Many schools of Eastern philosophy have taken a dramatically different idea of what the Self is. In the West, we are inclined to believe that we have a fixed self or identity, one that is permanent and abiding, and possibly even continues beyond death. However, prominent thinkers in Buddhism and Taoism, along with a multiplicity of mystics in the Vedic/Hindu tradition have speculated on just what exactly this so called self/consciousness is, and as a result came up with some intriguing proposals. This class will explore the distinct yet overlapping ideas on the nature of Self through the lens of these Eastern traditions and seek to expound on some practical applications they can have on our everyday lives.

Daoism began as an ancient philosophical school that recognized a futility in the effort of humans to try and understand the world by conceptualizing it. They advocated that one takes on a state of xu (emptiness) in order to remove concepts and distinctions would inhibit one from performing tasks well. When one successfully becomes xu they will act in a wu-wei (non-action) manner. Wu-wei is the seemingly paradoxical activity of doing things without doing, it is also described as effortless action. Both xu and wu-wei arise out of an awareness and harmonizing with the Tian li (natural propensities) that are found in nature. In this course you will come to gain a better understanding of xu and wu-wei. With this understanding it is hoped that you can apply these notions within your own life to improve efficiency and overall performance.