Alan Watts Quotes - That Will Change How You See Life

Last updated on October 14th, 2024 at 02:30 pm

Alan Watts Quotes – Introduction

Alan Watts quotes and wisdom continue to inspire generations with his philosophical teachings. He is certainly one of my favourite wisdom teachers and his words have helped to inform much of my thinking.

In this post, you’ll find 30 of the most profound Alan Watts quotes, along with explanations on how they can apply to your everyday life.

I encourage you to keep reading to discover how his words might change how you think about everything too!

TL;DR

Alan Watts was a British philosopher known for making Eastern philosophies like Zen Buddhism and Taoism accessible to the West.

This blog dives into 30 Alan Watts quotes that can help reframe your view on life, identity, and the universe.

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Introduction to Alan Watts

Alan Watts (1915–1973) was a British philosopher best known for popularizing Eastern philosophy in Western cultures. His works revolve around exploring life, consciousness, and human identity.

Alan Watts quotes and wisdom encourages you to let go of societal expectations, connect with our true selves, and live in the present moment. These teachings resonate through his speeches and books, many of which are still widely read and quoted today.

The Philosophy Behind His Quotes

Alan Watts had a unique way of blending Eastern philosophies like Taoism and Zen Buddhism with Western thought. His teachings often centered around key ideas such as:

Living in the present: He believed that we are always chasing after the future, but the true joy lies in the “now.”
Self-identity: Watts often discussed the illusion of a separate “self,” arguing that we are all interconnected with the universe.
Letting go: Many of his quotes encourage us to let go of control, worry, and fear.

His philosophical approach makes his quotes not just profound but practical for daily life.

30 Alan Watts Quotes – That Will Make You Think

1. “Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.”

This quote perfectly sums up the difficulty of truly understanding oneself. Identity, according to Watts, is something fluid and hard to pin down.

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

Rather than resisting change, embrace it. Life is ever-changing, and fighting against it only brings suffering.

3. “No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.”

Watts often emphasized the importance of the present moment. Constantly planning for the future keeps us from experiencing life as it unfolds.

4. “You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.”

This quote gives us a new way to look at existence. Instead of seeing yourself as a separate entity, Watts suggests you’re a part of the universe.

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

When life gets chaotic, sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. Let situations settle on their own.

6. “Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.”

Watts reminds us that much of our suffering comes from taking life too seriously. Lighten up!

7. “The more a thing tends to be permanent, the more it tends to be lifeless.”

Embrace the transient nature of life. Permanence is an illusion.

8. “The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple.”

This quote speaks to the simplicity of existence. We often overcomplicate life with grand meanings and goals.

9. “This is the real secret of life—to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now.”

Watts encourages full presence in whatever we do, a core tenet of mindfulness.

10. “You didn’t come into this world. You came out of it, like a wave from the ocean.”

This metaphor of the wave and the ocean emphasizes the interconnectedness of all beings.

11. “The more we struggle for life as pleasure, the more we are actually killing what we love.”

By chasing pleasure, we often end up destroying the very thing that brings us joy.

12. “You are a function of what the whole universe is doing in the same way that a wave is a function of what the whole ocean is doing.”

This is a great reminder that we are not separate from the universe, but an integral part of its processes.

13. “To have faith is to trust yourself to the water.”

This analogy highlights how life requires trust—trust in the unknown, in the flow, and in yourself.

14. “Stop measuring days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence.”

Productivity culture can rob us of true presence. Watts suggests focusing on being, not doing.

15. “Waking up to who you are requires letting go of who you imagine yourself to be.”

Our constructed identities often hold us back from realizing our true selves.

16. “Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way.”

Don’t spend your life doing things that bring you no joy. Prioritize what you love.

Hot Tip: List three things you truly love doing and focus on integrating them more into your daily routine.

17. “Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way.”

When you face challenges, try reframing the problem. Sometimes, the solution lies in how you’re looking at it.

18. “You are that vast thing that you see far, far off with great telescopes.”

A humbling reminder that we are both small and expansive in the grand scheme of the universe.

19. “A person who thinks all the time has nothing to think about except thoughts.”

Overthinking can prevent us from actually experiencing life. Take a mental break and enjoy the present.

20. “Life exists only at this very moment, and in this moment it is infinite and eternal.”

This quote emphasizes the timeless nature of the present moment.

21. “You are the universe experiencing itself.”

A reminder that we are all interconnected and part of something far bigger than ourselves.

22. “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.”

Watts invites us to accept things as they are without judgment or comparison.

23. “If you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you will spend your life completely wasting your time.”

Pursuing only wealth, Watts warns, leads to a life that misses the true joys of existence.

24. “What we see as ‘death’ is simply the collapse of the wave into the ocean.”

He poetically explains death as a return to the larger whole, not an end.

25. “Faith is a state of openness or trust.”

For Watts, faith is about trusting the process, not certainty or dogma.

26. “You are not controlling the storm, and you are not lost in it. You are the storm.”

This powerful metaphor highlights how we are not separate from life’s chaos; we are part of it.

27. “But I’ll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you’ll come to understand that you’re connected with everything.”

Isolation can lead to a deep realization of our connection to the entire world.

28. “We do not ‘come into’ this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree.”

Another reminder from Watts that we are natural extensions of the universe, not external beings.

29. “Insecurity is the result of trying to be secure.”

Watts explains how the very act of seeking security often leads to its opposite.

30. “Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command.”

Honesty and authenticity in love are key themes in Watts’ work.

Applying His Wisdom in Real Life

Alan Watts quotes are more than just philosophical musings. They offer practical advice for everyday life. Here’s how you can start applying his wisdom:

Practice mindfulness: Instead of getting caught up in future worries, focus on being present.
Embrace uncertainty: Life is full of unknowns, but resisting them only causes stress. Trust the flow of life.
Let go of control: We often try to control outcomes, but Watts teaches that it’s more fruitful to accept what comes.

The next time you feel stressed about the future, take a deep breath and remind yourself that the present moment is all that truly exists.

FAQ

Q: What are some of Alan Watts’ most famous books? A: Some of his well-known works include The Wisdom of Insecurity, The Way of Zen, and The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are.

Q: Why is Alan Watts influential? A: Watts is influential because he made complex Eastern philosophies accessible to Western audiences and offered timeless wisdom about life, identity, and consciousness.

Q: How can I start learning about Alan Watts? A: A good starting point is reading Alan Watts quotes or listening to his lectures on YouTube or reading The Way of Zen.

Final Thoughts

Alan Watts quotes provide a deep, transformative way to look at life, urging us to live fully, embrace change, and find peace in the present. Whether you’re facing a life transition, seeking meaning, or just curious about philosophy,

Alan Watts wisdom offers profound yet practical advice for navigating life’s complexities. Start with one quote that resonates with you, and see how it can shift your mindset today.