How awareness of the nervous system unlocks the ancient path to Wu Wei or effortless action.

The idea of Wu Wei is intoxicating.

 Imagine having the ability to act in harmony with the universe, without forcing or straining, allowing action to arise spontaneously from a deeply grounded state of presence.  Attaining this state of being is available to all of us. It’s embedded in our nervous system.

  As we hone our ability to listen to the messages our nervous system is sending us, we improve our ability to identify what part of the system is driving our thoughts and actions.  Are we moving toward fight or flight, or perhaps we are starting to shut down in response to the situatioh either at hand or in our mind?

  With practice we learn the cues, both internal and external that help guide us back to ventral vagal state, the state of presence, safety, connection and creativity.

I’ve noticed I often drop into ventral vagal while performing mundane tasks such as chopping wood or doing the dishes. In these moments, solutions to problems or creative ideas seem to spring forth effortlessly. I also noticed this week that a little distraction, such as a calm lecture playing in the background, while I play guitar allows new musical ideas to emerge.

  What cues or activities have you noticed that drop you into ventral vagal state? How can these be paired with creative work to achieve effortless action?

  Ventral vagal is the home of Wu Wei.