Alan Watts

The brain can only assume its proper behavior when consciousness is doing what it is designed for: not writhing and whirling to get out of present experience, but being effortlessly aware of it.

Alan Watts

The brush must draw by itself. This cannot happen if one does not practice constantly. But neither can it happen if one makes an effort.

Alan Watts

The common error of ordinary religious practice is to mistake the symbol for the reality, to look at the finger pointing the way and then to suck it for comfort rather than follow it.

Alan Watts

The difficulty for most of us in the modern world is that the old-fashioned idea of God has become incredible or implausible.

Alan Watts

The ego-self constantly pushes reality away. It constructs a future out of empty expectations and a past out of regretful memories.

Alan Watts

The frightened mind that runs away from everyday terrors meets the seeking mind that wants a better world.

Alan Watts

The greater part of human activity is designed to make permanent those experiences and joys which are only lovable because they are changing.

Alan Watts

The Greek word for sinning means to ‘miss the point;’ The point is eternal life which is here and now.

Alan Watts

The hallucination of being a separate ego will not stand up to biological tests.

Alan Watts

The highest to which man can attain is wonder; and if the prime phenomenon makes him wonder, let him be content; nothing higher can it give him, and nothing further should he seek for behind it; here is the limit.

Alan Watts