The habit of running away from danger has served me well-being for decades. The problem, however, is detecting danger sufficiently in advance. Chances are that, if we are exhausted, distracted or asleep, we won’t be able to see the train coming.

I am afraid that the ability to sniff danger before it’s too late requires high levels of alertness, critical thinking, and personal initiative. Does everybody possess these qualities? No, I must acknowledge that this is not the case.

Wu Wei (the principle of non-action) aims at protecting the Taoist practitioner against danger. Mostly from imprudence or overconfidence. Those concepts also include the dangers from inexperience, ignorance, and overwhelming complexity.

I can enunciate the Wu Wei principle in just a few words: In case of doubt, stay away, do nothing and refrain from investing any time and energy into the venture.

Wu Wei and Christianity

Wu Wei is the Taoist equivalent of the virtue of prudence in the ethics of Aristotle (384-322 BC) except for one important difference: Wu Wei inverts the burden of proof.

It does not assume benevolence, justice and fairness in any interaction. It does not expect something for nothing, and asks to see the proof before making any welcoming gestures.

In contrast to the Christian ethics as presented by Augustine (354-430) and Tomas of Aquinas (1225-1274), Wu Wei warns its practitioner against unlikely changes in personality. If there is no proof of soundness in a personal relationship or business venture, it is better to stay out.

Taoists won’t be easily convinced by someone’s repentance and good words. They want to see the proof of virtue, that is, a consistent pattern of ethical behaviour. Like Christians, Taoists do not deny the possibility of self-improvement, but they want to see ample evidence before believing anything.

While other philosophies and religions exhort reconciliation and benevolence, the Tao Te Ching emphasises self-protection. It is up to each of us to protect ourselves, our family and assets against malevolent snoopers or intruders.

Wu Wei is meant to keep us away from unnecessary risks. If the standards of safety are insufficient or unclear, we shouldn’t jeopardise our future. Does Wu Wei sound excessively prudent by today’s moral standards? Possibly, but Taoists are reluctant to engage in activities or social interactions of doubtful value.

Wu Wei and social rituals

In Chapter 38 of the Tao Te Ching, Lao-Tzu tells us that “when morality is forgotten, people tend to stick to rituals, but those will prove devoid of meaning and generate chaos.”

In this context, the term “rituals” means all sorts of personal or societal archetypes, to which positive connotations are given by most people. I refer to weddings, birthday parties, festivity celebrations, business lunches, church ceremonies, and similar customs.

We should examine them with fresh eyes, and draw our own conclusions. It would be unwise to accept that all those rituals are expressions of friendship, benevolence or love. Sometimes they are, and other times, they are not.

Wu Wei erects a mental barrier that we need to cross before taking action, even if the action consists of something as trivial as taking part in a festive day celebration. Let’s weigh the pros and cons before saying yes. Let’s assess the character or ethics of the people involved, and decide if they match ours.

Traditional Taoist stories emphasise the fact that people will seldom change their personality. For instance, a story about an old tree, which had grown slightly inclined. When the gardener tried to straighten out the old tree, he accidentally broke the trunk in two, and then the tree died shortly after.

A Wu Wei practitioner would have categorically refused to apply force on the old tree. Taoists would have stayed away if they had been invited to participate. They would have assessed the situation critically and concluded that nothing good could come out of it.

Habits that promote Wu Wei

What is the justification for Wu Wei? Chapter 32 of the Tao Te Ching affirms that the Tao cannot be easily perceived. Even the most experienced Taoists will hesitate sometimes, when the situation is so complex that they feel unable to find the correct path.

Similarly, Chapter 21 of the Tao Te Ching acknowledges the fact that the Tao can sometimes appear to be dark, mysterious, and hard to figure out. That’s why Wu Wei plays a central role in protecting our life and health.

In life, we are going to face many situations in which there is no clear path to walk; we’ll hesitate and perceive the urgency of making a decision, but we will remain undecided.

Modern self-development authors tend to push people to go ahead without detailed thinking, but does it really make sense? I do not think so, and that’s why I regard Wu Wei as crucial for risk reduction. If we precipitate ourselves into action, we might incur substantial losses.

How do Taoists practise Wu Wei in today’s world? The best approach is to incorporate Wu Wei in our lifestyle by means of habits that enhance prudence. The purpose of those habits is to render Wu Wei automatic and deeply ingrained.

Let me enumerate habits that fall under the principle of non- action or Wu Wei: always checking two offers before making a large purchase, reading contracts carefully before signing them or making a payment, avoiding walking into areas that are known to be dangerous, and staying alert, so that we can detect anything out of the ordinary.

In those examples, Wu Wei does not stop at detecting risks. It also involves quickly removing ourselves, our families and our assets from the area; for Taoists, it’s more important to stay safe than to obtain a large financial gain.

Scepticism, as delineated by Pyrrhon (360-275 BC), doesn’t match the goal of Wu Wei. Pyrrhon argued that humans cannot draw definite conclusions on anything because our intellectual and perceptual capabilities are insufficient.

In contrast, Wu Wei trusts the human ability to detect risks, dangers and threats. Wu Wei is a crusade against imprudence, not against certainty. While ancient Sceptics philosophers used to be paralysed by doubt, Taoists are known for making quick decisions and implementing them without delay.

Wu Wei requires a steady commitment in order to produce the desired outcome. If we want to benefit from its advantages, we need to develop the corresponding habits in all areas of life. Those who fail to do so, chances are that they wake up when it is already far too late.

If you are interested in applying rational ideas in all sorts of situations, I recommend my book “On becoming unbreakable.”