Alan Watts talked about human existence in a way that was poetic and easy to understand. If you are struggling with something in life, there is probably one of these Alan Watts quotes that can help you see things differently and help you handle your suffering, if not end it. Following are some Alan Watts quotes that are inspiring to the soul.
1. Up And Down We Go (Can You Hear Alan Watts Saying This? I Can!)
If you are in a down, get excited, because you are going to have to go up.
And, if you are in an up don’t expect to stay there forever because you are going to have to go down.
Life is full of ups and downs because life is not perfect. That’s just the way it is. Expect both the downs and ups without anxiety but with the knowledge that it’s the way life works. Doing that will help you appreciate all that life has to offer and look forward to the future with the faith of good times to come.
2. Stop Wasting Your Energy
Interestingly, so many teachers also say ‘What you resist persists.’ That mantra lines up with many Alan Watts quotes, especially this one.
Alan Watts says that there is nothing to hold on to because everything is dissolving in life. That’s kind of a depressing thought, but it’s true. This means that you can never force things to conform to your will because things are always changing.
If you want to feel better, let go. Let go knowing that most things are not under your control anyway, so why bother to control them.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have goals. It just means that you don’t need to waste a ton of energy trying to make things work out exactly as you see them in your head. Instead, let go, go with the flow, and work towards what you want with as little resistance as possible.
2. Stop Playing Pretend
This is something I learned in Becoming Limitless from Vishen Lakhiani.
There are many people in this world pretending that they are victims and that they have no control over their lives.
There are many people who feel small and weak and are just going through the motions.
But, when they are ready to wake up and start learning that they have more control than they think, they stop seeing themselves as victims and start seeing themselves as creators.
3. Alan Watts Says To Stop Acting Like You’re A Puppet
Alan Watts said that you are the whole universe. You are big. This can be a hard concept to visualize, but once you start to accept that you have a lot of power, you start to see how true it is.
You are not less than anything in the universe. You are one with it. You just come in your own style.
Don’t let anything push you around – make your decisions, tell you what to do, control how you feel, control where you go, or anything else.
You don’t need a puppeteer because you are not a puppet. You can make your own choices, move your own direction, and go where you want to go.
4. Leave Your Mind Alone If You Want It To Be Quiet
Do you worry? This is one of the Alan Watts quotes specifically for you.
You don’t want to try to quiet your mind. Just leave it alone. If you are overthinking, stop trying to stop thinking because that just leads to more thinking. When you stop trying to force your mind to be quiet, it can settle down and become quiet.
I’ve found the best way to do that is to distract yourself when thoughts come up with something like a walk, a TV show, or a phone call to a friend.
But, even better, is praying. By praying, you are letting go and giving your worry to someone or something else, and that can really help you still your mind and relieve some anxiety and worry.
5. Alan Watts Says It’s Always Right Now, So Here’s Where We Should Start From
If you are in a state of distraction, the moment is lost on you completely. And that’s incredibly sad because you only ever have the moment.
The only time you can truly enjoy what’s happening or put all your energy into something is right now. The good news is that it’s always right now. You don’t have to wait. You didn’t miss your opportunity. You have the moment, right now, to fully live. So, do it.
6. Life Loses Its Magic When…
This is one of my favorite Alan Watts quotes as of right now. It’s a huge reminder that when we start focusing on survival and profit, we stop enjoying the magic of life. We can’t see all the wonders coming to us because we are too focused on the bottom line.
Alan Watts says this is why dying isn’t a terrible thing. We lose the magic in life and when we die, someone else comes to birth and gets an entirely new view.
I’d like to think that I can just get the magic back at any age I’m at with a little desire and a shift in focus.
7. Don’t Be Led By Money
Money is great. But, it’s not everything. In fact, when it becomes your sole focus, you miss out on relationships, amazing moments, and other life experiences.
Many of Alan Watts quotes will help you see that life is about living in the moment, and if you are focused on the money, then you are wasting your time.
8. Live On Purpose
This is why Alan Watts said it’s important to consider the question – what do you desire? When you know what you desire, you can live life your way and stop living a life against the grain of who you are and what you want.
This is why Lifebook on Mindvalley is so popular. It helps people ask themselves questions that give them insight into what they desire.
9. Don’t Dwell On Your Mistakes
This is another great Alan Watts quote that you can use to forgive yourself from past issues.
Alan Watts says that you can’t make a mistake, no matter what you do, because it always works out somehow or another. He says that every path is right. With each mistake, you will develop confidence and trust your own intuition.
When you view yourself as a cloud, shifting and transforming and never getting stuck, you can see that one mistake is not you – it was something you moved through or a part of your journey.
10. Embrace Change
What a wonderful image! Change is always happening – or the possibility of change, and that can cause stress as we wonder what’s going to happen.
As Alan Watts says, we need to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance! In other words, go with the flow and allow it to happen. Don’t try to resist it or things are going to get ugly and upsetting.
If you have any favorite Alan Watts quotes, please share them in the comments below.
