There Is Never Anything but the Present: And Other Inspiring Words of Wisdom

by Alan Watts

Overview

A giftable collection of inspiring, uplifting, and enlightening words of wisdom from one of the most important voices in spirituality and self-help

"The perfect guide for a course correction in life." —Deepak Chopra

Here is an indispensible treasury of uplifting and enlightening quotations for guidance, support, and spiritual sustenance. In his classic works of philosophy, Alan Watts shared timeless wisdom with readers worldwide. In this book are some of his most thought-provoking words to live by, to reflect upon, and to read for inspiration, knowledge, and growth

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593316023
Publisher:	Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication date:	12/07/2021
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.16(w) x 7.76(h) x 0.52(d)

About the Author

The philosopher ALAN WATTS (1915‒1973) is best known for popularizing Zen Buddhism in the United States and Europe. During his lifetime he wrote more than twenty-five books, including the bestsellers The Way of Zen and The Wisdom of Insecurity. Born in England, Watts immigrated to the United States in his twenties. His colorful and controversial life, from his school days in England, to his priesthood in the Anglican Church as chaplain of Northwestern University, to his experimentation with psychedelic drugs, made him an icon of the 1960s counterculture movement. Millions of followers continue to be enlightened by his teachings through his books, which have been published in twenty-six countries, and his lectures, which are found worldwide on the internet.

Read an Excerpt

Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command.
 

When no risk is taken there is no freedom.

 
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

 
No one imagines that a symphony is supposed to improve in quality as it goes along, or that the whole object of playing it is to reach the finale. The point of music is discovered in every moment of playing and listening to it. It is the same, I feel, with the greater part of our lives, and if we are unduly absorbed in improving them we may forget altogether to live them.

 
The individual is an aperture through which the whole energy of the universe is aware of itself.
 

What we have forgotten is that thoughts and words are conventions, and that it is fatal to take conventions too seriously. A convention is a social convenience, as, for example, money . . . But it is absurd to take money too seriously, to confuse it with real wealth.
 

We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “peoples.” Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe.
 

To see the light, it is only necessary to stop dreaming and open the eyes.

Editorial Reviews

10/25/2021

Adorned with simple but pretty illustrations, this compendium of aphorisms drawn from the writings of hippie theologian and Eastern mysticism popularizer Watts (The Way of Zen), who died in 1973, aims to heal, inspire, and release. Readers can dip into any section for one-liners or short paragraph whispers of wisdom, such as “Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command.” Watts muses on the natures of love, life, faith, and belonging, giving readers pause to consider the greater meaning of many thoughts, such as “We do not dance to reach a certain point on the floor, but simply to dance.” Others are more straightforward pronouncements that reflect Watts’s rebellious era but still hit as timely, to wit: “There will be respect for authority when, and only when, authority is itself respectable.” Some selections include drawings, from simple design flourishes to more scratchily etched imagery such as a floating eye, shaggy tree, or a classic serpent eating its tail. Designed as a gift book, it feels like it would fit as much on a bedside as coffee table—and readers may find themselves flipping through pages before wrapping it up. Agent: Jessica Salky, Salky Literary. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly