Uploaded April 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Companion blog post: wp.me/p32or0-5is
The Riddle of the Sphinx tarot spread is from one of my favorite tarot deck guidebooks of all time, Book M: Liber Mundi (2015) by M. M. Meleen. Book M is the companion guidebook to her deck the Tabula Mundi Tarot.
Let’s do this tarot reading together, step by step, and start with divinatory instructions from Israel Regardie’s The Philosopher’s Stone (1938). We’ll be invoking the Great Angel HRU to commence.
Book M: Liber Mundi: tabulamundi.com/book-m-liber-mundi
Tabula Mundi Tarot: tabulamundi.com
Pharos Tarot: tabulamundi.com/pharos
Free download of the SKT Major Arcana + Aces deck and free card meanings handout: benebellwen.com/2019/11/12/spirit-keepers-tarot-major-arcana-free-download
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ONLINE COURSES
Western Witchcraft: The Fundamentals and Doctrinal Basks ($79), benebellwen.com/2020/01/05/western-witchcraft-i-the-fundamentals
Tarot and the Four Pillars: Keys to Unlocking Esoteric Wisdom ($30), benebellwen.com/2019/05/22/tarot-and-the-four-pillars
Tarot, Occultism, and Modern Witchcraft ($25), benebellwen.com/2018/06/20/tarot-occultism-and-modern-witchcraft-online-course
Learning the Opening of the Key ($20), benebellwen.com/2016/06/20/learning-the-opening-of-the-key-online-course
* * *
SIGHTSEE THE TAROT: Sightsee the Tarot is a series on my channel through which I take you on a tour of tarot books, spreads, techniques and tips, different decks, and more.
Check out the SERIES PAGE FOR ALL EPISODES: tinyurl.com/sightseethetarot
Sightsee the Tarot, YouTube Full Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0x6BzLuplwar0jcbmIu2MaX3RMVEs0ik
BENEBELL WEN
benebellwen.com
Companion blog post: wp.me/p32or0-5is
The Riddle of the Sphinx tarot spread is from one of my favorite tarot deck guidebooks of all time, Book M: Liber Mundi (2015) by M. M. Meleen. Book M is the companion guidebook to her deck the Tabula Mundi Tarot.
Let’s do this tarot reading together, step by step, and start with divinatory instructions from Israel Regardie’s The Philosopher’s Stone (1938). We’ll be invoking the Great Angel HRU to commence.
Book M: Liber Mundi: tabulamundi.com/book-m-liber-mundi
Tabula Mundi Tarot: tabulamundi.com
Pharos Tarot: tabulamundi.com/pharos
Free download of the SKT Major Arcana + Aces deck and free card meanings handout: benebellwen.com/2019/11/12/spirit-keepers-tarot-major-arcana-free-download
* * *
ONLINE COURSES
Western Witchcraft: The Fundamentals and Doctrinal Basks ($79), benebellwen.com/2020/01/05/western-witchcraft-i-the-fundamentals
Tarot and the Four Pillars: Keys to Unlocking Esoteric Wisdom ($30), benebellwen.com/2019/05/22/tarot-and-the-four-pillars
Tarot, Occultism, and Modern Witchcraft ($25), benebellwen.com/2018/06/20/tarot-occultism-and-modern-witchcraft-online-course
Learning the Opening of the Key ($20), benebellwen.com/2016/06/20/learning-the-opening-of-the-key-online-course
* * *
SIGHTSEE THE TAROT: Sightsee the Tarot is a series on my channel through which I take you on a tour of tarot books, spreads, techniques and tips, different decks, and more.
Check out the SERIES PAGE FOR ALL EPISODES: tinyurl.com/sightseethetarot
Sightsee the Tarot, YouTube Full Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0x6BzLuplwar0jcbmIu2MaX3RMVEs0ik
BENEBELL WEN
benebellwen.com


![Wu Wei 無為 (Taoist Non-Action)
This is a video lecture on the Taoist principle of wu wei 無為, commonly translated into English as “non-action.”
Timestamps:
00:00 Review of what I said on wu wei in a previous video
00:24 Wu wei in a nutshell
00:59 What the Tao Te Ching (6th century BC) says about wu wei
01:33 Tao Te Ching Verse 2
02:19 The Tao as a divine monad vs. polytheistic view of the many gods, spirits, and demons that are the fragmented parts of the Tao
03:49 Tao Te Ching Verse 38 [Note: There is a typo in the top right corner. It should cite the book 德經 of the TTC]
04:17 Tao Te Ching Verse 37 [Note: Same typo as previous]
05:42 Reflection: Synthesize the word for word translations and interpret Verse 37 for yourself
07:51 Wu wei as political philosophy and military strategy
08:36 What the Xunzi 荀子 (4th century BC) says about wu wei [Text that should have appeared on screen here: 譬之是猶以盲辨色,以聾辨聲也,舍亂妄無為也]
08:56 What the Zhuangzi 莊子 (5th - 3rd century BC) says about wu wei
10:01 What the Xinyu 新語 by Lu Jia 陸賈 (240 BC – 170 BC) says about wu wei
10:37 Xinyu, Article 4 on Wu Wei, Verse 1
11:45 Xinyu, Article 4 on Wu Wei, Verse 2
12:36 Xinyu, Article 4 on Wu Wei, Verse 3
13:40 Comparing Lu Jia’s philosophy of wu wei to the Tao Te Ching Verse 63 | Error in Script: This should be Verse 57: 我無為,而民自化 (Wǒ wú wéi, ér mín zì huà)
14:08 Tao Te Ching Verse 43; I Ching hexagram 42 (Yi: Burgeoning)
15:03 Comparing Lu Jia’s philosophy with Stoicism and Diogenes of Babylon (200 – 100 BC)
15:57 Key distinctions between Confucianist, Taoist, and Buddhist interpretations of wu wei
17:03 Reflection: Per your interpretation of these texts articulating wu wei, what does the concept mean to you?
ADDENDUM: How might everyday people like us apply this philosophical principle? Here are my personal thoughts.
- At the government level, it means prioritizing individual liberty when it comes to law and public policy. It means giving people the freedom to be who they want to be, but also investing a great deal in education and inspiring the people toward modeling virtue. A truly just, peaceful, and good society begins at the top. Your leaders must first model virtue before you expect that of the people.
- In terms of our relationship with nature and the environment, it means construction that is in harmony with the natural topography, rather than trying to defeat the natural topography. Basically, feng shui principles.
- And at the family level, it means intuitive parenting. It’s letting the interests, innate disposition, strengths and weaknesses of your child guide how you parent. It does not mean hands-off parenting. It means not trying to change the nature and innate disposition of your child. In fact, it means as a parent, you want to do everything you can to nurture the best out of the nature of your child. Wu wei parenting means modeling virtuous behavior to inspire your child to be virtuous.
- In education, wu wei means teachers don’t force or compel students to learn at the teacher’s expected pace of progress. It’s letting students learn at their own natural pace.
- At the individual level, wu wei doesn’t mean don’t be ambitious. It means doing The Work out of a natural, unforced passion for The Work, and then not desiring credit or glory for achieving The Work.
See also the companion video lecture on ziran 自然:
https://youtu.be/EvXSuKYA_Gg Wu Wei 無為 (Taoist Non-Action)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TzAFobogs3Q/mqdefault.jpg)







