The Bizarre Life of Alan Watts

In my darkest times, when I was thinking of ending it all... Alan Watts and his profound wisdom saved my life. He is, and will forever be, my hero.

I started listening to his teaching during my university days, nearly 10 years ago. I was depressed at the time but somehow his talking changed that. It's not about finding away out of suffering, it's to enjoy the play while it's last whether it's tragedy or comedy. During covid high time, I was diagnosed with cancer and at the same time someone who was very closed to me passed away from cancer at the same time. Instead of breaking down, I was able to accept all of that gracefully. I don't know how long will I be able to keep enjoy this play and if I'll be lucky enough to receive the "grace of god" while the play lasts. But I know I'm enjoying this thanks to him.

Not so bizarre, really. He was profoundly human, and his perceived flaws made him much more relatable to our neurotic western minds than saints and gurus. He was indeed a great Bodhisattva. Thank you Alan! (and thanks Asangoham)

He's helped keep me sane, numerous times. When life's got very tough, you turn to his lectures. His audio. Or video. And things become..bearable.

Decades after his death, Alan had a profound impact on my life. I am forever grateful to him.

When I was going through some of my darkest depression phases i listened to his lectures on youtube over and over again. That man saved me. Seriously.

I just discovered him less than a year ago but he has already profoundly changed my life. I no longer fear what I can’t control. The fact he was a heavy drinker only confirms his teachings. In the end it doesn’t matter. There are no mistakes, only change

When I got sober , it was Allan who kept me there. I was suicidal, depressed and just going nuts. His voice spoke to me in a way that changed my life . Ever since I found this man my outlook on life has forever changed the. Thank you Mr.Watts ❤

Alan Watts opened a gate of freedom for me in my twenties in the 60’s/70’s. Now in old age his words and thoughts inspire me.

We all love Alan Watts.

Watts was the perfect messenger for me, as an ex-Christian I really appreciate his take on Christ and the church. And I absolutely love his voice, much more persuasive than his writing. I feel the same about Terence McKenna in that regard. And let’s remember that the messenger doesn’t need to be perfect to deliver their truth

I absolutely love this man’s wisdom and listening to him often.I was unaware of his alcoholism. I’ve been been in and out of recovery, endured heart bypass surgery for my last flirtatious with drinking. 71 and great full for all your help in straightening out my thinking Alan. For I had a thinking problem long before a drinking problem. If you’re reading this I bid you peace.

I say this over and over again to messages in videos like this: if you see the Buddha on the road, kill him. this is an old Zen saying and a simple translation is "separate the messenger from the message." All that matters is that Alan Watts was a didactic or polymath with an extraordinary ability to synthesize east and west philosophy in a way that made it extraordinarily palpable to the masses and thus powerful catalyst for personal transformation

The man was a genius. You can sense his clarity of mind in the way he speaks.

Listening to Alan was a large part of my spiritual journey in 12-step recovery. What his tragic life story illustrates though, is that no amount of insight or knowledge is sufficient to cure a mental/spiritual illness. In fact, thinking and knowledge usually just get in the way. What matters is a persons daily actions and relationship to life. For years I thought that I had to “crack the code”, read one more book, learn one more spiritual truth, gain one more insight. I have finally learned that reaching out to others, being in relationship, learning to see life from other people‘s point of view, give up my own position, to not know and just experience life is what brings peace to the part of the self that is affected by addiction. I’m very far from perfect in this regard. It comes and goes. I wish Alan had been able to get the support he gave others.

The people who throw away all of Alan Watts’ teachings due to his alcoholism need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

His lectures are so powerful especially for the over anxious society we have today. More people need to be prescribed Alan Watts over pills. What I find most interesting is that he had his personal demons just like anyone else on Earth but yet was always so positive and so honest in his writings and lectures. We need more people like him!

As a pure philosopher all my life, I was 38 years old by the time I realized that life has to be a dream. Then, when I discovered Alan Watts on YouTube, he was saying things that I was already saying myself, and I instantly became a big fan. Thank you, YouTube. Interesting times, indeed.

I stumbled onto Alan Watts last year after the end of a very long term relationship. His words and voice have helped me tremendously.

The most articulate teacher of mysticism and reigning king of homework doers: Zen Master Alan Watts.