Successful Alan Watts: Why You’ll Never Be Free Until You Know This
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Aug 13, 2025 
Alan Watts, a renowned British philosopher known for bridging Eastern and Western thought, explores profound concepts about consciousness and reality. He discusses how our perception shapes our understanding of existence and emphasizes the dynamic relationship between consciousness and the universe. Watts likens emotions to a spectrum, advocating for balance in navigating our feelings. He uses metaphors like fabric and harp to illustrate interconnectedness and the power of selection in our experiences, inviting listeners to reflect on their place in the cosmos.
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Consciousness As Background
- Consciousness is the background that makes perception possible, like the sky for hills.
- We cannot define consciousness by stepping outside it because we know nothing beyond our own awareness.
Backyard Conversation Example
- An Englishman and a Hindu discuss the need for a background to perceive figures, illustrating the limit of questioning consciousness.
- The Hindu points out that the ultimate background is consciousness itself, which stops further analysis.
Everything Is Patterning
- Watts frames everything, physical and mental, as patterns or processes rather than static things.
- He treats the universe and consciousness both as fields of patterning or energy.