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This Is It: and Other Essays on Zen and Spiritual Experience Mass Market Paperback – March 12, 1973

by Alan Watts (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 491 ratings
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Six revolutionary essays from "the perfect guide for a course correction in life, away from materialism and its empty promise" (Deepak Chopra), exploring the relationship between spiritual experience and ordinary life—and the need for them to coexist within each of us.

With essays on “cosmic consciousness” (including Alan Watts’ account of his own ventures into this inward realm); the paradoxes of self-consciousness; LSD and consciousness; and the false opposition of spirit and matter, This Is It and Other Essays on Zen and Spiritual Experience is a truly mind-opening collection.
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  1. Print length
    160 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    March 12, 1973
  5. Dimensions
    4.17 x 0.39 x 6.81 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780394719047
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0394719047
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

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“Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’” —Los Angeles Times

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The six essays in this volume all deal with the relationship of mystical experience to ordinary life. The title essay on "cosmic consciousness" includes the author's account of his own ventures into this inward realm. "Instinct, Intelligence, and Anxiety" is a study of the paradoxes of self-consciousness; "Spiritually and Sensuality," a lively discussion of the false opposition of spirit and matter; and "The New Alchemy," a balanced account of states of consciousness akin to spiritual experience induced by the aid of lysergic acid. The collection also includes the text of Watts' celebrated pamphlet, "Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen."

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0394719042
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage; First Edition (March 12, 1973)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780394719047
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0394719047
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.17 x 0.39 x 6.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 491 ratings

About the author

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Alan Watts

Alan Watts

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Alan Wilson Watts (6 January 1915 – 16 November 1973) was a British-born American philosopher, writer, and speaker, best known as an interpreter and populariser of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. Born in Chislehurst, England, he moved to the United States in 1938 and began Zen training in New York. Pursuing a career, he attended Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, where he received a master's degree in theology. Watts became an Episcopal priest in 1945, then left the ministry in 1950 and moved to California, where he joined the faculty of the American Academy of Asian Studies.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
491 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Danielle Marie
5.0 out of 5 stars I am it
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2011
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I am an avid follower of the spacial concepts presented by "Stephen Hawking," (Cosmologist, Physicist - see Discovery Channel version of "Into the Universe" - DVD). So for me, Alan Watts makes a great deal of sense. Each book from this deceased author (circa 1940's - 1970's), has been an inspiration in Eastern thought. While one must consider our immediate Western world, with all of it's buildings and bridges, Alan Watts takes us down another path. The path of calmness and reflection. For me, the author lends value and understanding to a complicated subject. I can still live and work in a Westernized medium, while applying to my own life, a calming Eastern philosophy that makes me realize that "stress," is simply "fear," and that fear is from the unknown. Once we get that, and this book along with other works makes that perfectly clear. I am that I am!
15 people found this helpful
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Marilyn
5.0 out of 5 stars Accuracy of description. Book carefully & thoughtfully shipped
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2022
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I love this book for being the old vintage copy as promised, and still in mint condition. Exactly as described; not everyone knows we like these old, true paperbacks too.
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Morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome yet somewhat depressing book.
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2016
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Everything by Watts is brilliant. This booklet is a case both for and against the practice of meditation, written is Watt's characteristic self-contradictory way. He writes of the benefits of stilling the mind, and yet goes on to state that the only reason for such practice is that one happens to enjoy doing it, just like one may happen to enjoy listening to music. He says one eventually reaches the realization that spiritual or religious practices of any kind are unnecessary, because there is no way for you physical organism to get away from what it truly is, and the ego is merely a delusion that has no power whatsoever to affect any change in anything. This one kind of left me scratching my head.
12 people found this helpful
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majesticnarwhale
4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but somewhat immature alan watts
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2019
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This book is good, however it shows earlier not fully developed ideas of alan watts. Some of which have completely flipped or been modified slightly.

The benefit here is that we get to see some explanations or clarifications from watts that we normally do not, because he later took up the idea that is boring for a philosopher to clarify too much, and more entertaining to say something extreme to correct an imbalance in the opposite direction. In this comes to mind how he normally always derides self improvement, but here he clarifies that there is a time and place for it, but a limited one.

An example of an idea completely flipped. In this book, alan's view on marijuana is completely skeptical, he says it may be the least useful of the psychedelics, if any of them are useful at all. Towards the end of this book his idea on psychedelics is updated and changed greatly, but it isnt until the book "the joyous cosmology" some 8 years or so later, where he says marijuana is actually his favorite and most useful of the psychedelics because he can get the same mystical experience without the side affects of bizzarr sensual perception.
9 people found this helpful
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Ross James Browne
5.0 out of 5 stars Short but Good
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2003
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_This Is It_ by Alan Watts is a good solid work, but is too short to provide the rigorous instruction needed to achieve any appreciable amount of enlightenment or Zen Satori. That said, it is a wonderful, enjoyable, and profound book page for page, and is essential to round out your collection of Alan Watts' more recent and well-known works. _This Is It_ is also perfect for someone who does not want a megadose of strenuous philosophy and theology; it is ideal for those who are new to psychological-religious non-fiction, or who do not have the time to hack through some kind of magnum-opus epic of philosophy. If, however, you want to read one of the more comprehensive books by Alan Watts, I would recommend _Psychotherapy East and West_, which is his best work.
26 people found this helpful
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KJS
5.0 out of 5 stars Great understanding
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2020
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I chose this book because I wanted to know more about Zen Buddhism and not only achieved that goal, but learned so much more. The author provided a lot of information that was much deeper than surface level. As I read different parts of the book, I found myself thinking that many of our spiritual experiences would be much deeper and more understandable if we could move the ego aside. (PAS)
2 people found this helpful
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joey
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2014
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you will question reality when you read this book.
you may understand reality when you read this book.
you will certainly change reality when you read this book.

"...the eyes see light because of the sun but the sun is light because of the eyes..."

once you are done, read "Joshiah - Conscious Creation"

I read both books back-to-back and wow what a combination.
I had no idea either existed, they just fell into my lap in the right order so I read them.

all iq points are required for this one folks. it is definitely NOT light reading.
One person found this helpful
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A. Gjeny
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Explanation of Our Reality
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2018
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The first book I ever read by Alan Watts - almost 50 years ago. It helped me see reality in a different way - and one that has made my life more conscious. It gave me a good framework within which to interpret this "reality". I highly recommend it! (You might follow this up with Deepak Chopra's The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success.)
10 people found this helpful
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Nando P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fino e grosso
Reviewed in Brazil on March 1, 2022
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Fino de fineza e de finura. Grosso de conteúdo e de relevância. Uma reunião da astuta capacidade de Alan Watts para falar da presença com sua erudição e simplicidade, em poucos mas profundos artigos. Assunto inadiável.
2 people found this helpful
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Iban
5.0 out of 5 stars Cosmic consciousness
Reviewed in Spain on April 21, 2021
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La edición es pobre, pero el contenido merece cinco estrellas. Es una colección de ensayos de Alan Watts sobre la relación entre experiencia mística y vida ordinaria escritos en inglés, su idioma original. Lo ordinario es lo maravilloso, y lo maravilloso lo ordinario, aunque normalmente no lo veamos.
This is it!
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Aloha
5.0 out of 5 stars Very valuable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 6, 2021
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From the one and only Watts... knowledge and wisdom in a small book that lives next to my bed
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Pierre Girard
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on February 28, 2018
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perfect in all points
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Ralitsa
5.0 out of 5 stars Spirituality must have
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2019
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Beautiful book.
One person found this helpful
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