Wu Wei: effortless action

The concept of a flow state has become well known in recent years, since it was coined in the mid to late 90’s by psychologist Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced Chick Sent Me High. I was so chuffed when I learnt how to say his name).

‘Flow’ is that wonderful, blissful state found when we are able to perform in the sweet spot when the activity isn’t too hard or too easy and when we are not bored or too anxious. This could be during sport, art, writing, playing an instrument, coding and many other activities. It’s that moment when what we are doing, takes us over and we are completely at one with with our actions. This flow state has also been shown to help reduce pain, anxiety amongst other helpful things.

What Csikszentmihalyi didn’t explore (he had a lot going on as a key founder of positive psychology, so we can forgive him eh) was that flow has a continuum and at the peak end, it is like a ‘superfluid state’ where the ego dissolves and the actions exist purely for themselves: effortless actions that are enjoyed for themselves. This state can be described as Wu Wei, a cornerstone of Taoism, "a state of personal harmony in which actions flow freely and instantly from one's spontaneous inclinations...and yet nonetheless accord perfectly with the dictates of the situation at hand, display an almost supernatural efficacy'“ (Slingerland) It’s almost like ‘non-doing’ or ‘doing without exertion’.

In recent years, I have experienced this feeling/state a couple of times but am still unable to ‘summon’ it if you like, which of course is the point. If I try too hard or make too much effort, it’s exactly what Wu Wei isn’t! There were times during the Sky Arts competition where, on reflection, I was in Wu Wei. The first and second rounds where I was just completely disinterested in winning and was only interested in having a lovely time and making the best painting I could (and flirting with Stephen Mangan of course). I lost my Wu Wei quite a lot during the final as it was too stressful. Don’t get me wrong - I couldn’t see this at the time. It was only in retrospect I can recognise it. It happened again this time last year when I decided ‘for fun’ to write a fiction book and somehow wrote 70,000 words in about 5 weeks. I was disconnected from any sort of outcome, I just set out to write the book for pleasure, with no thought as to what to do with it afterwards. Sadly, trying to reach that beautiful state seems impossible when you desperately want it.

I first learnt about Wu Wei about 30 years ago when I was learning Tai Chi from an excellent teacher. The concept has stayed with me ever since, sitting in the back of my mind. I can remember the teacher saying that you need to settle your body into a state of non-movement and just before moving, on the tip of non action and action, that’s where Wu Wei is. What has interested in me in my painting for the last couple of years, is whether I can get into a state of Wu Wei just before I make start painting. You might have seen my ‘dip’ paintings. I started using this process which is akin to marbling, about 3 years ago. I see the moment of the ‘dip’ as the moment I move into action - that Wu Wei moment when anything is possible. I can’t control the outcome - it is what is it, to a certain extent, but I see the dip as very much a starting point.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit bonkers but I have been obsessed with dipping canvas in wood into paint floated on water and every painting you see in this newsletter, came about through a dipping process. Sometimes I start a painting in a more traditional way and then ‘dip’ it. More often than not, I start with a large vat or paddling pool and dip a blank canvas or piece of wood and work from the results.

There is so much to research and learn about Wu Wei but for now I need to focus on ‘effortless action’. This doesn’t mean I am somehow being lazy. Nope, if anything I work too hard, but its the intention and feelings throughout the creating that I need to change. Less pushing/trying and more joy and letting go. With love from my wonderful, ridiculous self, Jen :) Here are some painting created with my Wu Wei dipping: