The Wu Project

I’ve decided that it’s time for me to formally kick off the Wu Project. First, I need to point out a few things that the Wu Project is not. It doesn’t have anything to do with an Oregon congressman. Nor, with a well-known rap group.

We’re talking here about the real Wu. Which, because it signifies nothing, is pretty darn hard to say anything about. Nonetheless, I’m drawn to try. And even more perhaps: to be.

It’s a dream of mine. To be Wu. Not the Chinese character. Not the various Wu-associations Wikipedia talks about. Something else. What remains when all the somethings that I’m not are negated and just the nothing that I may be remains.

“May be” is the operative word here. There are no guarantees with Wu. It’s the ultimate mystery. You can’t rely on it for anything, because there is no thing there. Or so they say. And I tend to believe them.

I’m not sure where the Wu Project is heading. It’s just something that I feel drawn to set out on. Over the years I’ve been inspired by the “they’s” and “them’s” alluded to in the paragraph above. But more inspiration isn’t what I’m after now, either as a consumer or a disseminator.

Again, it’s something else. Can’t really put my finger on it. How could I? Wu is untouchable. Yet not unsayable. More accurately, you can do word-dances all around Wu. The subject is so deep, the dancing never stops. Until, it does.

My first big executive decision concerning the Wu Project was what to name it. English doesn’t have a suitable word in its vocabulary. So I had the Chinese “Wu” and Japanese “Mu” to choose between.

Wu it is. I resonate more with Chinese philosophy and culture. I’m a student of Tai Chi and settle into the Wu Chi posture many times each class. Plus, I don’t want to think of a cow when I’m contemplating the absence of something.

My next move was obvious. A project needs a t-shirt. I made one through CaféPress. It’s being modeled by the panther who lives in my office.

A project name. A project t-shirt. A new weblog category. I’m ready to roll. Let’s see where Wu and I wander off to.

Comments

[Tony]

" O scholars, you are mistaken; there's no creator or creation there.

There's no radiant form, no time, no word, no flesh, or faith;no
cause or effect, or even a thought of the Vedas.

There's no Hari or Brahma, no Shiva or Shakti, no pilgrinages or
rituals;

There is no mother, no father, no Guru; think! Is it two or is it
One?

Kabir says: if you understand this, you are the teacher and I am the
disciple.

There, what form or shape is there to describe? What second,
what 'other', is there to see?

In the beginning, there is no Aum, or Veda. Who can trace His birth?

There, no sky exists, no moon or sun; no father's seed, no air, fire,
water or earth.

Who can name Him, or know His will?

Who can say from whence He comes?

Remembering the Void, the simple One, a light bursts forth;

I offer myself to that Existance who is non-existance."

Kabir Sahib - Bijak, Shastri, p 42-43

[The Rambling Taoist]

I tried to leave a Wu comment, but your system won't allow it. So, here's something in place of my nothing.

[Brian]

.

[Brian]

You're right about TypePad's insistence on something rather than nothing, Rambling Taoist. The preceding was the best I could do myself.

And for sure it's the wisest thing I'll write or say all day.

[The Rambling Taoist]

So, how did you accomplished the above nothingness?

[Brian]

Ah, Rambling Taoist, sometimes apparent nothingness is not true nothingness. In the midst of nothing there is something. Otherwise, how would we know the difference between nothing and something?

[tao]

...Woo Woo...(sound of a train a'comin)...Woo Woo...

[Dave]

But does the panther have Buddha-nature?

[h0riz0n]

Im sorry to say its impossible to reach your goal of nothingness. However, I can guarentee you will reach a distributed unconsciousness state. ;p

[keytapper]

love the wu. to paraphrase Umberto Eco (in Foucault's Pendulum): the true initiate cannot be coerced in to giving up the secret, no enemy can torture it from him, no jealous rival can coax it from him, because the true initiate knows that there is no secret

and modern neuroscience seems to say that self is an illusion

love the wu--I am nobody

[Nikhilesh]

Just a silly doubt.
Does Ric Flair practice Woo...????

[Brian Flanery]

Wu...