A Philosophy So Good It Could Cure Depression

That's Philosophical #45

2500 years ago, a new Chinese philosophy was born. Taoism was founded by Lao-Tzu (nobody knows if he actually existed). Throughout its long history, Taoism gathered a lot of people around it, and that resulted in the formation of various branches of this philosophy/religion. Taoism helps its followers be in harmony with “the way of the universe”: Tao. Remarkably, despite the fact that it was created thousands of years ago, Tao is relevant to our mental health in the modern, busy world as ever. Unlike Confucianism, another ancient Chinese philosophy, Taoism focuses on the relationship of humans with the universe, not their relationship with society. Here, I want to focus on the core principles that drive this philosophy. Prepare to learn about the beautiful way of living.

Wu Wei

Wu Wei means “effortless doing” and the concept is surprisingly similar to other philosophies I explored here. Wu Wei encourages people to follow and not interfere with the natural flow of things. That’s why its main message is to be present and embrace your state of flow, without being distracted by thoughts of the past or future.

The aspect of Wu Wei I like is that it encourages us to slow down and take a break from stress. You have to be able to relax from working without feeling guilty about it. This is something I find really hard to do. Whenever I rest, I constantly find myself thinking about what I could be doing instead. At these moments, I have to remind myself to do things at 100%. If I work on something, better to commit to it fully for the best results, same with relaxation.

According to Wu Wei, we are happy when we don’t interfere with nature and respect its cycles. To do that, we have to be authentic and spontaneous. When we follow the natural flow, we improve our well-being and can live a less stressful life by believing that everything happens for the best.

You can also use Wu Wei when you face rejection or failure. The natural flow has led you to a closed door, you shouldn’t interfere or be frustrated about how things have turned out. As Wu Wei says, you will be happier if you accept the flow. So accept your flaws, failures, and rejections, they are there to make you happier, not take something away from you.

A realistic proof of Wu Wei is how some things won’t come to you even if you try as hard as you can. It’s because they are meant to be a byproduct. Trying to achieve them only defeats the whole purpose. Force the process of coming up with a new idea and your creativity will die. Force the process of finding love and you will hardly find a perfect fit. Try to find happiness and you will just end up focusing on the wrong things.

I know how to play my national instrument. When I perform in front of people, I never think of what I am playing. If you think about every single note you are playing, the song will end up a mess. When I perform, I let go and let my brain do its thing, I don’t actively take part in the process, and I don’t think through every single note. The same happens in sports, if you focus too much on your technique, you will not get it right. After hours of practice, you will be able to let go and let your body just do it, effortlessly. See the brain’s default and focus modes.

Some things are not meant to be an active pursuit. You can only get them if you accept the flow and understand Wu Wei. That’s why it is referred to as the art of balancing action and inaction. You have to know where your energy is worth spending and where you should let go and accept the natural flow. Just enjoy the stuff you do. The Tao will take care of itself and you will be satisfied by the byproduct.

In the modern, busy world, Wu Wei is a wake-up call to those trapped in their boxes of goals, metrics, and social constructs. Live with the Tao.

Simplicity

Taoism is all about living a life in harmony, and you can achieve it with simplicity in your life. When we remove stuff that’s unnecessary or in excess, we can focus on what truly matters. Distractions and desires can cause suffering and therefore are better to be avoided. According to the philosophy, we are more likely to find fulfillment in our life if it is simple. Leading a life of non-purposive action may sound counter-productive, but according to Taoism, this way of life will be the most fulfilling.

Humans are originally aligned with Tao, our nature is inherently good. So stripping away all the stuff that piled up in the materialistic world might help us become happier and closer to Tao.

The three treasures

Tao te ching is the three treasures that sum up the Taoist way of living in harmony with nature. They are compassion, frugality, and humility.

• Compassion: embrace empathy, and perceive things for what they are. “Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.” Selflessness is shown through giving to others.

• Frugality: simplicity, avoiding extravagance and waste, being economical and restrained.

• Humility: Taoists ought to “resemble water,” in the way that it stays in places that people dislike. It stays not where it benefits itself, but in places of humility.

These three traits are an easy way to remember what Taoism generally is about.

“Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.”

-Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Final thoughts

Taoism was studied scientifically, as a cultural-oriented way to cure depressive symptoms. This meta-analysis looked at how it could be effective if used in Chinese communities, however, only limited data is available to make definite conclusions. After reading about Taoism, I am convinced it is indeed a really effective way to lead a happier life. The principles make sense and are easy to remember.

Taoism is another old, yet still, effective philosophy that taught me that sometimes the best thing to do is to enjoy the natural flow of the world. Interfering with it in any way only results in discomfort and negative emotions. Just like stoicism, Taoism shows you why you don’t need to worry about things outside of your control. Every negative event happens according to the harmonious nature that will eventually lead you to a happier place. Accept it. Embrace it. Don’t wait for it. Don’t think about it.

“Do nondoing, strive for non-striving.”

Lao-Tzu, Tao Te Ching