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[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

I love this quote of Alan Watts from one of his lectures:

Let's suppose that you were able every night to dream any dream that 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.

Naturally, as you began on this adventure of dreams, you would fulfill all your wishes. You would have every kind of pleasure you could conceive. 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 going to be."

And you would dig that and come out of that and say "Wow, that was a close shave, wasn't it?"

And then you would get more and more adventurous, and you would make further and further out gambles as to 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.

What do you think?


It reminds me very loosely speaking of this topic of mine:

We are living in heaven, and always have been, and always will be.


One can ask, can an omnipotent god dream a dream so dramatic and engrossing that even he or she gets lost in it?


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I created the attached image with AI, using the prompt "Alan Watts dreaming a dramatic dream in vivid color".

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[Surabhi Rani]

Very pragmatic! Based on the true experience of the journey of one's inner self. I like the deeper concepts of spirituality explained by the great visionary, Sir Allan Watts. I do know that in Heaven, we have opposite forces against which we have to fight for our survival in the same way as we have on Earth.

[Sushan]

Alan Watts' quote here is certainly thought-provoking and speaks volumes about human nature and our desire for novelty and challenge. The idea of being able to dream any life we want, only to eventually choose the life we are currently living, is a fascinating one.

From a philosophical perspective, this quote can be interpreted as a commentary on determinism and free will, two concepts that have been extensively debated throughout the history of philosophy. The scenario Watts paints initially seems to be one of absolute free will - we can choose to dream anything we want. Yet, the fact that we ultimately choose to dream the life we are already living may suggest a sort of determinism, a return to the life that is 'meant' for us.

Another interpretation could be related to the philosophical concept of authenticity, stemming from existentialist thought. If we eventually dream the life we are currently living, it may be because this life is the most authentic to us. It contains our unique experiences, challenges, and relationships that define who we are.

Alternatively, this quote may also be seen as a commentary on the human condition itself. While we may fantasize about a life of constant pleasure, it's the unpredictability, the trials and tribulations, and even the mundane aspects of our actual life that provide depth and meaning. The 'surprises' in life, both pleasant and otherwise, are what make life rich and rewarding.

In essence, Watts seems to be inviting us to consider the possibility that the life we are living now, with all its ups and downs, could be the most interesting and fulfilling dream we could have.

What are your thoughts on this interpretation?