Alan Watts - Great Zen Talks and Lectures on Eastern Philosophy (Zen, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism)

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Alan Watts - Great Zen Talks and Lectures on Eastern Philosophy (Zen, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism)

Post by Winston »

The great Zen philosopher and lecturer Alan Watts on the beauty of purposelessness.

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Re: Alan Watts - The Beauty of Purposelessness

Post by woodwater »

But whats the alternative, going back to the caves?
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Those who work hard

Post by Asia Outback »

Most who work hard also have and feel no or little purpose. Beside them, the indolent, the clueless and the lost can be convinced that
they are actually in possession of a sophisticated deep insight that others simply fail to understand. I have observed that slackers and deadbeats who are so convinced usually are parasites gaining their subsistence from someone else who does embrace the sense of
purposeful industry that the slacker holds in contempt.

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Alan Watts - Life as a Hoax (Zen Wisdom)

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The Daily Agorist, Learn to Live Independent of the System! http://www.theagoristreview.blogspot.com
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Re: Alan Watts - The Beauty of Purposelessness

Post by Winston »

woodwater wrote:
January 2nd, 2011, 6:13 am
But whats the alternative, going back to the caves?
No. The alternative is to live in the now, in the present moment. And just be. Recognize that all is one and separation is an illusion. Go with the flow in other words. And don't create unnecessary problems with your mind. Try to go beyond duality so you don't struggle with opposing forces. Recognize that life is a dream. Find the quiet space inside you that the world cannot touch, that is beyond time and space, and use it as your refuge, like being in the eye in the hurricane. Etc.

Here is a 3 minute video that sums up Zen wisdom. It will give you a brief nutshell idea about it.

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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist Wisdom Beyond Words

Post by Winston »

Video of the great Zen teacher Alan Watts in the woods near San Francisco talking out loud and musing about man, nature and its problems. Very deep and interesting. Watts has a very therapeutic voice that heals you better than any psychiatrist or therapist can, and for free too. It's called "Conversation With Myself".

Video description:

The full length introspective short, featuring Alan thinking out-loud about all aspects of life, society, nature and the universe. Very enlightening and a good look into the thinking of Alan Watts for those not familiar with his work.



Great comment below the video:
1992Maton 11 months ago
Alan Watts. My greatest psychologist, and I don't have to say a word, or pay a cent. I'm lucky.
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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist Wisdom Beyond Words

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Great presentation by Alan Watts in 1960 on San Francisco local TV about Zen Buddhism and the Ying Yang duality principle. The way he explains things is very unique and original and he presents new ways of looking at things (even by today's standards) that will blow your mind. This was part of an Eastern Wisdom series that he did on local TV in SF in 1960.

He talks about how those in Western society tries to control, organize and classify things, and create order out of chaos, thus putting man at war against nature, which is unwise according to Taoist and Zen wisdom. I love how he explains that if you view the duality of opposing forces - such as positive vs negative, good vs bad, etc - as dancing together in harmony rather than as a struggle or contest between opposing forces, then you will be one step closer toward enlightenment and on the way to transcending duality. So true and deep and poetic. If only everyone saw it that way, then the world would be a much better place.

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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist Wisdom Beyond Words

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Here in another episode of Alan Watts 1960 Eastern Wisdom series on SF local TV, he talks about death, impermanence, and consciousness. He shows you the Buddhist perspective and goes over an exotic oriental diagram from the Buddhist world. Very interesting. What he says about the self, ego and I, though is very deep and abstract and not easy to grasp, but it's worth listening to and very mind blowing nevertheless. This will keep your captivated and fascinated. I still don't understand though, how in Buddhism, if there's no soul in the Western sense, then how does reincarnation work? That's a bit confusing and not easy to understand. Jackal, where are you? lol

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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist Wisdom Beyond Words

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Here's another possible explanation for Murphy's Law. Below, the great Zen teacher Alan Watts explained how when you make a conscious decision to fight something, like a bad habit for instance, you give the devil (or the joker as he calls it) advanced notice that you intend to fight him. Since the devil (or your inner/outer demons) knows every trick in the book, and knows your weaknesses too, he will be sure to win and trip up your plans. So if you say to yourself "I'm gonna try to quit drinking" you give your demons advanced notice that you are going to combat them, which makes them laugh because they know all your weaknesses and how to beat you. And also, by trying to oppose something, you give it power and validation, which makes it stronger. It's kind of like announcing to all your creditors that you owe money to, that you are leaving town. If you did that, they would all show up at your door to collect from you before you left town. That's how Alan Watts explains it.

The trick or Zen way, according to Alan Watts, is to just "do it" without thinking about it or making a decision about it or telling yourself about it. You don't give your demons advanced notice. You surprise them and give them no warning. That's the Zen way of doing things. It's not easy of course, but that's the best way of doing such things according to Zen. That's why in "Empire Strikes Back", Yoda tells Luke "No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." So it seems that if you have an intention to do something that is hard, the universe reacts by opposing it and working against you. Or your inner/outer demons rather. That could explain why such a force like Murphy's Law seems to exist. Regardless, this is a very interesting lecture.

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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist Wisdom Beyond Words

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Check out what the great Zen teacher Alan Watts said about Jesus here in this lecture below. He explains who Jesus most likely was, and what he was trying to convey to everyone, but wasn't allowed to. I think this best represents what the true historical Jesus (if he existed) was about. It makes a lot of sense and is worth listening to. Alan Watts was also very witty, funny and had a unique original way of explaining things. You just know when you hear him that he's on a very high wavelength and consciousness that's different than everyone else.

I love the part in the lecture where he says that "People on Earth cannot accept a mere mortal man on Earth being the Son of God, so they had to kick Jesus upstairs in order to deify him." LOL. The audience laughed at that. It's so true. Men cannot accept a mere mortal human on Earth being God or the Son of God, so they had to crucify him and deify him and put him on a pedestal in the heavens. Because people can only accept a God that's up there in the heavens, but not amongst them on Earth. That's so funny, witty and true about human nature. lol



Here's an excerpt from it entitled "What Jesus Really Meant But Wasn't Allowed To Say" which is a great title and very catchy.

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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist & Taoist Wisdom Talks

Post by Winston »

Wow!!! Amazing!!! I just saw a few more episodes of Alan Watts 1960 TV series in San Francisco on Eastern Wisdom in which he explains Zen Buddhist and Taoist teachings and insights to Westerners in an easy to understand manner that is very enlightening and transforming. And I gotta say, Wow!!! Amazing!!! This is really good stuff, probably some of the best stuff that's ever been on TV. Everyone in the YouTube comments section was amazed and said that they would never allow something this intelligent and spiritual be on TV today. No way.

Anyhow, I can't recommend this series enough. It's so good that it's worth even watching multiple times. It's the kind of thing that you will get something out of each time you watch it. Yes it's that good! Furthermore, Alan Watts passion for Eastern philosophy teachings really comes through. You can feel and sense his passion for this deep esoteric wisdom. And he has a unique original way of explaining things that you can really digest and grasp. Very mind blowing and food for the soul for sure!

Anyway, here is a playlist of many episodes from this series. It's a definite must see, and worth seeing multiple times over and over again, even for years. Wow. There's not much out there that you can say that about. This is something you will definitely want to treasure, and watch again and again, if you care about wisdom and understanding.

Playlist of episodes from Alan Watts 1960 TV Series on Eastern Wisdom
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 0151849463
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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist & Taoist Wisdom Talks

Post by Luberg »

Alan Watts and his talks has been of great help to me. When I started listening I didn't really get the point but with time I noticed a similar pattern in all his talks. He taught me to be free and to understand that I am part of the universe and in harmony with it, not some mistake fighting against it.
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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist & Taoist Wisdom Talks

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Luberg wrote:
July 11th, 2018, 3:36 am
Alan Watts and his talks has been of great help to me. When I started listening I didn't really get the point but with time I noticed a similar pattern in all his talks. He taught me to be free and to understand that I am part of the universe and in harmony with it, not some mistake fighting against it.
I agree. His talks are very therapeutic and healing. But some of his talks are hard to follow. However, his 1960 TV series is easy to follow and very mind blowing. Every minute of it is fascinating. It's worth watching more than once. See the playlist above of all the episodes.

Btw have any of you studied Zen Buddhism or Taoism? It's very interesting and deep and wise. However it seems to try to steer you toward nihilism, toward the void. Is that even a good thing? Would that mean non-existence or transcendence from maya and karma into some blissful heaven? It's hard to say. Starchild5 and Jackal, where are you? lol
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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist & Taoist Wisdom Talks

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In this lecture clip, the great Zen teacher Alan Watts explains why we need to stop blaming our past for our mistakes.

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Re: Alan Watts - Deep Zen Buddhist & Taoist Wisdom Talks

Post by Winston »

Recommendation to my friend.

Alex,
Wow you gotta see this! You will love it! Since you are interested in the meaning of pain and suffering, this is meant for you.

Its a presentation by the great zen teacher alan watts in 1960 on his TV series in San Francisco about eastern wisdom where he shares wisdom from zen buddhism and taoism. In this episode he talks about pain and suffering, and how the eastern approach to it is much wiser and makes a lot more sense than the western attitude toward it.

This is mind blowing and fascinating and will help you deal with pain too. Very valuable and must see. This is worth seeing more than once. Its amazing that television of the past allowed such intelligent deep content, which would never happen today. The comments below say that too. Also alan watts has a gift and passion for explaining these concepts and his style is unique and original and hes good at making complex ideas simple.

Here is part 1 and 2. The episode is just under 30 min. Every minute is mind blowing and fascinating!

Part 1:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9FnxyFd6oW0

Part 2:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=17gPzfi_B1A

Here is the playlist of all episodes of Alan Watts TV series "eastern wisdom and modern life" from 1960, where he presents concepts and teachings from zen and taoism. The wisdom in it is timeless and applies today too. Every minute of this series is fascinating and mind blowing. You will want to watch this again and again! Yes its that good! Seriously. No joke! One of the best things that was ever on TV!

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL02D3110151849463
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