Bøker av Alan Watts

The last work by Alan Watts, Tao is the culmination of a lifetime's study and thought.

In this new edition of his acclaimed autobiography - long out of print and rare until now - Alan Watts tracks his spiritual and philosophical evolution. A child of religious conservatives in rural England, he went on to become a freewheeling spiritual teacher who challenged Westerners to defy convention and think for themselves. Watts's portrait of himself shows that he was a philosophical renegade from early on in his intellectual life. Self-taught in many areas, he came to Buddhism through the teachings of Christmas Humphreys and D. T. Suzuki. Told in a nonlinear style, In My Own Way combines Watts's brand of unconventional philosophy with wry observations on Western culture and often hilarious accounts of gurus, celebrities, and psychedelic drug experiences. A charming foreword by Watts's father sets the tone of this warm, funny, and beautifully written story. Watts encouraged readers to "e;follow your own weird"e; - something he always did himself, as this remarkable account of his life shows.

'The perfect guide for a course correction in life' Deepak ChopraFor decades, people have turned to the inspiring words of pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts for guidance, support and spiritual sustenance. In this thought-provoking collection of aphorisms and quotations, Watts reminds us all to slow down, to recognize we are not the universe but part of it and to enjoy each moment that composes our lives. This is a timeless work to reflect upon, to live by and to read for inspiration, knowledge and growth.

A series of Alan Watts' most engaging teachings on how to break through the limits of the rational mind and expand your awareness.

Renowned lecturer and author Alan Watts presents his meditations on the dilemma of seeking your true self. In this collection of writings, Alan Watts displays the intelligence, playfulness of thought, and simplicity of language that has made him so perennially popular as an interpreter of Eastern thought for Westerners. Drawing on a variety of religious traditions, he presents the dilemma of seeking your true self-to "become what you are." Once called "the godfather of Zen in America," Watts also covers topics such as the challenge of seeing one's life "just as it is," the Taoist approach to harmonious living, the limits of language in the face of ineffable spiritual truth, and psychological symbolism in Christian thought.This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series.The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

A classic account of the psychedelic experienceThe Joyous Cosmology is Alan Watts's exploration of the insight that the consciousness-changing drugs LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin can facilitate "when accompanied with sustained philosophical reflection by a person who is in search, not of kicks, but of understanding.” More than an artifact, it is both a riveting memoir of Watts's personal experiments and a profound meditation on our perennial questions about the nature of existence and the existence of the sacred.Includes Watts's article "Psychedelics and Religious Experience”

Mark Watts compiled this book from his father's extensive journals and audiotapes of famous lectures he delivered in his later years across the country. In three parts, Alan Watts explains the basic philosophy of meditation, how individuals can practice a variety of meditations, and how inner wisdom grows naturally.

A revelatory primer on what it means to be human-and a mind-opening manual of initiation into the central mystery of existence.At the root of human conflict is our fundamental misunderstanding of who we are. The illusion that we are isolated beings, unconnected to the rest of the universe, has led us to view the "outside" world with hostility, and has fueled our misuse of technology and our violent and hostile subjugation of the natural world. To help us understand that the self is in fact the root and ground of the universe, Watts has crafted a revelatory primer on what it means to be human-and a mind-opening manual of initiation into the central mystery of existence.In The Book, Alan Watts provides us with a much-needed answer to the problem of personal identity, distilling and adapting the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta.

Alan Watts - noted author and respected authority on Far Eastern thought - studied Taoism extensively, and in his final years moved to a quiet cabin in the mountains and dedicated himself almost exclusively to meditating and writing on the Tao. This new book gives us an opportunity to not only understand the concept of the Tao but to experience the Tao as a personal practice of liberation from the limitations imposed by the common beliefs within our culture. The philosophy of the Tao offers a way to understand the value of ourselves as free-willed individuals enfolded within the ever-changing patterns of nature. The path of the Tao is perhaps the most puzzling way of liberation to come to us from the Far East in the last century. It is both practical and esoteric, and it has a surprisingly comfortable quality of thought that is often overlooked by Western readers who never venture beyond the unfamiliar quality of the word Tao (pronounced "e;dow"e;). But those who do soon discover a way of understanding and living with the world that has profound implications for us today in so-called modern societies. The word Tao means the Way - in the sense of a path, a way to go - but it also means nature, in the sense of one's true nature, and the nature of the universe. Often described as the philosophy of nature, we find the origins of Taoism in the shamanic world of pre-Dynastic China. Living close to the earth, one sees the wisdom of not interfering, and letting things go their way. It is the wisdom of swimming with the current, splitting wood along the grain, and seeking to understand human nature instead of changing it. Every creature finds it's way according to the laws of nature, and each of us has our own inner path - or Tao.

The groundbreaking third book by Alan Watts, originally published in 1940 and out of print for years

A radical reinterpretation of Christianity by one of the twentieth century’s leading philosophers Today, Alan Watts is remembered mainly as an eloquent interpreter of Eastern philosophies such as Taoism and Zen Buddhism. Not everyone knows that Watts was also a formidable scholar of Christianity who worked as an Episcopal chaplain early in his career. He eventually left the church to find his own spiritual path, but his time there fueled a burst of literary creativity that culminated in Beyond Theology, originally published in 1964 and now back in print. In this landmark work, Watts asks whether a “rigorous, imperious, and invincibly self-righteous” religion such as Christianity can stay relevant in our modern, multicultural world. To answer that question, he deconstructs Christianity by using concepts borrowed from psychology, linguistics, science, and Eastern philosophy. In the process, he solves difficult problems of theology, traces the impact of Christianity on Western culture, and points the way to a new form of nondualistic spirituality. Playing the role of a philosophical jester, Watts artfully deploys paradoxes, riddles, and gently subversive humor to overturn conventional wisdom. His intention is not to hold sacred things up to ridicule but rather to expand our definition of the sacred. The ultimate aim is to help us see beyond the external trappings of religion — beyond ritual, myth, doctrine, and theology itself — to experience the divine within ourselves.

Discover the path to your authentic self and embrace your true identity with these insightful teachings from celebrated author and spiritual luminary Alan Watts. In this collection, Watts displays the intelligence, playfulness of thought, and simplicity of language that has made him so perennially popular as an interpreter of Eastern thought for Westerners. He draws on a variety of religious traditions and covers topics such as the challenge of seeing one’s life “just as it is,” the Taoist approach to harmonious living, the limits of language in the face of ineffable spiritual truth, and the psychological symbolism of Christian thought. Throughout, he shows how our true self is never to be found anywhere other than this very life and this very moment.

'A spiritual polymath, the first and possibly greatest' Deepak ChopraThe spiritual is not to be separated from the material, nor the wonderful from the ordinaryOffering reflections on living for the present moment, the pleasures of listening to music, and finding the playfulness of day-to-day life, this beautiful guided meditation journal will help readers engage in the mindful practice of journaling.Pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts combines insightful and pithy wisdom with charming line illustrations in this collection of journalling prompts and mindfulness observations. The text is full of Watt's warm encouragement and humour which accompany some of his most salient philosophical observations, from seeing through arbitrary separations prescribed by language and society to leaving behind assumptions to see things as they truly are: fleeting, yet everlasting - simple, but wondrous.

"Although Alan Watts' famous voice and happy laughter are missing now, his penetrating vision of Buddhism remains, and his lectures become brilliant prose in book form." âEUR"Publishers WeeklyBuddhism: The Religion of No-Religion presents six powerful essays by Alan Watts, the guru for an entire generation of 20th century thinkers, writers and poets. Watts was an engaging speaker and an icon of America's Beat and Counterculture movements. His friends included Aldous Huxley, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, John Cage and Joseph Campbell. In this book, Watts explores all aspects of BuddhismâEUR"from its roots in ancient India to the explosion of interest in Zen and Tibetan Buddhist thought in the West. The fascinating topics covered in this book include:Finding a Middle Way: How a spiritual path to awakening is formed not just by avoiding extreme indulgence but extreme denial as wellThe Religion of No-Religion: How Buddhism eschews any particular dogma and instead acts as a guide to understanding oneselfBuddhism as Dialogue: How Zen teaches us that we are one with the world and so as we learn to navigate the world, we must also learn about ourselvesWatts traces the early beginnings of Buddhism, outlines the differences between Buddhism and other religions, and reviews the Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path. Buddhism: The Religion of No-Religion is a valuable reminder of the peace to be found by looking inward.

Insightful and entertaining essays spanning 40 years of lectures by Alan Watts on Zen, Taoism, psychedelics, and comparative philosophy.Alan Watts''s essays and talks range widely through psychology, art, religion, and politics, but always come home to the Zen core. For those familiar with Alan Watts’s style of presentation, the wonderful, memorable, and prophetic style of his voice is captured in this volume. Talking Zen puts on display Watts’s ability to explore the very subtle philosophies, those common across traditions and those unique to Zen, in ordinary and accessible language. These lectures paved the way for the rise of Zen in the West. 

A fervent, lifelong student of Zen, Alan Watts shows us that it is both an experience - a singular, powerful moment of realization - and a simple way of life, with an awareness that affects every moment of every day. Adopted by mainstream America in a way that carries only a vague association of its roots in Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts makes it clear that any exploration of Zen must understand and embrace its roots as a form of Buddhist practice derived from its Chinese and East Indian sources. Examining the background of Zen in East Indian religion, Watts shows us its evolution through the religion of China. Zen is a synthesis of the contemplative insight of Indian religion and the dynamic liveliness of Taoism as they came together in the pragmatic, practical environment of Confucian China. Watts gives us great insight into the living moment of satori and the release of nirvana, as well as the methods of meditation that are current today, and the influence of Zen culturally in the arts of painting and pottery.

The fourth edition of this bestselling book explains how to combine professional weather forecasts with information from self-assessment of the signs in the sky, as well as from websites and apps, to arrive at a local forecast of coming weather. The Weather Handbook is the essential guide to how the weather is formed, providing readers with the ability to look at the sky and interpret its signs. This handbook has been the standard reference for over 20 years for skippers and crews of cruising and racing yachts. The fourth edition has been updated and expanded with new photos and explanatory text, addressing new sources of weather information. There are countless websites and apps providing forecast data, and The Weather Handbook guides users in how to use and interpret this information for themselves, taking a general forecast for a wide area to provide a local forecast for a specific location."The perfect introduction to understanding weather" - Practical Boat Owner

The legendary author, speaker, and self-described "philosophical entertainer" Alan Watts delights us on audio with a wealth of illuminations into the spirit and art of meditation, spanning many traditions"What would it be like to see all as one?" Alan Watts asks. "We hear about attaining great states of consciousness. But the only way to have a real transformation is to stop thinking about itΓÇöand simply experience it."From the 1950s to the 1970s, this seminal teacher sparked the West''s love for Eastern wisdom. Now, in these rare recorded gems, he inspires a new generation of inner explorers seeking deeper insights into meditationΓÇöits myriad forms, how they work, and what happens when we practice them.On the "artless art" of contemplative practice, Watts explores Buddhist and yogic paths, Zen koans, Hindu mantra chanting, deep listening, effortless awareness, and more. The key to all meditation, reflects Watts, is to give up trying to do itΓÇöto leave it beΓÇöand allow ourselves to be meditated by what is beyond our illusory self.For those looking for teachings seldom explored in the current tide of books on mindfulness, Buddhism, and yoga, Watts is here to enthrall usΓÇöas original, humorous, and relevant today as ever.

With a rising demand for the work of Alan Watts from new generations, "Psychotherapy East & West", originally published in 1961, explores the relationship between Eastern and Western psychologies. A counterculture icon, Alan Watts is the author of more than twenty books.

The comprehensive guide to the place that brought sport climbing to North America-a full-color, thoroughly updated new edition

Color photographs of cloud formations and their groundbreaking explanatory text enable readers to read the sky, pick up the clues and predict what the weather will do.With its winning formula of 24 clear color photographs of cloud formations and their accompanying explanatory text, Instant Weather Forecasting enables the reader to read the sky, pick up the clues, and predict what the weather will do.This revised and updated 5th edition takes into account the new ways users can receive professional weather forecasts, factor them into their own cloud observations, and develop an even better understanding of how the weather will change.This bestselling gem of a book will continue to be invaluable to anyone participating in outdoor activities, from farming, gardening, and walking to riding, golfing, flying, sailing, and fishing.

Six revolutionary essays exploring the relationship between spiritual experience and ordinary life—and the need for them to coexist within each of us. With essays on “cosmic consciousness” (including Alan Watts’ account of his own ventures into this inward realm); the paradoxes of self-consciousness; LSD and consciousness; and the false opposition of spirit and matter, This Is It and Other Essays on Zen and Spiritual Experience is a truly mind-opening collection.