Alan Watts argues that people's sense of insecurity comes from trying to find permanence and certainty in a world that is always changing. He says that the effort to secure ourselves against an unknown future causes the anxiety it wants to avoid, and that the answer is to live fully in the present moment instead of reaching for security. Drawing on Zen Buddhism, Taoism, Hindu thought and Western philosophy, he writes about the problem of pain, the nature of time, and the idea of "the wisdom of the unconscious," in a clear and conversational style.
It is for readers who want a short introduction to Eastern thought applied to everyday worry. People who feel anxious about the future, or caught up in self-improvement, will find a calming alternative here.
Deep, inward-looking and contemplative; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1951
- Language
- EN
