Alan Watts made me question reality

Alan Watts is one of the most fascinating humans I’ve ever listened to.

His words are full of wisdom, his thinking is so deep it made me question my whole existence on a couple occasions (so read this at your own risk haha…)

Sometimes I had to stop listening to him to try to contemplate what I just heard. With him, I had many of those “wtf” moments.

“What did I just read? I cannot handle the truth behind this. This is insane” These are some of the reactions my brain had while listening to him.

And I love it when that happens! He touches my soul. He’s such a paradoxical figure too…His words are full of wisdom but also had his issues with alcohol consumption.

So it seemed like he had trouble integrating his teachings? What do you do when you feel so deeply? He was a very sensitive being, so i don’t have the answer to why he drank himself basically to death.

Maybe he did it on purpose? Maybe he was done with life and decided to leave?

Would love to hear what you think…

I don’t want to speculate too much (reddit is full with speculation in case you’re interested) - I just want to thank him for everything he taught me.

And his “dark side” also taught me something:

Human beings are complex - they have light and darkness inside. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t dismiss their wisdom. And that’s what we should also do with Alan Watts.

So today I want to share with you his unique view on psychology, philosophy, and spirituality.

Because in all honestly, he changed how I perceive life forever.

So after listening to him for 350+ hours, I can confidently say, these are his 7 greatest insights:

1. “The only Zen you’ll find on mountain tops is the Zen you bring up there with you”

You can be in the most beautiful place but feel horrible and you can be amid the dirt and feel blissful. Happiness resides within. Remember that.

2. “Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.”

Your thoughts and emotions are muddy. Don’t steer them up! Become the observer and the water becomes clear again.

3. “Be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing” ~ Bernard Shaw

What more is there to say?

4. "Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun."

Attachment to the melodrama of your ego is what keeps you from having fun.

Go within and watch the drama that is your entire life with unbearable compassion and love and you'll see: Behind the pain lies incredible joy.

5.“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

Life is a dance through change. You choose whether to dance with it or waste time wishing it to be different. Fall in love with change to fall in love with life.

6. “Things are as they are. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations.”

What world we’d live in if we accepted ourselves and one another exactly as we are…as if we were stars… Acceptance is your way out of suffering.

Repeat these words: I’m okay. You’re okay. It’s okay.

7. “We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “peoples.” Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe.”

We are bones, muscles, blood, veins, and organs walking dirt. Biological creatures spinning on a ball around the sun. Nature manifests itself. What a miracle?

What do you think? What’s your favorite Alan Watts quote? Let me know!

And also: I’m now offering private 1:1 ACT- Counselling. Together we will learn how to:

• rewire your brain from anxiety and shame + heal your repressed trauma

• create a meaningful life while accepting the pain that goes with it

• separate from thoughts & emotions instead of getting caught up in them

• create clarity on your value system to give you direction in your life

If that’s for you, reply to this E-mail with “ACT” and I get back to you. Don’t know what ACT is? I recently gave an 8-hour Workshop on ACT - I want to give you access for free to the 86-page course material here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10B8preWKk_ziqEEkGRfcQTWnK_6_OHpx/view?usp=sharing

With love,

Heythem