Wu wei is the Daoist concept of spontaneous and effortless action. One manifestation of it occurs at special times in repetitive activities like running, when the thinking mind is at rest and there are no concerns about pushing harder or winning or losing. All tension is absent, and one is especially in tune with the body and the environment. Movements are precise and intuitive, and one is unaware of chronological time. The Daoists maintain that this is all quite natural and that this kind of awareness can be cultivated in various ways. Everyone has experienced such moments at one time or another. Explore your own experiences of such times and interview friends or family members for theirs.
The Confucian virtue of li attends to propriety and ritual. Think of all the ways human beings have ritualized the social intercourse of daily life. Actually it may be more difficult to find a mode of social interaction that is not ritualized in some way. Examine the simple rituals of greeting one another. Isolate the components of intent, word, and gesture. When does the ritual work and when does it not? Then investigate something more complicated, like the rituals of dating. Explore the value of clearly defined rituals in this area versus a more Daoist approach of freedom and spontaneity. Which do you prefer and why? If the previous "either/or" question bothers you, then you may already be thinking with a Chinese-like mind. If so, try combining the two approaches in a yin/yang way.
