Dudeism Blog 57. Wu Wei, the Dude Way, No Way

Do you want the red pill or the blue pill?

There's a lot of talk about Wu Wei, going with the flow, let go let God, simply abide and everything will be alright.

But sadly, there's a certain amount of bollocks to all this.

And this is because we attach a result to this way of being.

We think; if we go with the flow it will work out alright. Or, if I bring Wu Wei into my day, everything will get done that needs to be done, and it will be done just as it should... and everything will be alright.

Everything will be alright.

Everything is already alright.

It couldn't be any other way than it already is.

So, what's going on here, dudes?

If you want the rabbit hole, read on...

Down the Rabbit Hole to Discover there is no Hole or Rabbit.

A rabbit is wandering along, minding its own business, not thinking much, just getting on with its day, not noticing the shadow pass over it.

Then a hawk grabs it from above and eats it alive.

Was that a good outcome for the rabbit?

Was the rabbit following Wu Wei?

Was the rabbit interfering with the flow of Nature?

Did everything work out alright?

For the hawk maybe.

You see where the outcome is in the above quote from The Bible? Your path will be made straight. The Lord will make the "crooked way" straight. Implying some kind of ease.

Meaning, if you get your ego self and its needs out of the way, then the Divine acts through you and as it doesn't create obstacles for itself, you won't experience any obstacles in life, as your path will be made straight.

And this is partly true.

And partly not.

"Trust" isn't the right word here.

Trust implies a giving of something, or a giving into something. You only need trust or faith if there is an idea of a need for trust and faith to be present. The rabbit doesn't have an idea of trust or faith. Does it have an idea of a good or bad result? Possibly. Especially when chased by something that wants to eat it.

So, what the hell is all this blathering about?

Trust and outcomes are not something associated with Wu Wei, flow, or The Dude Way. And we need to know this to understand what is happening, and to not get pissed if an event occurs that doesn't fit too neatly with our idea of a good outcome.

An idea of a good outcome is a manmade concept.

The Opposite of Opposite

What is the opposite of Wu Wei? Trying to force something into being because we want it faster than it appears to be happening. Or, trying to stop something from happening because we don't like it. Basically, poking our ego finger into the turning cogs of the universe to force a desired result.

And Wu Wei-ists would argue that the turning cogs of cosmic force are doing quite fine and don't need a finger poking in there. And were a finger to be poked into the works, it's likely to lead to destination fucked rather than a natural ending.

However, we assume that the natural ending will be, if not right away, but at some point in the future, more favourable for us.

But Wu Wei, the Dude Way, has no "us".

The "Wei" of Wu Wei means "being" as much as it means "doing".

Without Being, without doing.

So, what the jiffers is going on?

And the answer is?

Nothing is going on.

There is only Being being itself.

You don't have an individual "you" making its way through life. "You" is Life making its way through you.

The rabbit is Being, and the hawk is Being. Being killed itself and then ate itself.

Being died, and being survived.

At least, that's how it appears but even that isn't good enough.

Wu Wei, Dude Wei, and all the whatnots mentioned above... they don't have a self at the centre of them. Then no outcomes can be regarded as satisfactory or disasitfactorignweer - that's a long word, man. Not sure it's even a real one, disasitfac... nope dissatisfactory. Maybe.

Where was I? Nowhere.

We attach a result. If I go with the flow everything will turn out right and life will be chipper. And that's probably how it will seem... until a big fuck off hawk drops from the sky and eats you. But until that point, sure, everything was probably fine and dandy. Just a rabbit hopping along, chewing on stuff, sleeping, having sex if the day is good, caring for the kids for a few weeks, and then packing them off into the dark hawk-eyed wilderness of life, hopping along, chewing on stuff ad infinitum.

The rabbit isn't wondering, well, if I turn right instead of left will that avoid a big fuck off hawk? If I dig my hole in this patch of earth will it be more Wu Wei than that bit of soil over there? Will the hole be better? Will it be easier to make, faster, and more satisfying?

No.

It just does it. It keeps things simple without the thought of being simple. It naturally follows Wu Wei because it isn't wondering about the results. Therefore, it can't get in the way of the Way. It is the Way, way-ing itself.

And if that leads to being eaten alive. That's what happens.

And if it leads to an abundance of carrots. That's what happens.

And the rabbit? Well, it abides with life without knowing what abiding is. Death or carrots? The rabbit ain't thinking about it until it has to think about it.

It doesn't worry about death at every corner because it is preoccupied with whatever life is doing right now.

Wu Wei, trusting in God, and all that... it does seem to make life simple. Life does feel easier. We don't have our ego finger poking in the works and spoiling Creation. We don't have a gauge, a benchmark of how good the results are in contrast to our hopes. We just let go, to one day find that there was nothing there letting go of anything. There is just Something appearing as some things.

But it might not seem easier.

You might get fucked up the arse by a stranger.

And that's just how it is.

Abide.

Rev. Thomo

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