The+Pooh+Way-+Christine+Tim+Hyukjoo

=**//Tao of Pooh: The Pooh Way//**=
 * //by Christine Kim, Tim Kim, Hyukjoo Kwon//**



__ Summary : TIM__
In the Chapter, The Pooh Way, the author, Benjamin Hoff, mainly focuses on the idea of Wu Wei. Wu Wei means “without doing, causing, or making”. Through the story, he emphasizes that people should concentrate to be effortless. By recognizing yourself and working with the natural laws, one can achieve Wu Wei. For this, Hoff gives two examples to further explain. First, Hoff relates Wu Wei to the story when every characters were playing the “Poohsticks”. During that, they find Eeyore at the river, floating on a river. Eeyore tells Pooh and others that he is waiting for someone to save him. Pooh decides to save him and brings a giant stone, hoping the waves created by dropping the stone would bring him back. When they dropped the stone, they first thought Eeyore has been hit by the stone and drowned. However, Eeyore successfully made back to the shore by drifting. In this story, Hoff stresses the fact that things will work out naturally without giving to much on it. Another example occurs at Eeyore’s birthday party. Before Eeyore’s party, Pooh decides to give Eeyore honey and Piglet decides to give a balloon. When they were heading towards the party, however, Pooh unconsciously eats all the honey up and Piglet pops the balloon by running too fast and falling down. Even though their presents were all gone, they decide to give Eeyore a “Useful Pot” and a small piece of damp rag to put it inside the “Useful Pot”. Like Pooh, reaching Wu Wei will make everything work out naturally or through Inner Nature.



__Thematic Analysis: ( Hyuk Joo Kwon )__
**The Pooh Way** is also known as **The Wu Wei**. This basical terminology of The Wu Wei is to have no egoistical efforts and not going against the nature. Flowing the life like a nature, having no particular route ( meddlesome, combative ). It also means to do anything without causing or making the result. Another rule is to not avoid things when it comes to you, just like a a stream of water does not avoid rocks when on its way. When something starts it's going to have an end. ===// “It seems rather significant that the character Wei developed from the symbols for a clawing hand and a monkey, since the term Wu Wei means no going against the nature of things; no clever tampering; no Monkeying Around.” (Tao of Pooh, Page 68). //=== When a person learns how to work with their own Inner nature, and the natural laws around them will reach the Wu Wei. That means the person will work with the natural order of things with minimal effort. This is occurs because natural world follows the principle which does not make mistakes. This leads people to not to struggle with their way of life, because it will be good when they follow the Wu Wei. **//Let the life flow it self and support it.//** Trying to change life and how it goes is wrong according to Wu Wei. However not trying your best in life is wrong too.

// “But practically speaking, it means without meddlesome, combative, or egotistical effort.” (Tao of Pooh, Page 68). //
This doesn’t mean to not give any attention and motivation about choosing where your life is going to flow. This means do not change what is happening in your life now, but just to flow where your life goes. Choosing your path at first is very important. Struggling and trying to get out of the problem will get you nowhere but into an even bigger problem.

// “Wu Wei doesn't try. It doesn't think about it. It just does it. And when it does, it doesn't appear to do much of anything. But Things Get Done.” (Tao of Pooh, Page 75). //
Based on Wu Wei, trying to solve things with knowledge is going to get you nowhere because it goes against the nature. Thinking too much is considered to be against the idea of nature. If a person tries too hard, that person will go nowhere, and they could possibly take the wrong path. When you follow the Dao, the problem will untangle itself. Natural Order, in Taoist belief, is leaving everything where it is suppose to be without changing anything.

//“Since the natural world follows that principle, it does not make mistakes.”// // (Tao of Pooh, Page 69). //
//Follow and support the way things are going and try not to change anything where things are going. Changing things will cause trouble.//

1. Would you consider Pooh's gift to Eeyore a gift of laziness? How do you think Eeyore would have felt if he found out that Pooh ate the actual present?

2. In the book, the author of often criticizes Confucianism, and their "educated" ways. What do you think Confucianist would say about Wu Wei if they too wrote a book like __the Tao of Pooh__//.// 3. Do you believe that practicing Wu Wei will prevent you from dying of natural disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis?

4. How is laziness any different from the Principle of Minimal Effort?

5. Would you say you practice Wu Wei?