Alan Watts - Large collection

[fnktrry]

I'm surprised he hasn't been mentioned earlier, but Alan Watts is worth checking out for all those in the mood for some spiritual entertainment.

He writes and lectures with a manner that appeals to the logical mind to a larger degree than Eckhart and some other gurus.

[din]

He writes and lectures with a manner that appeals to the logical mind to a larger degree than Eckhart and some other gurus.

Is that supposed to be a positive endorsement???

[fnktrry]

He writes and lectures with a manner that appeals to the logical mind to a larger degree than Eckhart and some other gurus.

Is that supposed to be a positive endorsement???

Some people still use reason to make decisions.

The logical mind continues to operate and sometimes it's reasonable to make a compromise between your will to be without thought and the reality that thought still operates in spite of your efforts to remove it.

[kiki]

Prior to reading PON Watts was a mystery to me, I just couldn't grasp what he was saying - it was similar to my reaction to Krishnamurti, Osho, and several others. Now I find Watts to be very entertaining in how he presents all of this. I think he is quite wonderfully lucid.

[weichen]

Quote:
He writes and lectures with a manner that appeals to the logical mind to a larger degree than Eckhart and some other gurus.



Is that supposed to be a positive endorsement???

I think that is a positive endorsement. I also think this is one of the most important issues and also one of the most misunderstood issues about spiritual journey.

Based on my own experience, the initial few breakthroughs along the path of spirituality is often (if not always) more of a battle between one part of mind with another part of the mind than a battle between ego vs spirit. Major changes in the mind such as "it is ok to die now", " the value of sharing with others should precede the value of seeking outstanding individual victory of little me" simply will not happen unless it makes absolute sense to the logical mind under that special circumstances.

In the case of Eckhart, on the night of awakening, the war also was between two parts of the mind. One part of the mind wanted to seek personal power and fame, another part of the mind remembered the recent several years of suffering and struggling experience. The letting go of the part of the mind that insist on seeking power and fame makes absolute sense to the logical mind of the general public. But the deep stillness (and its power) that comes after the letting go seeking power and fame only make partial sense to readers without such real life experience.

I believe that spiritual teaching can and should be conducted in a way that makes sense to the logical mind. Only mental patients can allow their mind to be altered at the deepest level without strong logical convincing.

[now-here]

I like Allan Watts, no doubt. Listen to the audio program entitled "alan Watts Teaches Meditation"....he has some humorous as well as profound insights.

[Turmeric]

Just something from the past. It can be inspirational to watch footsteps from others.

Alan Watts breaks down what's wrong with the world (1970)