole of the object.


The Heart beats without beating as the Lungs breath without breathing. Just as Life lives without living.
Water flows without flowing and Grass grows without growing. Just as Stars shine without shining.

One can see, and see all before them.
One can hear, and hear all around them.
To see and to hear is done without action,
All is completed without active intention.

As borders diminish, the whole is revealed.
The whole has no parts, all is equal in scope.
With nothing in focus, there is no blur to obscure.
See without looking and only open the eyes,
All will been seen, and nothing disguised.


Do without doing and Act without acting.
Simply. Be without being.

To gain perspective, is to broaden horizons.
The whole is the Tao, even if left unspoken.
Nay, particularly if left unspoken.
For to name is to focus, and to focus is to lose.
Loss of the whole is the loss of the part.

朴子

(It is now difficult to still call this Wu Wei, but the concept can not be explained apart from the whole.)

Please, continue to give me advice and any questions that you have I will try to directly explain. Then I will try to weave it into the poem that I expect to have grow forever. I will always change and try to clean it up while adding in new concepts as needed.
Thank you!