The Bizarre Life of Alan Watts
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ธ.ค. 2022
- Alan Watts, born in England and living most of his life in the United States,
was a writer, speaker & philosopher.
Watts was best known for making Japanese, Chinese, & Indian spiritual
traditions in the form of Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism entertainingly
accessible to a wide and popular audience throughout the world.
Alan Watts also played a pivotal & central role in the spiritual revolution that
shook the religious status quo of the United States during the 1960s.
This change in the religious consciousness of the US brought to the
American public ancient teachings from Hinduism, Buddhism, Sufism,
Esoteric Christianity and other mystical religious traditions.
This spiritual revolution changed the United States in ways that are still felt
today.
Yoga, meditation, vegetarian diets, chanting, nonviolent protests, therapies
of all kinds, feminism, equal rights, herbal & alternative medicines &
treatments, and much much more, were all first introduced to Americans in
the 1960s and were products of the spiritual revolution.
For many spiritual seekers in the United States & other parts of the Western
World, Alan Watts was their trusted guide through this incredible spiritual
change.
Watts introduced people to spiritual and religious practices which would
help to improve and intensify the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not
millions, of people.
And, Watts treated these unfamiliar and sometimes extremely unfamiliar
religious traditions, paths, & practices in a very readable and accessible
writing style.
#alanwatts #zen #spirituality #vedanta #philosophy
Script: Matt Mackane
Voiceover: Andrea Giordani
Edit: Pratik C. Ramteke | frms.in/
Music: Epidemic Music
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Copyright © 2022 Asangoham. All rights reserved.
In my darkest times, when I was thinking of ending it all... Alan Watts and his profound wisdom saved my life. He is, and will forever be, my hero.
I wish you all the happiness
He’s my grandpa, by choice and a safe place.
Same. Changed my whole experience x
Happy you’re here my friend. All the best to you 🙏😄
can you link me your best allan watts videos. thanks
Not so bizarre, really. He was profoundly human, and his perceived flaws made him much more relatable to our neurotic western minds than saints and gurus. He was indeed a great Bodhisattva. Thank you Alan! (and thanks Asangoham)
Do you know what it means to be a bodhisattva? Not all realized/enlightened beings are bodhisattvas.
He proclaimed himself as a Man and did Manly things like speaking out loud when thing he thought were wrong. And when He said things that werent actually wrong but he thought were wrong He was corrected and thus He Corrected Himself justly, As a man with any stature SHOULD!
Alan Watts, was a Mans Man as much as he was a Woman's Man. A Bachelor. He had experienced life. The fact I have got to tell you this is an abberation of Mankind itself! I've experienced my version of life, I spent time doing the drugs you were told not to do... There is actually reason for it! I'm not 60... I'm not even 40. I'm 32 going on 50. I squandered my life and here you are reading my comment on TH-cam. STOP READING MY SHIT! Use your hand for something other than Jerking off!
@@boomerp.3652 Agreed. He wasn't a "Bodhisattva" nor was he some kind of special monk. He was just Alan Watts, thats what makes him and his teachings so relatable, and amazing.
He was indeed bodhisattva. You can be on and not even know it. A homeless man can be one. Our idea of Saints are that they were perfect but they actually did terrible things and turned their life around to help others.
Watts was honest about his “irreducible rascality”…his “yetzer hara”: Heb.: inclination for evil, reducible to spiritual sources (God?). He mocked any perception of him as some kind of savior.
I started listening to his teaching during my university days, nearly 10 years ago. I was depressed at the time but somehow his talking changed that. It's not about finding away out of suffering, it's to enjoy the play while it's last whether it's tragedy or comedy. During covid high time, I was diagnosed with cancer and at the same time someone who was very closed to me passed away from cancer at the same time. Instead of breaking down, I was able to accept all of that gracefully. I don't know how long will I be able to keep enjoy this play and if I'll be lucky enough to receive the "grace of god" while the play lasts. But I know I'm enjoying this thanks to him.
Keep your head up.
Beautifully put. It is not about finding a way out of suffering, it is to enjoy the play while it lasts whether it is a tragedy or a comedy.
i am going to stick my noise in something i maybe shoudnt, my mom had cancer and she didnt know this was an option. if you dont want advice from a stranger just ignore me
here on youtube, (Dr) Joe Dispenza. He explains it better than i ever could in a youtube comment but there is hope my friend. You got this, 1 way or the other.
you'll always be apart of the play. you cant go nowhere else.
I love you soumen boya
He's helped keep me sane, numerous times. When life's got very tough, you turn to his lectures. His audio. Or video. And things become..bearable.
Universal. And what an earthling really be. His " flaws" make him real. And his books and especially his lectures create a space for one to go for a touch of peace and a taste of truth. Perhaps the only real purpose of "TH-cam" ! lol
And that glorious Voice carried us so effortlessly. If god chose to make an audio book I'm sure he will use Alan Watts for it.
Completely agree
Affirmative 😁🙏
Decades after his death, Alan had a profound impact on my life. I am forever grateful to him.
I'm so grateful myself
And I too...decades later his voice speaks the truth to our souls..God is all and universal..just has names in different languages. But is still the one and only God.
Alan Watts is just the beginning, Falun Dafa can answer all your questions
When I was going through some of my darkest depression phases i listened to his lectures on youtube over and over again. That man saved me. Seriously.
TH-cam saved you and are awaiting payment.
bro same. it’s crazy. the craziest part is i would listen to his lectures religiously a couple years ago but never really sat with me until it dawned on me. what he was saying was so purely simple that i was looking for more and more. that isn’t what life is about unfortunately. life is so simple yet complex and if you realize that, it will bring you very far.
@@gkilla4964 yes very true!
Same here ❤❤❤❤
Alan Watts is just the beginning, Falun Dafa can answer all your questions
When I got sober , it was Allan who kept me there. I was suicidal, depressed and just going nuts. His voice spoke to me in a way that changed my life . Ever since I found this man my outlook on life has forever changed the. Thank you Mr.Watts ❤
I hope you have maintained your sobriety my friend. Namaste!
Ironically, Alan was an alcoholic
@@leigh7507 yea, we also watched the video. Alan's speeches helped also me with addiction and depressed state. He who was in problem deep, he understood very good what addiction is. The point is that he had power to help so many only from that standpoint, or whatever else it is all on him. And thanks to him a bunch of us can and will live good lives, and I appreciate him very much and thanks to him you could or your son meet the wife who will bring new life to you or your son, that's irony!❤
Today's my first day of sobriety.
I am very fortunate to have been guided towards Alan Watts, he is amongst a group of fine folks who help me straighten out. Gratefully acknowledged.
Amitabha 😁🙏💖
Alan Watts is just the beginning, Falun Dafa can answer all your questions
I just discovered him less than a year ago but he has already profoundly changed my life. I no longer fear what I can’t control. The fact he was a heavy drinker only confirms his teachings. In the end it doesn’t matter. There are no mistakes, only change
That’s beautiful - good luck on your journey!
You must be a privileged person to begin with...
@Genii Cucullatus This happens, if one wanna know more, then one can handle with his practices/lifestyle.
I would say tell that to the victims of heinous evil abusers.
@@timlewis7218 The Tao is what it is ... Everyone has to play the ball where it lands ☯️🙏
I say this over and over again to messages in videos like this: if you see the Buddha on the road, kill him. this is an old Zen saying and a simple translation is "separate the messenger from the message." All that matters is that Alan Watts was a didactic or polymath with an extraordinary ability to synthesize east and west philosophy in a way that made it extraordinarily palpable to the masses and thus powerful catalyst for personal transformation
Beautifully articulated my acquaintance
Do we have to? Ha! He was just so incredibly charming and charmed.
Definitely. that was one of his many lectures...
Still, a very stupid comment; some nut will go out killing saints after reading it.
Bingo!
Alan Watts opened a gate of freedom for me in my twenties in the 60’s/70’s. Now in old age his words and thoughts inspire me.
was he a household name in those days? I like to think even more people know him now, though whether or not that's true I think we're headed there.
Exactly! You could be describing my experience, and the time-frame. Exactly. Pax vobiscum.
Alan Watts is just the beginning, Falun Dafa can answer all your questions
Watts was the perfect messenger for me, as an ex-Christian I really appreciate his take on Christ and the church. And I absolutely love his voice, much more persuasive than his writing. I feel the same about Terence McKenna in that regard. And let’s remember that the messenger doesn’t need to be perfect to deliver their truth
may i ask, what do you follow now?
THE truth
@@atomskreborn5740 probably everything he finds beautiful, like me
McKenna was full of shit too.
As to what I follow now, I think I’m leaning on my own life experience more than anything else. Terence used to say “avoid gurus, follow plants” which I especially appreciate considering the third-eye implications of my experience with cannabis, dmt, and mushrooms. And there’s been so many people who have contributed to my spiritual health in my 42 years, my parents who instilled in me a love for music and tried to communicate the importance of seeking the divine, though I don’t share my mother’s fundagelical leanings. Just this year I feel like my heart has grown exponentially, starting with the death of my wife’s mom that helped me realize how skilled she was in cultivating a space of loving awareness with everyone she met. I struggled with sexual shame that inhibited my relationship with my wife but that wall came down and now I feel like I can love her as deeply as she’s loved me during our 21 years together. We stumbled upon cosmic orgasms just this fall and I can’t express how good it feels to be accepted, known, and seen by the one you love. If you are in a relationship I would strongly recommend looking into it. So I guess I’m following my heart more than anything
I absolutely love this man’s wisdom and listening to him often.I was unaware of his alcoholism. I’ve been been in and out of recovery, endured heart bypass surgery for my last flirtatious with drinking. 71 and great full for all your help in straightening out my thinking Alan. For I had a thinking problem long before a drinking problem. If you’re reading this I bid you peace.
"A thinking problem long before a drinking problem" please let someone sell t-shirts with this wonderfull quote
I learned in A.A. that I can't think my way to good living but live my way to good thinking
The BRILLIANCE of Alan Watts would be hard to deny, though most of "his" wisdom comes from his power to distill wisdoms of the world into playful discussions. His talks on y/t often bring to mind an image of that jovial irish poet in a Columbo episode refraining "This Faaa'r And No Faaa'rther" while etching the bottle w/ his diamond ring. Didn't Alan tell his concerned daughter he simply LIKES to drink (too much?). We are fortunate to benefit from the flicker of his LIGHT. B-)
For alcohol use disorder, please research "The Sinclair Method".
@movingforward. Ah, the cult of AA, which does nothing to treat Alcohol Use Disorder.
Listening to Alan was a large part of my spiritual journey in 12-step recovery. What his tragic life story illustrates though, is that no amount of insight or knowledge is sufficient to cure a mental/spiritual illness. In fact, thinking and knowledge usually just get in the way. What matters is a persons daily actions and relationship to life. For years I thought that I had to “crack the code”, read one more book, learn one more spiritual truth, gain one more insight. I have finally learned that reaching out to others, being in relationship, learning to see life from other people‘s point of view, give up my own position, to not know and just experience life is what brings peace to the part of the self that is affected by addiction. I’m very far from perfect in this regard. It comes and goes. I wish Alan had been able to get the support he gave others.
I agree. I also believe that this is why the Buddha taught that one must live a sober, decent life as preparation for further progress in personal development through the other psychological practices he taught. People in the West seem to have forgotten the first part of the teaching and have focused only on the second, meditative part. From my experience in 12-step recovery, that just doesn't work. The work is a total life practice. You can't succeed if you divide things into separate compartments and work in just one of them, imagining that the others will, somehow, take care of themselves. It really needs to be all or nothing.
Very wise
One thing I'd like to point out is that what matters is the journey and purpose his life played. Look at all the comments and see how profound the experience he created is. He lives on in a much more meaningful way and that is what his existence was all about. We will experience the polarity of life in this field of reality but feel it profoundly. Namaskaram
listen to his voice, man. He was happy. Be still with your moralizing. Good for you for quitting. I quit 4 years ago. But I don't care that Watts loved to drink. We all die of something. Listen to his voice. He was touching the magic and sharing it with us. And he was human.
Thank yu for sharing your story sir. You speak of in the past trying "to crack the code." This made me wish to ask you= Are you spiritually enlightened? Because that is the only code i know of that can bring true happiness
We all love Alan Watts.
I hate the oily sophist.
@@williamoarlock8634 we see the world as we are, not as the world is.
@@jnorfleet3292 No you see what religious and spiritual shysters want you to see. Incapable of thinking for yourselves.
All of us?
@@williamoarlock8634 just his interpretation of zen buddhism or just the guy himself? Or overall just not a fan? Would like to know why you feel that way..
The man was a genius. You can sense his clarity of mind in the way he speaks.
And yet look at what he made of his intellect. Wasted it all on his alcoholism and lost his way
@@3-methylindole730 And in this way he remains human, and relatable.
Because he has a British accent? It's why the Zysal ads feature cartoon Owls that speak Oxford English - it encourages TRUST by implying wisdom (Be wise all, use Zysal)
No, not his Pommie accent. The structured thought process; the lack of fillers like ums and ahs. @@kevinadams9468
@@3-methylindole730what a uselessly judgemental statement. You clearly missed the point.
As a pure philosopher all my life, I was 38 years old by the time I realized that life has to be a dream.
Then, when I discovered Alan Watts on TH-cam, he was saying things that I was already saying myself, and I instantly became a big fan.
Thank you, TH-cam.
Interesting times, indeed.
whatever it is ('dream' or something else), we're not in control. That's what I saw, finally after hearing Watts say for 10 years "You don't choose your thoughts. You don't choose your feelings. You don't know where your decisions come from." It finally clicked, intellectually, and I've been 'unwinding' inside for months now, physiologically. And oddly, in any moment, if I remind myself "control doesn't exist", I tend to do the best thing for that moment. The deep, visceral feeling of 'lack of control' is flow state, satori. But it's not up to us as to whether we have said awareness or not (though practices can help us remember). But even then, it's not up to us if the idea of 'practicing' is enticing in any given moment. This sounds bad. But it means you can relax (and watch yourself act), and see who you become. You won't be disappointed. It's the best, most loving, generous version of you, for the moments (even just seconds) that you remember. You still have a conscience. There's still meaning and morality (even if we're all sometimes mistaken or confused). It's all the same, except you're admitting the truth: you're not in control. And then you'll slip out of it. Don't worry - remind yourself there's 'no choice' and eventually you'll be there again. And since it's not up to you if you let go (you don't choose your thoughts), you really can let go. It's faith. Jesus said "Don't worry" - and this is why.
@@cecilcharlesofficialI need to find your channel. You are insightful!!
I remember someone once telling me I shouldn't listen to Alan Watts because he was an alcoholic...like we are only suppose to follow "perfect people" lol
Sorry, but I can't relate to "perfect" nor do I want to. The bad helps us appreciate the good. Learned that from Alan Watts. Big impact on my life. Took my mind and soul to another level. Forever grateful!
Regardless of his vices or so called imperfections, alan watts was special and spoke realism and truth and in a way only he could. He understood that mainstream belief practices were based on lies and he wanted others to see it for what it was just the same. He was on another level.
Alan was ahead of his time and left such treasure for us! Thank you for making this video available. Every person should listen to Alan's lectures, no matter a persons beliefs one can gain wisdom of humanity.
How was he ahead of his time? He seemed very rooted in the time he lived, even drawing on ancient philosophies.
He was right on time just like you are here 😁
A 'treasure' of narcissist sophism and word salad recipes?
No, I do not gain any wisdom of humanity from him. I've listened many of this tapes and read some of his books, and it is just talk.
JIm Jones was. too, if we are to be honest. You know what the difference between People's Temple Founder JIm Jones and Alan Watts is? Despite all of his flaws, crimes and mistakes, Jim Jones actually DID something for people before he went off the deep end. Watts only talked.... and talked... and talked...
This man deserves to be made a Saint. Allbeit, posthumously. As a direct consequence of his works, he has helped millions of folk. Even since his death.
He does, but he would laugh at the idea. The point he was trying to make is that no individual ego is "the thing" you're searching for. Because YOU are "it". Probably canonising him would cause people to focus on the wrong thing too much. But if anyone deserved it, he did.
Nope
My understanding of Saints is that they were generally the most evil of people. Saint Francis maybe being one of the very few exceptions.
Saint alcoholic... Great idea
His lectures are so powerful especially for the over anxious society we have today. More people need to be prescribed Alan Watts over pills. What I find most interesting is that he had his personal demons just like anyone else on Earth but yet was always so positive and so honest in his writings and lectures. We need more people like him!
Alan Watts is just the beginning, Falun Dafa can answer all your questions
they should make a movie abut him
who could play him?
@@303TAG303 some genuine fake
Daniel Day Lewis
zen dog
Whole heartedly agree
This man was and still is a gift from universe to all of us.
If any of you have children please introduce to your children to his teachings they will thank you for it later 🌠
He's simply AMAZING 😊
I wish this man was alive today to thank him for keeping me sane in my darkest moments. His message saved my life
Alan Watts' lectures being uploaded to TH-cam is the biggest blessing since the founding of Zen and Buddhism. Because the founding of Zen and Buddhism was the spreading of Hinduism to other countries. And his lectures are the spreading of all those to the western world. Westerners arguably being the ones most in need of the wisdom contained in those spiritual practices. As such Alan Watts' significance cannot be understated, regardless of his drinking habits.
Hinduism is older than Buddhism, and hindu knowledge is shared by Buddhism as well. And The concept of Awakening is originally a Hindu concept called Kundalini jagran.
He taught me what every child should learn before their ABC's and 123's. Everything comes in waves. Waves have crests and waves have troughs. Now when I'm feeling blue, instead of worrying about worrying, I think, this too shall pass and I will feel wonderful again. This is just a trough. Thank you, Alan!
I stumbled onto Alan Watts last year after the end of a very long term relationship. His words and voice have helped me tremendously.
Same! I was having such a hard time after my husband left for another woman years ago to not have my mind racing when I was trying to go to sleep. I found Alan Watts through Sam Harris's meditation app. I would put him on when I went to bed. His voice, words, wisdom helped center my mind, helped calm me and helped me sleep. I have listened to so many of his lectures now. He is still my go to when I am struggling with sleep.
Alan Watts is just the beginning, Falun Dafa can answer all your questions
I love Alan Watts. His talks led me to a mystical experience that cured my eating disorder. I still listen to him regularly as a tonic for the dualistic matrix-like nature of working in a capitalist society. Reminds me that really I am the "supreme consciousness" playing at being "poor little me". I will never cease to be grateful to him for that. And the fact he was a flawed human will never change how I love what he put out into the world, because I am also a flawed human, and I can relate to it.
beautifully said
The most articulate teacher of mysticism and reigning king of homework doers: Zen Master Alan Watts.
Alan Watts helps put into words, what I was experiencing and learning myself without having a voice to speak it. He helps give conformation, guidance and wisdom to those going through profound experiences without a teacher present. Thank you Alan 💜♾🖤
His voice carries light into the darkest reaches of my mind. The manner in which he unpacks the linguistic twisting of words by religions helped free my mind from the programming of the christian purity cult I was born and raised in. He had parts that were my angel and parts that were his unhealed trauma. grateful his recordings have been kept alive for myself and others to benefit from. 💙
I have recently found the talks of Alan Watts. I did not know he passed, made me sad that a genius mind was cut short. He comforts me as I listen to him, as I have wanted to get out of the rat race , he has no judgements towards anyone. His knowledge ceases to amaze me. I’m a Earnest Holmes student of Science of Mind. Alan adds a wonderful mystical ride when he speaks. He makes people feel good. I love listening to him.
"It was a musical thing, and you were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played"
My favorite Alan watts quote about life
You didn't know he had died? Odd. He was born in 1915.
Absolutely love Alan Watts. His lectures have provided me with a great perspective on life and spirituality, and his wisdom holds an important place in my heart.
Alan Watts was ‘Scholar in Residence’ at San Jose State College (back then) during fall semester of 1968. His lectures were pretty amazing, at least 3 ‘scheduled’ ones per week, plus many impromptu ones. What a blessing!
Thank you Alan, you've done me immeasurable good. You've made a confusing life so much more humorous and understandable. Even in the painful moments, I think of your thoughtful words and your laughter and I am comforted. Thank you, thank you, thank you 💕
Thanks for creating this and putting it out for us. I listen to Alan all the time and never get tired of it. His voice alone calms and centers me. I'm thankful to live in a time where we can hear his talks and absorb his easy humor and deep insights.
One of the greatest minds in modern history for sure. Thank you for honoring Alan Watts. He opened the door to reality to many of us , reason for which I am eternally thankful
Truly happy for those & a bit jealous to have found Alan Watts for the first time. He is the balance I needed in my research in spirituality & philosophy in our modern day society. It’s unbelievable how relevant his lectures are in this present moment. Cheers to everyone discovering their personal truth.
I'm not very religious but I love listening to Alan talk. Great man
I'm not religious but I love listening him, a wise man with very valuable teachings
Alan Watts is epic and his profound thoughts are super worth listening to.
Alan Watts, Such a great teacher. His teachings are really gold. Great mentor to me and to generations ❤️❤️
This man has had such a profound impact on my life. Every time I am feeling lost or depressed, I go to his lectures, and he is always somehow able to put me back on the right track, like a bright light within the muddled darkness.
there have been nights where i listened to alan speak about things that hit certain topics for me and ive cried. ive literally cried to alan watts and thats helped me through tough times. i love alan.
💗
He was so interesting! I wish I could’ve met him and asked him a few questions. I listen to his lectures on TH-cam a lot.
“Sisters and brothers of America..” those words are profoundly beautiful..we are all just brothers and sisters.
His lectures really opened my eyes and changed my outlook from my Christian upbringings to seeing the world as is.
Alan is an absolute gift. Helped my life immensly, even decades after his passing. Thank you Alan ❤
Watts didn't get his ideas about God from the east btw, he discovered through reflection what most mystics discover, it was actually summed up the best on a scifi show unrelated to any modern mystics influence. Babylon 5. "We believe that the universe is conscious in a way we could never understand. We are the universe struggling to understand itself." -- Ambassador Delenn
I believe in the statement that "We are the universe struggling to understand itself." Do you *honestly* believe that the writers of Babylon 5 were not influenced by Taoism, Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, or Christian Mysticism? This is a bold claim. Do you have facts to back it up?
Sounds like the writers were listening to Alan Watts
The people who throw away all of Alan Watts’ teachings due to his alcoholism need to take a long hard look in the mirror.
There’s a difference between looking at his teaching and applying the stuff that is good, and idolising him or making him a saint. He was an alcoholic, threw his life away, his potential and intellect all wasted for his toxic habit. No truly enlightened being would chose to do so. He could’ve chosen the opposite. What went on was merely the results of his poor life decisions. He may have known stuff and had intellect, but he chose not to use it in his life. He chose the way of diminishing consciousness through regular consumption of CNS-depressants. Not a wise thing to do. To any alcoholic, the message should be: get your act together and do what Watts didn’t do, namely fight that toxic habit, save your life and live it to its full potential. One doesn’t need to be overly wise or intelligent to do so, what’s needed is only strength and determination. Will power
Amen brother. There isn't any perfect people. Just a bunch of screw ups passing threw.
This 64 year old is so happy to have found Alan. Regularly revisit his lectures. Be kind. Always. Enjoy the day. Out lies and evil.
Well, the first enlightened spiritual teacher who died from alcoholism. Thanks for making this world a better place. 🎉🎉❤
Alan Watts is just the beginning, Falun Dafa can answer all your questions
@@jeff_forsythe Jiddu Krishnamurti can answer all the questions, if the person has sufficient intelligence to understand, but he's awesome 👍
@@DihelsonMendonca In case you did not notice, JK did not give answers, he asked questions, his stile of teaching was very Zenlike, which says go figure it out on your own. It has been discovered that enlightenment requires a great Master to help us change the structure of our bodies and our Divine energy, Falun Dafa can do that.
Alan Watts share such sheer wisdom in each book he wrote. 💚 He is such a eye opener. ✨ I grew up reading and listening him, I am having essence of him. Thankyou for sharing this video.🙏
It's funny how many us found peace and clarity from this man's immense wisdom. Him and I share the same birthday which is a plus. I will always appreciate his lectures
I found him on TH-cam a few years ago and my spiritual condition is much improved because of it. I learned more about him in this video, thank you.
Alan watts is all times best speaker of explaining what's unexplainable. beautifully turning divinely experiences into words.
I listen to Alan Watts all the time, He's so good at making nuanced arguments about reality. My favorite is the one in which he pretends that he is God and the audience asks him questions.
....'will you marry me?'........'no'.....is what I remember from that I think..
He wasn't pretending to be God. You're pretending not to be.
I love his sense of mischief. The other guy to listen to is Terence McKenna. Whether we "approve" of what they say or not is much less important than that their ideas are available
True!
I named my geckos Terence and McKenna 😉
He came to my attention in the 1980s when I became a regular listener to the weekly reruns of his lecture series on WFMU. For all I know, they'd been running them since the 1970s. Then I found out my friend Nadine had videotapes of probably the same series I'd been hearing in audio, and I started to get an idea of how influential he was.
In my life Alan watts was like a Signpost that you come across along the journey. A mysterious character along the journey who tells you of wisdom and knowledge that you didn’t know you needed to know. But even Watts had his I’ll-acknowledgements
I just made a similar video on Alan Watts titled "Why Alan Watts Said He Was God". My video editing is subpar compared to yours. I think a lot of people are becoming aware of how truly mysterious the self is. I love Alan, he's got me through some very dark times. I've probably listened to him and read his books for over a thousand hours of my life. Some days I could only get through work by listening to his voice to take me away from my ruminating thoughts.
Thank you Sir, Alan watts for your contribution to humanity. Om Shanti Om 🙏🙏🙏
If one person can change the world in such a positive way, why are there only negative and divisive people in the spotlight? Where is our Alan Watts?
Ah, that’s beautiful. I want to point out that a lot of the negative and divisive people are speaking from a standpoint of love for humanity and a belief in a better world, but that can be obscured. The most important thing, I think, is not to be apathetic. But I agree with you that I wish (so, so deeply) that there were more people with a ferocious vision for hope and a more existential or spiritual approach to being human right now. You might like Krista Tippett, Thupten Jinpa, adrienne marie brown, or even poets like Rupi Kaur, who all shed light on the beauty and magnificence of being human. I am a compassion researcher and learning about kindness, love, and compassion help me stay very optimistic. I deeply love being human and all the lovely humans I get to encounter along the way and share this experience with!
I'm not sure if Alan Watts or his life could be characterized as bizarre, but he was an absolute one of a kind creation. I've loved Watt's books and recorded talks for many years but had never heard about his hastey post mortem arrangements. When I first learned of his heavy drinking it was difficult to square this with his profound spirituality, but I came to see in this no contradiction. He was as fallible as the rest of us, though shot through with a rare and brilliant light - one that is inside all of us, but for most, temporarily dormant.
He takes the cake for bringing tears to my eyes more than any other being. Thank you!
People chase after 'success,' when what they really want is meaning, or 'the teary-eyed feeling.' And everyone chokes up with good tears about something (even if it's not the same thing for everyone). We just need to encourage each other to go toward whatever that thing is, for each of us.
Sokrates is my philosophical compass, alan watts my spiritual guidance. I shared a tear to this. I've never seen a video before this, thanks!
Cant get enough. Best part of the internet is AW!!!! What a prolific speaker. Every morning.
Alan Watts saved my life
During the pandemic, I discovered Alan Watts. His talks helped me understand letting go of trying to control everything, how we are all a part of the same energy and are all connected because of it, and how to reconcile the differences between logic and reason’s “truth” vs the unknowable Truth.
What I like most about his lectures is, first and foremost, that they are lectures. As a dyslexic person, books are mostly an impenetrable media to me. His emphasis on *speaking* often and recording his lectures is what has allowed them to survive. And, I know that folks are frustrated by The Foundation taking content off TH-cam, but I am so ecstatic that these recordings even exist.
The next think I really appreciate is how he seems to want me to go away and go live. I am very much on guard for the cultist’s “You cannot leave” but it seems that Mr. Watts wants me to “walk through the revolving door” and “it could take 40 years or 40 seconds, and I mean that” or “listen to my lecture one time and never have to listen again”. In a world where even video games send me push notifications for microtransactions, it’s heartwarming that maybe, though I can never be certain, he just had a message to tell and was eager to tell it.
I also struggle with alcohol. It’s not a moral failure to do so, though it will absolutely hurt the people who care about you and will feel like a failure. Quitting drinking will save your life, and improve the lives of those around you. “If you want to outwit the devil, it is extremely important that you don't give him advanced notice.
Even if you only announce to yourself your intentions: the devil will know. Because, who do you think the devil is?”
I came across many of his videos on TH-cam but I had no idea about his biography.
Thanks for sharing his great life story!!!
Sad to think he passed away two years before my high school graduation in 1973. I was not aware of Mr. Watts before the 1980s; and did not hear his lectures until approx. 2015. Seems strange how topical he still is with his philosophy; the most necessary folks here teach others what they can, like a guru.
I lived in Berkeley, CA; visited the areas around where he lived in Marin County. I am a local of the SF Bay Area.
Good summary of Alan Watts and thank you
Alan watts, is a personal hero of mine! Love that man
A friend introduced me to Alan Watts earlier this year (2022). His lectures transformed my life.
He has been a source of great wisdom for me for the past 8 years! Thank you Alan, and thanks to all the people that keep his talks alive on youtube.
My favorite philosopher of all time.
Agreed! I keep a portrait on my wall!
If you like electronic music at all, check out Alan watts chillstep!
So glad to hear young folks turning on, tuning in, and dropping out with Watts. Can a general strike be far behind?
How awesome that would be!
Love Alan, best thing i ever did was stumble across one of his lectures on you tube. ❤️
There is a famous Hindu story that teaches this. A father is teaching his son about reality. Pointing to the awareness we all experience, he tells him, “That, thou art.” Meaning that he was his awareness. He was teaching his son that our ultimate identity stems from the fact that we are aware of ourselves and our experiences. We are not only physical beings, isolated in time and space, but we are part of the universal consciousness that connects to everything, and transcends time and space. non duality, seeing ourselves behind other eyes, inside other minds
One can only but imagine how fantastically awsome it would have been like to be in the presence of this great man Alan Watts. Peace and love from South Africa.
He was spot on with the egos being expressions of the hole, we are droplets that when we die we return to the ocean.
Bullshit.
What "hole?"
Gotta hole lotta whole !
OSHO also did that in the 60s, 70s, 80s. Allan Watts is the accessible kind of guru, kind of an easy KRISHNAMURTI main ideas. His way of explaining things resembles currently ECKHART TOLLE. 🎉🎉❤
He’s earned my flowers to him for sure. A lot of his content holds so much wisdom. There’s still new stuff coming out on his son podcast even now. He is one of the greatest humans to exist in my opinion
Very well done video. I'm a history nerd, though, so I want to point out that we had a history of peaceful protests well before the 1960s. Just want to honor those who led the movements and risked their livelihoods (and in some cases their lives) because their peacefulness wasn't always met in kind 💙
💗
He was a beautiful man despite his flaws. His wisdom was profound even if he himself could not fully live it as much as he could have but he did try his best. I am sure he will find enlightenment in his next life. He certainly was on the Taoist path and to a tantrik his life was both grounded in life and spiritually elevated. Osho is another amazing misunderstood teacher people should check out
Somehow, someway through synchronicity. I found Alan watts in my darkest hour. Looking back, he was the guiding light out of the darkness. Thank you
In the late 1960s, I used to tune into FM Bay Area radio station KSAN where Alan Watts lectures used to be broadcast late at night. I would fall asleep to his gentle voice and philosophical words of wisdom .
DT Suzuki was a rare gift to the human race. I love and respect his written works.
I have no idea why I watched this but I'm glad that I did. Well made video!
I listen to Alan every night...without fail. Thank the universe he was such a prolific advocate of recording his talks. I can only imagine how much poorer we would be without him. A true legend that in my opinion we never really lost ❤
I just discovered Watts teachings and I thank life for that ... I need this
Alan Watts’ life was not bizarre in the least, life is bizarre!
He would second this statement
A brilliant teacher . My first introduction to eastern wisdom
I read Watts and Baba Ram Dass when I was 18, among some other profound writers. These people changed me forever.
It was Alan’s wisdom, and particularly, his beautiful voice, that allowed me to help a wonderful young man step away from the abyss. His profound depth and humanity will live on for many decades to come. I just wish I could have thanked him personally.
I don’t remember how I stumbled upon Alan Watts a few years ago. Perhaps the algorithm pointed him to me after devouring Terence McKenna lectures. It doesn’t matter. I’m so glad I found him!
There must be a strong correlation in TH-cam's algorithm for them to be recommended together.
If you gonna be a rascal, than do the favor of being a really dedicated and enlightened one. Thanks, Alan, for being my guide. I know you can read me, wherever you are.
I appreciate the video posting. Did read some of his early books, and very glad since they were only a few of books available in English then on these topics.
What a precious gift to humanity this amazing man was and IS. THANK YOU BEAUTIFUL MAN
The lectures of Alan Watts and also those of Manly P Hall are some of the greatest benefits to the individual that the internet has to offer, so far as I have found
I recommend you guys read his book: The Taboo Against Knowing Who You are, I found it really easy to read compared to other philosophers like Camus and all, I'm just starting out on the book but so far it's magnetically good and it goes into further detail with his concept about how we are all god and how the ego doesn't exist and that we are part of nature and not apart from nature, Its a Must Read!
Been reading and listening to this man for a quarter of a century. What would my life have been without Alan Watts? Thank you!
Awesome video man, thanks for posting!