Life is NOT a Journey - Alan Watts

Alan Wilson Watts (6 January 1915 – 16 November 1973) was a British philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as an interpreter and populariser of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. His philosophies seem to transcend ego, politics and limitations. His monologues have a powerful way of connecting distant abstract ideas with the present moment and his words have a unique way of putting life into perspective. Life is a gift.

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[thegoat]

“The meaning of life is just to be alive.
It is so plain and so obvious and so simple.
And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.”
-Alan Watts

[jocelyncarr]

I’ve always had fun all through my life. Like camping nearly every month. I’ve travelled overseas to many countries, & tried many different things. I turn 60 tomorrow, looking back I’m glad I didn’t just wait till I retire to do things. I’ve met people through my life who think I’m wasting my money by travelling so much & going away for weekend trips & camping. I think they are the ones wasting their lives just working and saving all the time. Life is short, have some money put away for bills & emergencies. But always have fun along the way through life because none of us know how long we have to live!

[Hellysal]

Life is usually not what job you have, what field you get into career-wise, how great your title becomes. Life is somewhere in between. The songs you sing, the runs you run, the kites you fly, the people you laugh with, the stories you hear, the tales you tell to inspire, the dreams you have at night, the pets you adopt, the plant you finally managed to keep alive, the dinner that finally tasted good, the feeling of hopefulness, of gratitude, of amazement. It happens in between.

[kevin]

I’ve danced and played my whole life I’m 63 and if it come to an end tonight! I’d have no regrets . Thank you mom and dad for the meaning of life 😊

[philattlee]

Being born was such a shock, i've spent all my life getting over it.

[NOTTHATATALL]

I love that everyone in the world can access such powerful speeches.

[melancholiac]

"Time is a game that children play expertly"

[htid]

His words always bring me such comfort, I’ve always felt like a failure because I haven’t travelled as much as I said I always wanted to because I haven’t had the money and confidence to do so. But now I’m in my 30’s I’ve realised I don’t think I ever really wanted to travel i just said that because that’s what I thought success was. I just enjoy a simple homely life, it’s taken me all these years and videos like this for me to accept myself for exactly who I am and realise it’s okay to live a simple life. If you don’t travel or earn a lot of money like society says you have to now it’s okay, just do what ever you want to do, there is no race or competition. It’s still hard for me to remember this but I’m getting better and accepting myself more everyday ❤

[ThatWhichErodes]

"LIfe is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to experience." - Soren Kierkegaard

[istvankovasznai]

"Those who dance are considered fools by those who can't hear the music."
I'll just leave that here.

[hannahahle]

Alan perfectly articulates what I realised in my 20s. The whole point of dancing is the dance. This is the ultimate truth

[geekvinos]

I existed in this pure state of mind for a few years. I left the Navy and booked a 1-way ticket off my boat (hawaii) over to Asia carrying only a backpack. No plans. No contacts. No money. Just a blank canvas to paint on. Over the next few years I traveled across the world. Made many friends. Have a wonderfully deep arsenal of crazy stories to reflect on. And it was all due to dancing in these moments that exist, in all places, and at all times. It's just a matter of how you choose to engage with life and yourself.

[ramentaco]

This reminds me of the Beatles song "I'm Still Sleeping."

"Everybody seems to think I'm lazy,
I don't mind, I think they're crazy,
Running everywhere at such a speed,
Until they find, there's no need."

[elizabethbarrera]

Life is too important to be taken seriously.

[DudemeisterNL]

"You are born with nothing and you die with nothing, what did you loose?
NOTHING"

[KuriousKiy]

The comments are literally just as thought provoking as what Watts has to say!
So heart warming to hear everyone speak so... NICE!
I mean, I can't even describe it.
It seems so alien to the mundane.
You guys are great.
Stay the course and come back often so you don't forget.
Like I just did.

[enzo_armani]

This shut down the voice in my brain that says : "being an artist isn't going to make you become valuable to humanity."
As long as I do what I love *NOW* I don't have to worry :)

[linkofhyrul]

I'm 31 years old and I believed in this lie, making me feel as if I wasted my time. Here's to finding the music again and the hope that I may dance in it again.

[AegisAuras]

Several years ago I had a life changing out-of-body experience. Afterwards there was a few months window where I could meditate and pray and ask the universe questions that I could hear the answer to. Sometimes the answers came through visions, sometimes through telepathy, sometimes through events.

One night I asked: “What should I do with my life?”

They answered: “Live beautifully.”

[wkvojuo]

No shouting or screaming or dramatic music just some calming music with some facts calmly said by a wise man as he doesn't need to shout to prove his wisdom...