Member-only story
The Art of Flow: How ‘Wu Wei’ Teaches Us to Lead and Work with Ease, Not Force
“Being good at making quick progress lies in not hurrying, and being good at reaching goals lies in not forcing one’s way.”
This insight comes from Wang Bi’s commentary on the Tao Te Ching (c. 250 CE), as translated by Richard John Lynn in The Classic of the Way and Virtue (1999). It reflects one of the core principles of the Tao Te Ching: “wu wei” — the practice of not forcing.
In his commentary, Wang Bi explores how “wu wei” harmonizes with the interplay of yin and yang, often symbolized as light and dark, mountain and valley, male and female.
These dualities remind us that every idea exists in contrast to its counterpart: up exists because of down, just as action exists because of stillness.
The metaphor of water, central to the Tao, beautifully illustrates “wu wei.”
Water flows naturally — without effort or contrivance. It seeks the lowliest places, fills cracks and crevices, and yet wields immense power.
Place your hands in water, and you cannot redirect its flow.
