Remembering Alan Watts

The teachings of Alan Watts inspired generations and today Alan still remains in the memory of elder generations. By many admired and by some chritisized but the bottom line is that Watts was ahead of his time. As a matter of fact, 42 years after his departure his lectures are still timeless and in simple language that everyone of us in todays world can comprehend. A guru of modern time or what ever you want to describe him as, he truly inspired many of us. Alan Watts was born in London in 1915, at the start of the first World War. At a young age he became fascinated with the Far East, and at fourteen he began to write and was published in the Journal of the London Buddhist Lodge before writing his first booklet on Zen in 1932. Alan Watts became inspired by Buddhism in the early 1930s. He was introduced to Eastern philosophy and religion while studying at the University of London and became particularly interested in Zen Buddhism. Watts was drawn to the ideas and practices of Buddhism, and his exploration of these teachings eventually led to his deep involvement in the study and promotion of Eastern philosophy and spirituality throughout his life. He later became a prominent interpreter and popularizer of Zen and other Eastern philosophies in the West, through his writings, lectures, and radio broadcasts. He moved to New York in 1938 and then to Chicago, where he served as an Episcopal priest for six years before leaving the Church. In 1950, he moved to upstate New York before going on to San Francisco to teach at the Academy of Asian Studies. Among Alan Watts' earliest influences were the novelist Sax Rohmer and Zen scholars D.T. Suzuki and Christmas Humpreys. In late 1950, he visited with Joseph Campbell and composer John Cage in NYC. By the early seventies, Alan Watts had become a foremost interpreter of Eastern thought for the West, and was widely published in periodicals including Earth, Elle, He appeared on CBS television's Camera Three in 1969, and in 1971 he recorded a pilot for a new show titled A Conversation with Myself for NET, the precursor to PBS.

Some epic quotes of Alan Watts; 

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes. 

(The Way of Zen, Pt. 2, Ch. 2 (1957).

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

(As quoted in Life magazine (21 April 1961).

This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it to work, realize it is played. 

(The Essence of Alan Watts (1977).

Alan Watts died in his sleep in November of 1973, after returning from an intensive international lecture tour. His early departure was a shock, not only to his friends and family but also to the students and fans that Alan left behind. There are many discussions and speculations about what might have been the cause of Alan's death. Friends of Watts had been concerned for him for some time over what they considered his excessive drinking of alcohol. Lastly, he was reported to have been under treatment for a heart condition. For me until today, Watts remains an inspiring personality ahead of his time. He will always be remembered for his teachings and wisdom. Many former Alan Watts students have never forgotten him... 

     Asian Porn