An idea from Alan Watts

This is a short film, narrated by the British philosopher, Alan Watts. In it, I find a beautiful and inspiring idea I'd like to share with you all.

Kensho on Vimeo

So then, let’s suppose that you were able every night to dream any dream you wanted to dream, and that you could for example have the power within one night to dream 75 years of time, or any length of time you wanted to have.

And you would, naturally, as you began on this adventure of dreams, you would fulfill all your wishes. You would have every kind of pleasure during your sleep. And after several nights of 75 years of total pleasure each you would say “Well that was pretty great”. But now let’s have a surprise, let’s have a dream which isn’t under control, where something is gonna happen to me that I don’t know what it's gonna be.

And you would dig that and would come out of that and you would say “Wow that was a close shave, wasn’t it?”. Then you would get more and more adventurous and you would make further- and further-out gambles what you would dream. And finally, you would dream where you are now. You would dream the dream of living the life that you are actually living today.

If we were given a chance to dream a perfect dream every night, and shape it as we wish -- we would eventually dream the very life we are living now. The perfect dream life is the one we are living.

a reply to: Kharron

I love listening to Alan Watts. I got really good at lucid dreaming years ago, but to be honest, I ended up doing the same thing. My friends would tell me I'm crazy for not controlling it how I wanted each time, but they're so much more interesting when you're not in control. Thanks for sharing!

a reply to: Kharron

I'm really glad you posted, I have always liked Alan Watts narrative presentations.

I haven't looked at the video yet. My browser is kind of squirrely these days.

But, given my luck, in one of those uncontrolled dreams, I'd get framed for murder and have to spend 75 years in prison. Probably as Buba's cell mate.

-dex

Thats the first video I listened to from him titled "What if God were bored?" and Ive been listening to his longer recorded lectures as background music ever since. This little excerpt youve posted is part of a much longer session and is commonly edited with dramatic music, I recommend those unedited sessions so one can concentrate on the message and not the emotional spin the music adds.

a reply to: StratosFear

I admittedly haven't watched this video yet, but I have an LP of Alan Watts reciting excerpts of Hindu scripture with Indian music (ragas?) playing in the background, which I find to be extremely effective. I think the music makes for a fertile ground in which the ideas can be planted like seeds.

Thanks for the comments, I'm glad others found it as inspiring as I did.