Wu Wei

Wu wei is the state of emptiness, stillness. The state between yin and yang, or maybe before because befroe tai chi which has movement there is Wu Wei the place of no movement.

Like where I was today on the boat, with no wind…

I find it interesting that there is at least one other now who speaks of sailing in terms of Zen and Yin and Yang. He was even classy enough to put in a link to my other landbased site and speak of my daily zen life. I see he did not link to my sailing site that spoke of the same thing he was speaking on though…before him hahahahah. My first thought was Ello whas this…oohh competition in my realm,… it’s on now! I’ll have to up the anty (sp) hahaha, but that would not be very “zen” like, it is not about a challege, who was first ( I was though heheh), it is not a race. Althought that is what his well written piece was more based on or inspired by than mine. One thing was said I thought was excellant, “sailing should be as natural as breathing”, that was brillant, smashing!!

So today was quite lovely, spring weather, my Friday off and after dealing with the inhormonic balance between the walking vessels of yin and yang for the last couple of days I was ready, no more than ready for some recharge time on the water.

However the weather at the marina was in a balanced stated of emptness, wu wei, as in NO WIND!

From time to time the engery would shift a bit and there would be a bit of a brezze , but nothing to speak of and did not last long. So, in keeping with a mind of being in the moment I figured on making due.

I installed another two cable covers, this time I picked the wrong size, or maybe the right size any way they went on much easier than the last set. Nice!

Next I had lunch and enjoyed being in a peaceful place floating, thinking about Yin/Yang & Wu Wei. Just floating, no wind, no movement, balanced. I tried some meditation on deck, with the calmness of the water, the small rise and fall of the current with the slight movement of air. Sensing the gentle shift from yin to yang to wu wei. Sitting there, gently rocking, with eyes closed gave me the sense of sailing. In one way better, because I did not have to worry about running inot something, or something me! I could feel the water, feel the wind, what little there was, with the added plus of hearing the birds fron the park and shore. It was a good space… After a bit I fell asleep… for a short time.

I did get a few ideas, or enlightened continuances of another post(s) a did months back, which I will not say anything about lest someone rip me off again and will post later.

I digress…

There was one sailboat out on the water, not moving I noticed… The wind after a while seemed to pickup and hold. I figured go for it dude! However the “zen sense” ( like spider sense but works for more than just danger) said, maybe you should just try it under jib, easy to get out and put away, rather than setup the mainsail, and taking off covers and the deck tarp, blah blah blah. Which I listened to and did.

Simple disconnect of the dock lines and I was off. Thinking well if nothing else I’ll charge the batteries up some. I got out un-furled the Jib and made head way for about 5 min, then stopped into a perfect state of Wu Wei. It came to me there how I was in this perfect state of wu wei, between the yin of the air and the yang of the water, touching both but not moving, as they say in “Zen” a state of emtiness. Part of, but not part of, touching but not attached, very “zen”.

After a while I came back to the marina. On my way home, I was invited aboard a 50 some foot motor yacht. I see this older gent all the time and chat with him a bit. He invited me aboard for a beer a couple of other times I turned it down. I dislike beer… Today also he invited me. I told him I do not drink beer, he said I have OJ,… I was not into it, but I went. We chatted a bit, he drank, beer and clamato juice, ugh!!!!! Then showed me around his boat. He was heading up north for the summer to fish and hang out. His wife did not like to do the long boat thing, so he was going alone for the summer. Turns out he is also a Yacht surveyor, I may get him to do s/v zen at some point before I head off to sea.

After a bit I head home… it was a good day messing about on boats