RE: THE WATTS-IFICATION OF LIFE
Lao Tzu is responsible for the Tao Te Ching which is the foundation for Taoism. None of the great sages of the world wrote, since they realized the abstract and therefore limiting value of words. The Tao Te Ching came about when war was about to be waged in the part of China where Lao Tzu resided. As he passed through the gates of the city on his way into exile, the guard recognized him and begged him to sit awhile and relate his wisdom before he left. True or not, it's a good story.
Lao Tzu and Confucius knew each other and the Buddha also lived in this century, 500 years before the Christ. I knew some Christian crossovers when I was a chiropractor. The whole ashram (5 people) were my patients. These fellows believe that Jesus, during his missing years from about 13 to 30 years old, hitched a ride down the silk road to India where he became enlightened and then came back to Jerusalem where the Jews promptly killed him for his heresy. Makes sense. I'm sure the Buddha was known to the west by then. These guys aren't enlightened, but they are certainly trying. They're good, joyful people, dress in sack cloth, live communally, are celibate and vegetarian and work hard making religious Icons that they sell via a catalog to churches around the world.
Watts was sort of like an orbiting satellite. He could see the truth and looked at it from all angles, but he never let go enough to fall all the way to the planet.
Another wonderful teacher in the Watts tradition is Joseph Campbell. He was a comparative religion teacher who searched for the unifying theme of all religions and mythology. Though not totally enlightened himself, he, like Watts, is capable of relating on an intellectual level. When he found he was dying of cancer, he made many hours of video of his life's work. Definitely worth the time to watch them all.
One of my favorite sages is Peace Pilgrim. She is the ultimate Slacker to be emulated. She achieved liberation spontaneously on night while walking in the moonlight after deciding that instead of living her life to see what she could get, she'd live her life to see how much she could give. The threat of nuclear war after WW2 was her motivation.
The world was always evil and bad in one way and good and full of love in another way. Depends where you look, no?
The world of man is evil in its delusions. If there is a Satan it is the ego itself. Deny the ego and god is right there smiling. The world of Nature is as it is. Nothing more. That's why I prefer it.
Now you have lots of reading to do. :)
Indeed, have a great thanks. That is a lot to read and look through. I will take my time for that. If not now, for sure later on.
I appreciate your effort in giving me an overview of your favorites.
The story with Jesus and Buddha I already heard and thank your for reminding me. I found it hilarious and was picturing Jesus coming back to Jerusalem with what he had learned from Gautama Siddharta and that the two of them had some good conversations, drank tea and calmly watched a tiger walking by. LOL!
What were you treating your patients for? Was it all physical (chiropractic) or did you do also meditation with them? Where was it?
My practice was purely physical, though I occasionally did some emotional therapy. I tried to teach people how to take care of their bodies, what to eat and what to avoid eating. I discovered that low back pain was mostly of emotional origin just as neck pain and headaches related to stress.
After many years I gave up and my opinion of people in general took a nosedive. Only a few followed my recommendations and they benefited greatly. The rest simply wanted me to fix them, the way a mechanic fixes a car. The body doesn't work that way. You need to quit abusing it and let it heal. They didn't want to give up sodas, to do stretching exercises, to lose that 30 pounds around their middle that was wearing out their hips. They refused to take responsibility for their own bodies. 16 years later I was preaching the same sermon that I did the day I opened my door. I finally didn't care if people got better or not. At that point I decided I couldn't be a doctor any longer so I closed my doors.
I'm meeting the same resistance to spirituality. Eventually I'll stop this too.
my interpretation of what you say is that of resignation. It sounds as if people aren't worth it. ... I want to ask you, if those people who benefited from what you had to offer made a positive and lasting effect on their people and if you have checked that. When I would be Jesus I would ask you: Doesn't even the one make a difference who was healed through your help & empathy?