Alan Watts

13 posts

grass

Walking Barefoot on Grass! Oh, What a Feeling

Beyond the realm of the mind is a magical mystery. We interpret and define it through words such as consciousness, oneness, and even love. It is a softness in the air that surrounds everything. This softness is always there, even when we have forgotten. Its softness is like a rose petal after a spring shower. Do you remember the quietness of walking barefoot on Grass?

Grass

We experience tranquility as a spring breeze embraces our body and awakens our soul. The leaf of a tree slowly unfolds; it offers us beauty untold. Close your eyes and release the mind’s hold; there you will find riches sweeter than gold. Continue reading

Essence of Life: It Flows and Love Grows

What do you feel about life energy and love? It would seem that life offers the potential for love. But living and loving have become a mind-game. The essence of life and love have become lost in the details of the mind.

essence

 

What is Love? We talk about it. And we desire it more than anything. But our behavior implies that we don’t know much about love. The truth has simply become obscured by too much content. Still we do know love. We feel it in the depth and essence of our being. This knowledge is within the dimension of life. Life and love have become synonymous. We know this as truly as we can innately sense universality. This is the true oneness of life and love. Continue reading

science

Science and Religion: But What About Life?

Why do we feel compiled to explain life through concepts such as religion, atheism or science? Personal and collective influences condition us to accept, reject or conform to ideas, guidelines, and beliefs. What do the three conceptual structures have in common? They invoke separation. Moreover, this is true of most existence content. Consequently, this deters the awakening of consciousness.

science

There appears to be generalizations in most conceptual religions. This is the belief in the big G word. (I am reluctant to use the word because of the conditioned effect it as on people.)  Atheism, on the other hand, rejects these beliefs.  Subsequently, science offers us the mind-conceived facts. However, these have really only added more complexity to the simplicity of life. Object consciousness would surely expand easier without these mind projected influences. Continue reading

habit

Habit or Human Nature?

What is a habit? Could we say that this is just a factor of human nature? This is debatable. Human nature is defined as: “Human nature refers to the distinguishing characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling and acting—which humans tend to have naturally, independently of the influence of culture.” – Wikipedia

habit

The first consideration in human nature lies in the statement “…which humans tend to have naturally”. Furthermore, expanding on this statement would involve considering the chain of factors leading up to what we call a habit. The “human nature=nature=laws of nature=physical laws=phenomenon” sequence is an almost never-ending chain of definitions. Moreover, I felt that this sequence was accurate to use after reading the information on Wikipedia. Therefore, we could consider this pattern a prelude to habitual behavior. Continue reading

Raining Cats and Other Illusions

You may be familiar with the adage It’s raining cats and dogs. This describes an intense rain storm. Likewise, we can use this to illustrate the heavy shower of our thoughts. This mind-made downpour can saturate and literally drown object consciousness.

raining

How do we deal with this turbulent storm of raining thoughts? We usually sit in a rescue boat constructed of similar thoughts. However, the mind tells us that you will escape the rain by clinging to a particular thought. Nevertheless, these toss us back and forth like waves on the water. So, what do we do? The raining storm continues. A shower of thoughts is soaking us. We sought shelter in a boat made of them. Oh no! It looks like we are going down with the ship. Continue reading

Breath of Life: You are Alive

Breathe in slowly and breathe out even slower. What are you experiencing? We feel life in each breath. However, let’s focus on more than just the biological ramifications. We know that the body is an organism that must have oxygen to exist.

breath

However, the breath you take also entails the flow of life within it. This, in turn, provides the basis for object consciousness to awaken. Thereupon, the portal to universal consciousness opens. Your state of presence allows passage. Continue reading

reason

Reason for Being: Realizing your Significance

The human mind conjures up countless reasons to validate our subsistence. Do we truly belief that there is a reason for our existence? Let’s reword this and ask if there is truly an explanation for our existence other than to be? Does the mind assume there must be a reason for being? Otherwise, we could not be here now if we did not exist. Here, within and beyond these words, is the portal to enlightenment.

You are here now and that is all that is necessary to be here now.

reason

We can naturally find many pliable mind-made reasons for being. These sound great, relatively speaking, but what about ultimately? Furthermore, the mind is very clever. It will simply make up a reason (excuse) for being. The mind thrives on complexity. This has been accumulating over tens of thousands of years. We have been in an unconscious sleep. Nevertheless, the mind tricks us into thinking that we are conscious aware; but ultimately this is not true. Continue reading

Song of Rain and Sun

The song of life is playing. Do you hear it? It had started to rain during a hot day where I live. It was a beautiful spring shower. I could hear the rain drops falling onto the trees. It was mesmerizing to hear the gentle song of life as the rain fell upon the leaves. However, I realized that I was not actually hearing the rain or wind. Furthermore, the experience was intensified through active awareness to the present moment.

song

What I sensed was the energy vibrations as the rain fell. It felt as if I was moving in response to the tree limb movements as each swayed to and fro in the wind. I smiled as I considered what my friend would say if he would see me in that moment. What would my friend answer if I would ask him if he likes the rain? This caused me to smile even more because I know that he would complain about the rain and say that the sun should shine. Moreover, it would be impossible to suggest that life was singing to him in that moment. The song of life usually remains unnoticed by most people. Continue reading

energy

Energy: The Sunshine of Life

What is life energy? Where does it come from? We may never know. It is a mystery that the mind can never comprehend. This poem is about sunshine. Furthermore, it is about you, me and sharing the gift of life.

energy

Sunshine

I enjoy the sunshine
How about you?
However, its true significance is often forgotten.
Do you remember?
It is possible to experience it now; in this moment.
This is because you have always known that it is there.
It is life.
Awaken and allow it to shine. Continue reading

The Path to Becoming Conscious

We use the word “path” to describe the way from here to there. A path indicates a beginning and usually an eventual ending. This could be called an arrival. It is obvious that we also choose this terminology in describing our experiences with the conscious awakening process. However, it is beneficial for us not to lose ourselves in the definition itself. A journey is a proper word to use here, but it is never about the “path”. Being conscious is very likely not even about the experiences on this path. The experiences are only useful as sign posts during this journey.

path

Is there a necessity to travel down a path during the conscious awakening process? This question is ultimately unnecessary because it is a mind creation. A tree, a bird or even a rock does not practice becoming conscious. They do not spend each moment of existence in thoughts about being conscious or aware. These life-forms simply “are” life and consciousness. They are engulfed in the suchness of now. I have a deep appreciation for this expression of presence. Continue reading