Let Go
“Become like a cork on water, or a ping-pong ball in the mountain stream.”
An Expression of Infinity
Like a star reveals itself in light, the whole cosmos reveals itself in you.
Seeing the Background
To describe or perceive anything, you have to account for what surrounds it.
Two Sides, One Coin
There are no crests without troughs, no fronts without backs, no on without off.
The Basic Sense
Common to all color is light itself; common to all sensation is awareness itself.
A Caricature of Yourself
Our ideas about ourselves obscure more than they reveal.
You Are the External World
There is no “owner” of experience—simply experience itself.
Don’t Try So Hard
When we strain to pay attention, do we really hear, see, and know more clearly?
Perceiving Without Concepts
The names we assign to what we see and hear obscure the essence of color and sound.
The Ghosts in Our Language
Our everyday speech contains many words that refer to nothing at all.
Nothing Beyond This Moment
“The ideal place is the place where you are.”
What—and Where—Are You?
Is your body part of you, or are you inside of it, somewhere between the ears?
Effortless Achievement
Any athletic or artistic pursuit is better accomplished with ease.
What Do You Really Want?
Pay close attention to this moment. You might find it offers all you could desire.
A Playful Perspective
There’s no end-goal—just connection to the present moment.
Philosophy Begins with Wonder
Some examine nature and discover its facts—but fail to marvel at its weirdness.
The Map is Not the Territory
Abstract thought has given us much, including a false picture of the world.
False Continuity
An illusion manifests when a light moves through space—or a person through time.
You Are the Obstacle
Your ego can’t get rid of itself.
We Are Fruit of the Universe
The feeling that we’re separate from nature is normal. It’s also misleading.
Unlock full audio with trial.
The Wisdom of Alan Watts
to listen to all 20 sessions in this playlist.