Alan Watts--Zen, Etc.

lazyboy · Post by **lazyboy** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:56 pm

Gosso: I met Alan Watts one evening at his houseboat in Sausalito in 1970. I was introduced by a friend who had travelled with him to Japan on a tour he led. Alan never claimed to actually be an expert at Zen or other meditation practice. He said he was a philosopher and an entertainer. He was brilliant at both. He intentionally kept himself distant from practice and liked to play the droll observer; which was his strength and, maybe, limitation. When I visited him he was doing some odd play with his cat, kind of chasing it around. I think he was conscious of cultivating the image of the enlightened fool or Zen Crazy. I bought two metaphysical bumper stickers from him. One was WHAT IS WHY and the other was REMEMBER TO FORGET IT. I put them on my 1966 Dodge Van. The other night I saw a film, shown in Pt. Reyes Station, directed his son, Mark, which had many of the cartoons that are on you tube. After the film Mark Watts led a discussion and answered questions about his Dad. He said his father was very interested in his kid's development and their unique talents, which was good to hear. There was no mention in the film of his marriages or any problems in his life. There was a cartoon sequence where he realized that as a child he was fascinated with becoming a Fu Man Chu like villain rather than being a doctor or race car driver.

Gosso · Post by **Gosso** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:41 pm

lazyboy wrote: Gosso: I met Alan Watts one evening at his houseboat in Sausalito in 1970. I was introduced by a friend who had travelled with him to Japan on a tour he led. Alan never claimed to actually be an expert at Zen or other meditation practice. He said he was a philosopher and an entertainer. He was brilliant at both. He intentionally kept himself distant from practice and liked to play the droll observer; which was his strength and, maybe, limitation. When I visited him he was doing some odd play with his cat, kind of chasing it around. I think he was conscious of cultivating the image of the enlightened fool or Zen Crazy. I bought two metaphysical bumper stickers from him. One was WHAT IS WHY and the other was REMEMBER TO FORGET IT. I put them on my 1966 Dodge Van. The other night I saw a film, shown in Pt. Reyes Station, directed his son, Mark, which had many of the cartoons that are on you tube. After the film Mark Watts led a discussion and answered questions about his Dad. He said his father was very interested in his kid's development and their unique talents, which was good to hear. There was no mention in the film of his marriages or any problems in his life. There was a cartoon sequence where he realized that as a child he was fascinated with becoming a Fu Man Chu like villain rather than being a doctor or race car driver.

THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME!!!

If we ever cross paths I'm buying you a beer (maybe a case)!!

I really wish I could have enjoyed the 60's, what a fascinating time period. But unfortunately I was only a twinkle in my daddy's eye.

I remember him saying in one of his clips that he considered himself an entertainer. I think that's healthy, he didn't take himself too seriously. Those bumper stickers made me laugh.

MT could you please move this Alan Watts conversation into a new thread. Thank You. By the way can we use the f-bomb in this forum?

Post by **MediumTex** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:10 pm

Gosso wrote: MT could you please move this Alan Watts conversation into a new thread. Thank You. By the way can we use the f-bomb in this forum?

I moved it to a new thread.

Yes, you can use the f-word if it is essential, but only one time every 60 days, so make it count.

Post by **MediumTex** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:15 pm

lazyboy wrote: Gosso: I met Alan Watts one evening at his houseboat in Sausalito in 1970. I was introduced by a friend who had travelled with him to Japan on a tour he led. Alan never claimed to actually be an expert at Zen or other meditation practice. He said he was a philosopher and an entertainer. He was brilliant at both. He intentionally kept himself distant from practice and liked to play the droll observer; which was his strength and, maybe, limitation. When I visited him he was doing some odd play with his cat, kind of chasing it around. I think he was conscious of cultivating the image of the enlightened fool or Zen Crazy. I bought two metaphysical bumper stickers from him. One was WHAT IS WHY and the other was REMEMBER TO FORGET IT. I put them on my 1966 Dodge Van. The other night I saw a film, shown in Pt. Reyes Station, directed his son, Mark, which had many of the cartoons that are on you tube. After the film Mark Watts led a discussion and answered questions about his Dad. He said his father was very interested in his kid's development and their unique talents, which was good to hear. There was no mention in the film of his marriages or any problems in his life. There was a cartoon sequence where he realized that as a child he was fascinated with becoming a Fu Man Chu like villain rather than being a doctor or race car driver.

That is a great story.

Over on the BH forum, a woman sent me a PM telling me that Harry Browne had been a friend of her dad's, and she had met him several times when she was a kid, normally over a game of checkers.

I would love to play a game of checkers with Harry Browne.

I first learned of Alan Watts in the 1990s and read several of his books. He was a great translator of many Zen concepts to the western mind. He was good at telling the story in a way that we would understand.

It always makes me sad to think of the internal pain he must have felt, notwithstanding the "spirit of detachment" he presented to the world. It reminds me of a comedian who makes everyone laugh but himself.

Post by **MediumTex** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:25 pm

1971 TV appearance by Alan Watts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aufuwMiKmE

That's a far cry from American Idol and Jersey Shore.

lazyboy · Post by **lazyboy** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:35 pm

MediumTex wrote: 1971 TV appearance by Alan Watts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aufuwMiKmE

That's a far cry from American Idol and Jersey Shore.

This clip was in the movie. I love this: "Nature is wiggly"

Jan Van · Post by **Jan Van** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:37 pm

I chuckled when seeing that Alan Watts quote, Gosso. Great! I have a few Alan Watts books that I really enjoyed reading. He must have been an amazing character. Now if Harry Browne and Alan Watts could have taped a discussion, that would have been something...

Gosso · Post by **Gosso** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:09 pm

jmourik wrote: I chuckled when seeing that Alan Watts quote, Gosso. Great! I have a few Alan Watts books that I really enjoyed reading. He must have been an amazing character. Now if Harry Browne and Alan Watts could have taped a discussion, that would have been something...

Haha, and I was all proud of myself because I thought I was being original...silly ego!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there are plenty of Alan Watts fans here, and that is kinda comforting. When I first discovered Alan Watts I seem to recall spending an entire weekend just listening to his speeches (I become obsessed easily), and then almost quit my job on Monday, LOL! But now I'm trying to integrate his message into the nature of the system, and I'm having decent results.

My only problem is that when I listen to his speeches I absorb only 25% of what he said. I might have more luck with his books...any recommendations?

Gosso · Post by **Gosso** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:16 pm

By the way if anyone is searching YouTube for Alan WattS just note that Alan Watt (no S) is some sort of conspiracy nut job. At first I thought the real Alan Watts had some sort of split personality, but I figured it out after a bit.

lazyboy · Post by **lazyboy** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:23 pm

Gosso wrote:
jmourik wrote: I chuckled when seeing that Alan Watts quote, Gosso. Great! I have a few Alan Watts books that I really enjoyed reading. He must have been an amazing character. Now if Harry Browne and Alan Watts could have taped a discussion, that would have been something...
Haha, and I was all proud of myself because I thought I was being original...silly ego!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there are plenty of Alan Watts fans here, and that is kinda comforting. When I first discovered Alan Watts I seem to recall spending an entire weekend just listening to his speeches (I become obsessed easily), and then almost quit my job on Monday, LOL! But now I'm trying to integrate his message into the nature of the system, and I'm having decent results.

My only problem is that when I listen to his speeches I absorb only 25% of what he said. I might have more luck with his books...any recommendations?

Here's one, a PDF download: http://www.leary.ru/download/watts/Book ... %20Are.pdf
THE BOOK
On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

Gosso · Post by **Gosso** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:35 pm

lazyboy wrote: Here's one, a PDF download: http://www.leary.ru/download/watts/Book ... %20Are.pdf
THE BOOK
On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

Thanks Lazyboy. I'll have to buy the book, since I cannot read anything of length on the computer because of all the easy distraction.

Gosso · Post by **Gosso** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:39 am

jmourik wrote: Now if Harry Browne and Alan Watts could have taped a discussion, that would have been something...

In a way the Permanent Portfolio is quite Zen in its approach to investing. It assumes nothing of the future, and is expected to simply flow with the changing investment environment. Essentially this destroys the future and turns it into nothingness. As someone who used to always have his mind in the future, this is quite freeing. All of a sudden the present becomes much more important, at least it did for me.

You can also think of the yin-yang symbol and how it applies to stocks/bonds and gold/cash.

Maybe Harry Browne was a secret Zen Master???