Wu Wei 無為 and the Earth 土 element
According to the Taoist calendar, from August 7 to September 7, we move from Summer to late Summer. The priorities you set last month will help you bring order and structure to your private and work life in the coming month. The exercises for the Stomach Meridian bring balance to the connection with yourself and others, which is very important at this time of the year. After the hot summer weeks, it's good to retreat slowly and look at things from a distance: to allow things to unfold in their natural way in your life. This is why we work with the Taoist idea of effortlessness: Wu Wei 無為.
Wu Wei 無為
The kanji combination teaches us:
無 Wu (Japanese pronunciation 'mu') = nothing, no
為 Wei (Japanese pronunciation: 'i') = do, change, make, benefit, be of use, reach for, try, practice.
Alan Watts explains it in his book "Tao, The Watercourse Way" as ‘not forcing’:
"Wu Wei is the 'unconscious' intelligence and innate wisdom to find the path of least resistance in all your actions."
During late Summer it is important to take a step back, to move slowly towards Autumn, to observe more, evaluate, and let 'things' take their natural course. Within our Dō-in practice, this means: not striving for a ‘perfect’ posture (this is where Wabi Sabi comes in), but moving with the intelligence of our body. “Grass doesn't grow faster by pulling it”. We practice this on the mat, so we can integrate it into our daily lives. In this way, you learn to move with the natural cycles of your body (and therefore Nature), which creates peace, space, and strength on a physical, mental, and emotional level.
In late Summer we move from the element of Fire to the element of Earth. Our Dō-in practice in August and September ensures we turn more inward and 'ground' our feet strongly into the earth. In addition, we focus extra on moving from our power center: the Hara 腹 - located in the lower abdomen - which we will discuss in more detail next month.
The kanji 土 started as an outline of a lump of dirt placed on the ground to celebrate the god of the earth. It meant “soil; dirt; ground; land.
The Earth element is present all year round in the last 7 to 10 days of each month and at its peak in August and September. It regulates nutrition and digestion in every body, mind, and soul aspect. A vital Earth energy in body and mind helps us choose what is truly nourishing.