Wuchi and 'Niksen'

In Tai Chi the sequence of movements starts with finding Wuchi - nothingness. From nothing comes a duality in movement increasing in intentional complexity before returning to stillness, nothing, Wuchi.

However, a difficulty can often be found in being Wuchi. A challenge when our culture is one of continuous stimulation and activity. Yet this simple act of being nothing sets us up for all the movement and postures that follow.   

The Dutch have a word for doing nothing - 'niksen'. Niksen is a Dutch response to the demands of modern living, 'Niksen gives us what we crave: an explanation for what’s missing – the presence of nothing in our lives.' Groskop (2024).

Groskop (2024) suggsts other definitions of niksen as 'letting go of the outcome' or in France 'L’art de ne remplir aucun objectif translated as The art of not having to fulfil any objective'.  

Tai Chi and it's influences from other Eastern systems like Buddhism can perhaps provide some helpful ways to do niksen. When we stand quietly waiting to start the movements of Tai Chi it's important not to let our mind think about what we are about to do or how we did the movements in the past. This can be achieved by simply paying attention to our internal physical self, relaxing into a connected balanced posture. This approach utilises an embodied, somatic interpretation of traditional Tai Chi teaching. 

David Hunt Tai Chi February 2024

Reference 

Groskop Viv (2024) The art of doing nothing: have the Dutch found the answer to burnout culture?;

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/feb/07/the-art-of-doing-nothing-have-the-dutch-found-the-answer-to-burnout-culture?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3uvrPtT4CnGCSPLB8t4sebEXFZ1yV0SABCf9a-abg713s8Kpt-L09LKes#Echobox=1707301223 , accessed 9th February 2024