Alan Watts

Birth : 1915-01-06, Chislehurst, Kent, England, UK

Death : 1973-11-16

History

Alan Wilson Watts was a British philosopher, writer and speaker known for interpreting and popularising Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism for a Western audience. Born in Chislehurst, England, he moved to the United States in 1938 and began Zen training in New York. He received a master's degree in theology from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and became an Episcopal priest in 1945. He left the ministry in 1950 and moved to California, where he joined the faculty of the American Academy of Asian Studies.

Profile

Movies

Until There Was Nothing

Narrator

A philosophical video and art exploration of the Earth's passage through a black hole.

Everything

Himself

It's a simulation of reality where you can see the world from everything's point of view - it's kind of a philosophy project in the form of a game. There is no narrative or story - just the world as it is. Everything: Gameplay Film is an overview of David O'Reilly video game of the same name, crafted as a short film with a narration by Alan Watts

Zen Dog

Alan Watts (voice)

Trapped by daily routine, a man experiences complete freedom by dreaming himself across the country in a psychedelic Volkswagen with the guiding words of philosopher Alan Watts.

Zen: The Best of Alan Watts

Himself

A memorial anthology of Alan Watt's work. Watts (1915-1973), who held both a master's degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity, is best known as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism in particular, and Indian and Chinese philosophy in general.

Work as Play

Himself

Alan Watts discusses the Western dichotomy of work and play, and explains that when you take the play out of work life becomes joyless drudgery.

Time and the More It Changes

Self

Taped by his son shortly before Watts' death, this program captures the noted philosopher/mystic's ideas on the meaning of time and change, if they have meaning at all.

Conversation with Myself

Himself

Alan Watts talks about our perception of the world, and how we derive metaphysics from it. Watts recorded this video in 1971 as a pilot for a public television series in the United States.

The Art of Meditation

Himself

This VHS video includes two short documentaries by Elda Hartley. In the first, THE ART OF MEDITATION, Alan Watts gives us techniques and advice for meditating. Elda Hartley herself narrates the second film, MEDITATION: THE JOURNEY INWARD, which exposes viewers to different cultural approaches to meditation. Hartley then discusses how meditation enriches one's life, and what it can reveal to us.

Zen and Now

Narrator

Gently experimental film introducing Zen concepts, narrated by Alan Watts.

Flow of Zen

Narrator

Alan Watts illustrates in this elegant meditation on Buddhism the nature of reality using the paradigm of flowing water. It is one of his best. "The waters before and the waters after, now and forever flowing, follow each other." Watts conveys the essence of Buddhism by focusing on how to develop greater flexibility and sensitivity to the beauty that surrounds us. His inspired narration, enhanced by beautiful photography and a musical score by Iasos, ensures that his message will last.

Buddhism, Man and Nature

Narrator

Visualizes the mood of Buddhism as the oneness of man and nature. Includes commentary by Alan Watts.