TAOISM | The Art of Doing without Doing

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Have you ever reflected on the word ‘doing’? ‘Doing’ points to performance, achievement, effort. It also implies that there’s a ‘doer’ who engages in ‘doing something’, and that there’s a passive element or ‘the thing that’s being done’.

But does it work that way? Is there a separation between the thing that ‘does’ and the thing that’s ‘being done’? Or is the thing that does actually what’s being done and vice versa? Ancient Taoist writers might urge us to think about ‘doing’ (and ‘not doing’) a bit differently than we’re used to. At the root of Taoist philosophy lies the idea of an all-encompassing force called Tao, from which all elements of the universe derive.

The flow of existence is something we can live by or resist. If we follow the Tao, our lives will be easy. But if we try to resist, our lives will be difficult. When we’re mainly focused on striving and straining, because we’re convinced that only through ‘effort’ we’ll get where we need to be, we may be swimming against the stream.

So, what if ‘doing’ isn’t always necessary to get things done? What if many of our actions are a waste of time and energy? What if we can take shortcuts in life if we learn how to embark on the natural course?

This video explores the paradoxical art of doing without doing (Taoism), and how we can live life the smart way (TAOISM | The Art of Doing Without Doing).

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🎵 Music used:
Silent Partner – Dinner For One
Jessie Gallagher – Spirit of Fire
Jessie Gallagher – The Sleeping Prophet

Creative Commons (attributions):

Lao Tzu statue: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_of_Lao_Tzu_in_Quanzhou.jpg
Pollution: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pollution_,_time_to_wake_up.jpg
Illma Gore: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illma_Gore_during_performance_art_piece.png
Clock: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schaffhausen_-_Schwabentor_-_Tower_clock.jpg

00:00 – Intro
02:18 – Are we doing or being done?
05:15 – Resisting the flow of nature
08:00 – Doing without doing

#TAOISM #TAO #LAOTZU

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Comments

Anonymous says:

Which Taoist scripture do you enjoy the most: the Tao Te Ching, Zhuang Zi, or perhaps Lie Zi?

@eikaue954 says:

I feel like doing without forcing is what makes the most sense to me. I did try not to do anything for quite some time, and that didn’t work out at all. I realised I need to go out and about to achieve anything. With inner peace, and without forcing things, that is definitely easier. Any thoughts?

@creativelady7 says:

Sir, I much prefer to listen to your videos, your pleasant voice and style of communicating than those terrible stoic videos created with AI. They talk too fast, have terrible droning voices and try to cover too much information in one session. They sound like life coaches barking at you and are abrasive. The visuals are boring as well. Yours are much more interesting and your choice of background music is superb. Please keep up the good work as you are. Thank you for your encouraging videos.❤😊

@JoelEMaher says:

I like to say, work smart, not hard. I'm not always lazy, nor am I always stupid but a better way will often present itself if you are observant, open and nonrigid. The better way may be different for different people, but blindly following accepted practices is not the route to innovation. Keep your mind, and more importantly, your heart open. Or don't. It's all the same.

@NghiLa-yv6kv says:

Uhh🥺?
Neither Dao nor un~Dao, You know!
We, just Dump! Real Dumb.

@gsalemi1954 says:

"Easy is right. Begin right and you are easy. Continue easy and you are right. The right way to go easy is to forget the right way, and forget that the going is easy."

@psztyla says:

What translation of Tao Te Ching was used in this video?

@jamesmcfarland1521 says:

Mental notez 🎉

@AmberPatoc says:

As an artist I felt the instinct of yin and yang and its meaning

@aronjaeger says:

thanks so much for this

@user-es5uo4jp7d says:

I think it’ have to be a balance , you can not compete inactive and let the corrent just take you whatever .

@kvps27 says:

Larry David enters the chat…

@williammorales-gonzalez1637 says:

Does the universe exist WITHOUT "us" here, present to witness it!??!

@williammorales-gonzalez1637 says:

Basically, LIVE smarter not harder!👍❤

@GodEmperorOfDune747 says:

The ox is slow, but the earth is patient.

@ModernFrontiersman says:

ive recently found ur channel and i greatly appreciate it!!!

@gregorymoon says:

we don't control – Nature – Yoga is such a controlling act / behavior. nature does the work. no imposition of will – be led / Allow, allow, allow. 3x Riding The Wave. Where does Nature want me to be? Give up resistance! <3

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