Alan W. Watts
Full Name and Common Aliases
Alan Wilson Watts, commonly known as Alan Watts, was a British writer and speaker who became one of the most influential interpreters of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. His engaging style and profound insights have made him a beloved figure among those interested in spirituality and philosophy.
Birth and Death Dates
Alan Watts was born on January 6, 1915, in Chislehurst, England, and passed away on November 16, 1973, in Druid Heights, California, USA.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Watts was a British-American philosopher, writer, and speaker. He is best known for his work as a popularizer of Eastern philosophy, particularly Zen Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism, in the Western world. His professions included being an author, lecturer, and Episcopal priest.
Early Life and Background
Alan Watts was born to a middle-class family in England. His father, Laurence Wilson Watts, was a representative for the London office of the Michelin Tyre Company, and his mother, Emily Mary Buchan, was a housewife whose family had been missionaries in China. This early exposure to Eastern culture and philosophy sparked Watts's lifelong interest in the subject.
Watts was an intellectually curious child, and he was introduced to Buddhism through the writings of Christmas Humphreys, a prominent British Buddhist. He attended The King's School in Canterbury, where he excelled academically but found the rigid structure of formal education stifling. This led him to explore alternative philosophies and spiritual practices.
Major Accomplishments
Alan Watts's major accomplishments lie in his ability to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western thought. He moved to the United States in 1938 and began his formal studies in Zen Buddhism. In 1945, he became an Episcopal priest, a position he held for six years before leaving to pursue a career in writing and public speaking.
Watts authored more than 25 books and numerous articles on subjects such as personal identity, the true nature of reality, and the pursuit of happiness. His works have been translated into multiple languages, reaching a global audience. He was also a prolific speaker, delivering hundreds of lectures that were recorded and continue to be widely distributed.
Notable Works or Actions
Among Watts's most notable works are "The Way of Zen" (1957), which is considered one of the first comprehensive introductions of Zen Buddhism to a Western audience, and "The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are" (1966), which explores the nature of self-identity and consciousness. His book "The Wisdom of Insecurity" (1951) addresses the human tendency to seek security in an inherently insecure world.
Watts's radio show, "Way Beyond the West," and his television series, "Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life," further cemented his role as a key figure in bringing Eastern philosophy to the West. His ability to articulate complex ideas in an accessible and engaging manner made him a popular figure during the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
Impact and Legacy
Alan Watts's impact on Western thought and spirituality is profound. He played a crucial role in the popularization of Eastern philosophy in the West, influencing a generation of thinkers, writers, and spiritual seekers. His teachings encouraged individuals to question conventional beliefs and explore alternative ways of understanding the world.
Watts's legacy continues through the ongoing popularity of his books and recorded lectures. His ideas have inspired countless individuals to explore meditation, mindfulness, and the interconnectedness of all life. His work remains relevant today, as people continue to seek meaning and understanding in an increasingly complex world.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Alan Watts is widely quoted and remembered for his ability to distill complex philosophical concepts into clear, relatable insights. His eloquent and often humorous style makes his teachings accessible to a broad audience. Watts's quotes often challenge conventional thinking, encouraging individuals to embrace uncertainty and live fully in the present moment.
His exploration of themes such as the illusion of self, the nature of reality, and the importance of living in harmony with the universe resonates with those seeking a deeper understanding of life. Watts's enduring appeal lies in his ability to inspire introspection and a sense of wonder about the mysteries of existence.
Quotes by Alan W. Watts
Alan W. Watts's insights on:
At such times we are so aware of the moment that no attempt is made to compare its experience with other experiences.
However, when you say to yourself, “I must go on living,” you put yourself in a double bind because you submit to a process which is essentially spontaneous and then insist it must happen.
We suffer from the delusion that the entire universe is held in order by the categories of human thought, fearing that if we do not hold to them with the utmost tenacity, everything will vanish into chaos.
Tools such as these, as well as the tools of language and thought, are of real use to men only if they are awake – not lost in the dreamland of past and future, but in the closest touch with that point of experience where reality can alone be discovered: this moment.
As a matter of fact, our age is no more insecure than any other. Poverty, disease, war, change, and death are nothing new. In the best of times “security” has never been more than temporary and apparent. But it has been possible to make the insecurity of human life supportable by belief in unchanging things beyond the reach of calamity – in God, in man’s immortal soul, and in the government of the universe by eternal laws of right.
There is, then, the feeling that we live in a time of unusual insecurity. In the past hundred years so many long-established traditions have broken down – traditions of family and social life, of government, of the economic order, and of religious belief. As the years go by, there seem to be fewer and fewer rocks to which we can hold, fewer things which we can regard as absolutely right and true, and fixed for all time.
There is no other reality than present reality, so that, even if one were to live for endless ages, to live for the future would be to miss the point.
However, until there is silence of the mind, it is almost impossible to understand eternal life, that is to say, eternal now.
To run away is the only defense of something rigid against an overwhelming force. Therefore the good shock absorber has not only “give,” but also stability or “weight.