Summary of Awareness Of Oneself Alan Watts

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00:00:00 - 01:00:00

In this video, philosopher Alan Watts discusses the importance of awareness and how it is related to our understanding of the world around us. He argues that our Western way of thinking is based on a backwards approach that leads to confusion and misunderstanding. Watts goes on to say that Buddhist thought is a way of looking at the world that is not based on causality, and that understanding the concept of interdependent origination is as important as understanding the concept of space and intervals.

00:00:00 Alan Watts discusses the concept of "oneself," how our view of the world is based on our philosophical and scientific backgrounds, and how this perspective is alien to our western way of thinking.
00:05:00 Alan Watts discusses the importance of perspective in regards to magnification, specifically how different levels of magnification provide different points of view which can be seen as correct or incorrect depending on the level of magnification. He goes on to discuss how looking at things from a higher level of magnification (such as looking at a photograph under a magnifying glass) can reveal a state of harmony that is not apparent at lower levels of magnification. Finally, he discusses how breaking through to this higher level of perspective (known as 'seeing the universe itself as really consisting of all the stars and galaxies') depends on overcoming the illusion that space separates things.
00:10:00 Alan Watts discusses the idea that life is a pattern of immense complexity, and that humans are just one part of that pattern. He emphasizes the importance of remaining aware of what is happening around us, and reminds us that life is a game of hide and seek.
00:15:00 The video discusses the idea of hardness in nature and how fast impulses can be seen as a solid thing. It goes on to say that although the fast impulses are a solid thing, they are in fact moving too fast for us to understand or experience them. This is why we experience hardness in nature as immense energy. The video then talks about the process of growth and how lower orders are always being superseded by higher orders, but the lower order can never figure out or only very rarely figure out what the higher order is. The video concludes by saying that although we don't know what the next step is in the process of growth, we are always aware that it is happening because we are constantly experiencing the fast impulses.
00:20:00 Alan Watts discusses the concept of consciousness, noting that it is a radar that scans the environment for trouble. He goes on to say that our attention is captured by the figure rather than the background, and that our sense of self is only possible due to the interaction of will and won't.
00:25:00 Alan Watts discusses the importance of noticing patterns and how they can be deceiving. He provides an example of a rope with different sections, each of which has a different pattern. When we see a pattern, we mistakenly assume that the individual is unchanged despite their changing constitution. Watts argues that when we become aware of our patterns, we can more easily recognize ourselves and others.
00:30:00 In this video, philosopher Alan Watts discusses the concept of awareness and how it is important to understand the relationship between the environment and the organisms that live in it. He argues that the environment is inexhaustible and that every event is necessary for the whole thing to function.
00:35:00 In this video, philosopher Alan Watts discusses the importance of being aware of oneself and the spaces between people. He argues that without awareness of these spaces, one cannot fully enjoy life and music. Watts gives the example of the ancient Egyptians who were very aware of the background of their paintings and carpets, and this awareness helped them to create beautiful works of art. He warns that if one person realizes they are not the only person who is aware of themselves, they may be offended and think less of themselves.
00:40:00 Karma is the principle by which actions taken in previous lives affect the present. It is an important part of Buddhist philosophy.
00:45:00 Alan Watts discusses the concept of karma in Buddhism, which is not viewed as a law of cause and effect, but as an act of compassion. The task of a Buddhist or Hindu practitioner is to realize that for everyone to achieve liberation, it is necessary to first become clear about karma.
00:50:00 In this video, philosopher Alan Watts discusses the difference between law and Dharma. Law is derived from a ruler imposing their will on a populace, while Dharma is a more organic system of governance. Western law, which is based on ancient theological conceptions of god, is a tyrannical method of governing.
00:55:00 In this video, philosopher Alan Watts discusses the concept of awareness, which is the way in which we perceive and understand the world around us. He points out that most of our thinking is based on a backwards approach, which leads to confusion and misunderstanding. Watts goes on to say that Buddhist thought is a way of looking at the world that is not based on causality, and that understanding the concept of interdependent origination is as important as understanding the concept of space and intervals.

01:00:00 - 01:35:00

In this video, Alan Watts discusses the idea that there is no real distinction between the knower and the known. He argues that this is a basic idea underlying western thinking, and that if we understand this concept, we can begin to see how our behavior is connected to the behavior of the other, the environment, and ourselves.

01:00:00 The video discusses the idea that there is no real beginning or end to reality, and that everything is constantly in a continuous state of flux. It goes on to say that when we think in terms of "either/or" terms, we are limited in our understanding. Instead, we should adopt a "both/and" perspective in order to see the full reality of the situation.
01:05:00 In this video, philosopher and author Alan Watts discusses the idea that there is no real distinction between the knower and the known. According to Watts, this is a basic idea underlying western thinking. If we understand this concept, we can begin to see how our behavior is connected to the behavior of the other, the environment, and ourselves.
01:10:00 Alan Watts discusses how people can become inflated with their egos due to mystical experiences. When people are aware of their egos and how they operate, the ego disappears and a sense of totality is attained.
01:15:00 Alan Watts discusses the problems with the idea of karma and the devil. He goes on to say that if one believes that everything that happens to them is their own doing, they can absolve themselves of any guilt. He also suggests that if one is praised for their good deeds, they should also praise and blame others in the same way. Finally, he mentions that real sages never gossip or criticize others, as they understand that all is interconnected.
01:20:00 This video discusses the concept of "awareness of oneself," or the idea that people can live in a state of complete spontaneity and harmony with nature. The speaker argues that this is something more than an idea, and that it is actually possible to live this way if we are willing to overcome our intellectual blocks.
01:25:00 Alan Watts discusses how our relationship with the environment is always harmonious, regardless of our ego's opinions or behavior. If we work to understand this relationship rather than trying to force a change, we can start to behave in a more harmonious way.
01:30:00 Alan Watts discusses the idea of selfhood and how it is different from the idea of ego. He argues that selfhood is something that is created by the individual, and that it is not something that exists outside of the individual. He explains that selfhood is based on desire, and that one can only truly enjoy what they do not think of as themselves.
01:35:00 Alan Watts discusses the idea of self-awareness, explaining that it is important to investigate what one wants in order to achieve it. He goes on to talk about the importance of power and how people can mistakenly think that they want it.