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Myth and Religion: A Thorn in the Flesh
Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts, Ira Progoff, Rollo May, Amos Wilder, David L. Miller y otros. Edición a cargo de Joseph Campbell. Imaginación y religión vienen unidas por un vínculo profundo. En el presente libro se exploran sus variadas relaciones a través de una serie de apasionantes ensayos reunidos por una de las mayores autoridades mundiales en la materia, el profesor Joseph Campbell. El hombre de nuestro tiempo vuelve al mito, lo sepa o no. Muchas personas, condenadas a repetir arquetipos ancestrales, pueden entenderse mejor a sí mismas sabiendo cuáles son los mitos originarios. En el mundo occidental, por ejemplo, el repertorio es limitado, y hay un retorno recurrente a la mitología clá Edipo, Electra, Narciso, Ulises... Grandes pensadores de nuestro tiempo han escogido su modelo. Rilke pensó en Orfeo, Freud en Edipo, Kerenyi en Prometeo, Camus en Sísifo. Algunos (William Hamilton, Rollo May) han considerado a Orestes como prototipo de la condición humana tras "la muerte de Dios". Robert Graves dictaminó que sólo exsite "una historia": la de la Búsqueda. En otras tradiciones, la búsqueda es ya hallazgo, de acuerdo con el aforismo búdico que dice que se trata de «encontrar aquello que ya se posee». De la amplitud, solvencia y calidad del compendio aquí reunido da fe el sumario de los autores colaboradores.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
8 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
About the author
Alan W. Watts
255 books8,000 followersAlan Wilson Watts was a British philosopher, writer and speaker, who held both a Master's in Theology and a Doctorate of Divinity. Famous for his research on comparative religion, he was best known as an interpreter and popularizer of Asian philosophies for a Western audience. He wrote over 25 books and numerous articles on subjects such as personal identity, the true nature of reality, higher consciousness, the meaning of life, concepts and images of God and the non-material pursuit of happiness. In his books he relates his experience to scientific knowledge and to the teachings of Eastern and Western religion and philosophy.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 17, 2022
Another collection of lectures by Alan Watts.
Not What Should be, but What Is
Spiritual Authority
Jesus His Religion
Democracy in the Kingdom of Heaven
The Image of Man
Sex and the Church
These lectures explore a lot of interesting ideas that one wouldn't really encounter ordinarily, some appear radical, some appear too simple.
On one side there is the historical information on the east as well as Christianity. The bit about the Church and the sex for example was very interesting. It essentially explains that it was not even an issue with premarital sex that the Church had, but sex in general.
Some other ideas are more of recurring themes within the discourse of Alan Watts, such as our perception of the universe and our place in it. He very much opposes the idea that we come to this world but says that we come from it. I liked the bit about how we will always find it impossible to arrive to the truth, as it is the equivalent of a dog trying to catch its own tail.
I really liked a lot of ideas from eastern philosophy, such as the idea that the universe is more like a stage upon which a spectacle is happening. The idea of all of us as God and all of us are God forgetting himself in an act. It was kind of fascinating to me how that was tied back to Christianity and Jesus as the son of God.
Anyway, this was fun to listen to. I ran into some of these ideas in previous lectures already, I just wanted to address them here. I think my biggest issues is the absence of a coherent body of work representing these ideas by Alan Watts, I have a lot of issues piecing some of them together.
Lastly, I like new ideas and new perspectives, and that is what Alan Watts represents for me. It does not matter much if I am convinced or I agree with the whatever is presented, I just know that it will undoubtedly feed my thinking and my growth.
Not What Should be, but What Is
Spiritual Authority
Jesus His Religion
Democracy in the Kingdom of Heaven
The Image of Man
Sex and the Church
These lectures explore a lot of interesting ideas that one wouldn't really encounter ordinarily, some appear radical, some appear too simple.
On one side there is the historical information on the east as well as Christianity. The bit about the Church and the sex for example was very interesting. It essentially explains that it was not even an issue with premarital sex that the Church had, but sex in general.
Some other ideas are more of recurring themes within the discourse of Alan Watts, such as our perception of the universe and our place in it. He very much opposes the idea that we come to this world but says that we come from it. I liked the bit about how we will always find it impossible to arrive to the truth, as it is the equivalent of a dog trying to catch its own tail.
I really liked a lot of ideas from eastern philosophy, such as the idea that the universe is more like a stage upon which a spectacle is happening. The idea of all of us as God and all of us are God forgetting himself in an act. It was kind of fascinating to me how that was tied back to Christianity and Jesus as the son of God.
Anyway, this was fun to listen to. I ran into some of these ideas in previous lectures already, I just wanted to address them here. I think my biggest issues is the absence of a coherent body of work representing these ideas by Alan Watts, I have a lot of issues piecing some of them together.
Lastly, I like new ideas and new perspectives, and that is what Alan Watts represents for me. It does not matter much if I am convinced or I agree with the whatever is presented, I just know that it will undoubtedly feed my thinking and my growth.
May 18, 2018
Hi again, Goodreads! I've been pretty absent from the site for a number of reasons, but I'm trying to get back on reviewing and taking on challenges because it is really fun to do and it helps me with my writing. I have a ton of books that I haven't reviewed, but I've been setting them apart in a pile to keep track! I will review them top to bottom, that is, most to least recent. I used to review only in Spanish, which is my native language, but I want to do it in english too, now, in order to practice the language. Initially I wanted to do one a review every day, but that's an unrealistic goal for me right now! I'll try to do it as often as I can, at least 2 or 3 reviews a week. Hope all of you who read them enjoy!
Now, onto the review!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the greatest things I learnt from A was that one could get all kinds of books from our university's library - Until I met her I thought you could only get technical books! Having studied engineering, I only frequented the sci and tech room and never went where the real good stuff was - the humanities room. Yes, it is obvious for me now that there would be non-technical books there, but I had not thought about it for some reason. Everyone misses out on something from the university experience. Good thing is, I found out and have been taking books out for a while now. Every time my current book was boring me, I didn't feel like reading something out of my library, or I wanted some specific book, I went to the library and it always had pleasant surprises for me. This was one of them.
I've always been interested in mythology, since I was a child I could spend hours reading wikipedia pages on the subject. If you like mythology and have dived into it, you know you're bound to come across Joseph Campbell. Ever since I heard the words "Hero's journey" and "Monomyth" I've been searching for that very famous work that is "The Hero with a Thousand Faces". I have gone up and down bookstores and second-hand books vendors, hunting for said book, with no success. So one day it ocurred to me that it had to be in the university's library, and I was right! Unluckily for me, they only posses one copy, which means it couldn't leave the library. Bummer, as I wanted to take the book home because it is just so dense and long and my most effective reading hours are after 8P.M. - no library at that time. That was a dead-end, I thought at first, then I realized that there were more Campbell books in the library - many of them with several copies! So I decided for this book based on the title (Myths, Dreams and Religion). I'm glad to say I did not regret my choice, even though I did not expected it to be a compilation of conferences. And what a compilation it is! Some of the greatest names in mythology, religion, sociology, anthropology, psychology and even philosophy; brilliantly disect the three themes that give the book its title. Across it pages I could observe how this three concepts intertwined between themselves and with our very existence, defining and being defined by what it means to be human.
Being a science-inclined person born into a highly catholic family, I would be lying if I said my relationship with religion (and with spirituality) was any easy. I loved mythology, that's true, but I never saw that as alike to my one-hour sunday torture (two or more hours when I was preparing for my first communion!). Yet as I grew a little older and became aware of my own mortality, I turned to religion in my search of meaning, then to rebellion into my adolescence, when I despised and mocked all religious ideas. I mantained this attitude into my 20's, further reinforced by the start of my university experience, but then material such as the one reflected in this very book and my experiences with psychedelics, opened my eyes to the realization that concepts such as the soul, god, spirits, realms beyond, sacred and profane, were bigger and more trascendental to humanity than what any religion could grasp. And that's exactly what this book is about.
Myths, dreams and religion are to date some of the more mysterious and complex subjects in our world, with their roots so deep in our experience as conscious beings that so much of our victories and struggles are defined by them. Even in this rational and science-driven era of de-mythification, when most of us are so bound on destroying symbols and mysticism, we rely so deeply in myths and are blind to it, and the conferences recorded in this book are a call to attention for us to realize that there's something beyond the mind, beyond rationality, truths so deep and so big that perhaps we will never be able to understand them, things that we can only experience and not explain. The way that the people included in this book talk about what they have experienced and witnessed is simply masterful, allowing us to take a peek at the idea that there are patterns that we are not nearly far enough from to fully contemplate.
I think the purpose of these conferences, and of this compilation, is not to grasp that "Great Mystery" that we all can feel and we all are after; but to make us aware of this pursue, so we can further enjoy our experience, our struggles and victories, as human beings, who have constructed all sorts of concepts to help us cope with the fact that we might never unveil the full truth of this reality, that we might never find that Answer (capital A noted) that we so long for... And I think that they also want to show us that that's alright, because if we focus on experiencing our universe instead of trying to break it down, we might resonate much more with what's around us.
Myths, dreams and religion is an exceptional volume that everyone should read. I retain that last star because some of the conferences tend to get too dense for the average reader, and even for me, and I consider I have an at least above-average vocabulary and comprehension of hard subjects. I feel like I speaked more of my life than the book in this review, but these subjects are so close and relevant to me that I just can't help reflecting on how my path has brought me to this kind of (awe inspiring) reads. Also, this book is like life itself, as its themes can't be separated from our existence, even when so many scholars insist on trying to do it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
¡Hola de nuevo, Goodreads! He estado bastante ausente del sitio por varias razones, pero estoy tratando de volver a reseñar y tomar desafíos porque es realmente divertido, y me ayuda con mi escritura. Tengo un montón de libros que no he revisado, ¡pero los he estado separando en una pila para hacer un seguimiento! Los estaré reseñando de arriba a abajo, es decir, de más a menos reciente. Solía reseñar solo en español, que es mi lengua materna, pero también quiero hacerlo en inglés ahora, para practicar el idioma. Inicialmente quería hacer una reseña por día, pero ese es un objetivo irreal para mí en este momento. Trataré de hacerlo tan seguido como pueda, al menos 2 o 3 reseñas por semana. ¡Espero que todos los que las lean disfruten con ellas!
¡Ahora, a la reseña!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Una de las mejores cosas que aprendí de A fue que se podían conseguir todo tipo de libros en la biblioteca de nuestra universidad: ¡hasta que la conocí pensé que sólo tenían libros técnicos! Habiendo estudiado ingeniería, frecuentaba únicamente la sala de ciencia y tecnología y nunca fui donde estaba lo realmente bueno: la sala de humanidades. Sí, es obvio para mí ahora que allí habría libros no-técnicos, pero entonces no había pensado en ello, por alguna razón. Todos se pierden algo de la experiencia universitaria. Lo bueno es que me enteré y he estado sacando libros desde hace un tiempo ya. Cada vez que el libro que estaba leyendo me aburría, no tenía ganas de leer algo de mi biblioteca, o quería un libro específico, iba a la biblioteca y siempre me dio sorpresas muy agradables. Esta fue una de ellas.
Siempre me ha interesado la mitología, desde niño podía pasar horas leyendo páginas de Wikipedia sobre el tema. Quien guste de la mitología y se haya sumergido en ella, sabe que se encontrará con Joseph Campbell tarde o temprano. Desde que escuché las palabras "El viaje del héroe" y "Monomito" he estado buscando el famoso libro "El héroe de las mil caras". Recorrí librerías y puestos de vendedores de libros de segunda mano buscándolo, sin éxito. Entonces un día se me ocurrió que tenía que estar en la biblioteca de la universidad, ¡y tenía razón! Desgraciadamente para mí, solo poseen una copia, lo que significa que no puede abandonar la biblioteca. Lástima, porque quería llevarme el libro a casa... Es denso, largo y mis horas de lectura más efectivas son después de las 8 p.m., cuando no hay biblioteca. Al principio pensé que era un callejón sin salida, pero luego me di cuenta de que había más libros de Campbell en la biblioteca, ¡muchos de ellos con varias copias! Así que me decidí por este libro, basado en el título. Me alegra decir que no me arrepiento de mi elección, aunque no me esperaba que fuera una compilación de conferencias. ¡Y qué compilación! Algunos de los más grandes nombres en mitología, religión, sociología, antropología, psicología e incluso filosofía; disecan brillantemente los tres temas que dan título a este libro. A través de sus páginas pude observar cómo estos tres conceptos se entrelazan entre sí y con nuestra propia existencia, definiendo y siendo definidos por lo que significa ser humano.
Siendo una persona inclinada a la ciencia nacida en una familia altamente católica, estaría mintiendo si dijera que mi relación con la religión (y con la espiritualidad) ha sido fácil. Me encantaba la mitología, eso es cierto, pero nunca la vi como algo parecido a mi tortura dominical de una hora (¡dos o más cuando me estaba preparando para mi primera comunión!). Sin embargo, a medida que crecí un poco y tomé conciencia de mi propia mortalidad, recurrí a la religión en mi búsqueda de sentido, luego a la rebelión en mi adolescencia, cuando despreciaba y me burlaba de cualquier idea religiosa. Mantuve esta actitud en mis 20, reforzada por el comienzo de mi experiencia universitaria, pero luego material como el que se refleja en este mismo libro y mis experiencias con los psicodélicos, me abrieron los ojos a comprender que conceptos como el alma, dios, los espíritus, reinos más allá del nuestro, lo sagrado y lo profano; eran más grandes y más trascendentales para la humanidad de lo que cualquier religión podía captar. Y eso es exactamente de lo que se trata este libro.
Los mitos, los sueños y la religión son hasta la fecha algunos de los temas más misteriosos y complejos en nuestro mundo, con raíces tan profundas en nuestra experiencia como seres conscientes que gran parte de nuestras victorias y luchas son definidas por ellos. Incluso en esta era de desmitificación, racional y científica, cuando la mayoría de nosotros estamos tan avocados a destruir los símbolos y el misticismo, dependemos mucho de los mitos y estamos ciegos a ello. Las conferencias registradas en este libro son un llamado de atención para que nos demos cuenta de que hay algo más allá de la mente, más allá de la racionalidad, verdades tan profundas y tan grandes que quizás nunca podremos entenderlas, cosas que solo podemos experimentar y no explicar. La forma en que las personas incluidas en este libro hablan sobre lo que han experimentado y atestiguado es simplemente magistral, y nos permite echar un vistazo a la idea de que hay patrones de los que no estamos lo suficientemente lejos como para contemplarlos por completo.
Creo que el propósito de estas conferencias, y de esta compilación, no es captar ese "Gran Misterio" que todos podemos sentir y que todos buscamos; sino hacernos conscientes de que existe, para que podamos disfrutar más nuestra experiencia, nuestras luchas y victorias, como seres humanos, que han construido todo tipo de conceptos para ayudarnos a enfrentar el hecho de que nunca podremos revelar toda la verdad tras esta realidad, de que quizás nunca encontremos esa Respuesta (R mayúscula) que tanto anhelamos... Y creo que también quieren hacernos ver que eso está bien, pues si nos enfocamos en experimentar nuestro universo en lugar de tratar de deconstruirlo, podríamos resonar mucho más con lo que nos rodea.
Mitos, sueños y religión es un volumen excepcional que todos deberían leer. Me guardo esa última estrella porque algunas de las conferencias tienden a ser demasiado densas para el lector promedio e incluso para mí, que considero tener un vocabulario al menos superior al promedio, y buena comprensión de temas difíciles. Siento que hablé más de mi vida que del libro en esta reseña, pero estos temas son tan cercanos y relevantes para mí que no puedo evitar reflexionar sobre cómo mi camino me ha traído a este tipo de (grandiosas) lecturas. Además este libro es como la vida misma, ya que sus temas no se pueden separar de nuestra existencia, por más que tantos eruditos insistan en tratar de hacerlo.
Now, onto the review!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the greatest things I learnt from A was that one could get all kinds of books from our university's library - Until I met her I thought you could only get technical books! Having studied engineering, I only frequented the sci and tech room and never went where the real good stuff was - the humanities room. Yes, it is obvious for me now that there would be non-technical books there, but I had not thought about it for some reason. Everyone misses out on something from the university experience. Good thing is, I found out and have been taking books out for a while now. Every time my current book was boring me, I didn't feel like reading something out of my library, or I wanted some specific book, I went to the library and it always had pleasant surprises for me. This was one of them.
I've always been interested in mythology, since I was a child I could spend hours reading wikipedia pages on the subject. If you like mythology and have dived into it, you know you're bound to come across Joseph Campbell. Ever since I heard the words "Hero's journey" and "Monomyth" I've been searching for that very famous work that is "The Hero with a Thousand Faces". I have gone up and down bookstores and second-hand books vendors, hunting for said book, with no success. So one day it ocurred to me that it had to be in the university's library, and I was right! Unluckily for me, they only posses one copy, which means it couldn't leave the library. Bummer, as I wanted to take the book home because it is just so dense and long and my most effective reading hours are after 8P.M. - no library at that time. That was a dead-end, I thought at first, then I realized that there were more Campbell books in the library - many of them with several copies! So I decided for this book based on the title (Myths, Dreams and Religion). I'm glad to say I did not regret my choice, even though I did not expected it to be a compilation of conferences. And what a compilation it is! Some of the greatest names in mythology, religion, sociology, anthropology, psychology and even philosophy; brilliantly disect the three themes that give the book its title. Across it pages I could observe how this three concepts intertwined between themselves and with our very existence, defining and being defined by what it means to be human.
Being a science-inclined person born into a highly catholic family, I would be lying if I said my relationship with religion (and with spirituality) was any easy. I loved mythology, that's true, but I never saw that as alike to my one-hour sunday torture (two or more hours when I was preparing for my first communion!). Yet as I grew a little older and became aware of my own mortality, I turned to religion in my search of meaning, then to rebellion into my adolescence, when I despised and mocked all religious ideas. I mantained this attitude into my 20's, further reinforced by the start of my university experience, but then material such as the one reflected in this very book and my experiences with psychedelics, opened my eyes to the realization that concepts such as the soul, god, spirits, realms beyond, sacred and profane, were bigger and more trascendental to humanity than what any religion could grasp. And that's exactly what this book is about.
Myths, dreams and religion are to date some of the more mysterious and complex subjects in our world, with their roots so deep in our experience as conscious beings that so much of our victories and struggles are defined by them. Even in this rational and science-driven era of de-mythification, when most of us are so bound on destroying symbols and mysticism, we rely so deeply in myths and are blind to it, and the conferences recorded in this book are a call to attention for us to realize that there's something beyond the mind, beyond rationality, truths so deep and so big that perhaps we will never be able to understand them, things that we can only experience and not explain. The way that the people included in this book talk about what they have experienced and witnessed is simply masterful, allowing us to take a peek at the idea that there are patterns that we are not nearly far enough from to fully contemplate.
I think the purpose of these conferences, and of this compilation, is not to grasp that "Great Mystery" that we all can feel and we all are after; but to make us aware of this pursue, so we can further enjoy our experience, our struggles and victories, as human beings, who have constructed all sorts of concepts to help us cope with the fact that we might never unveil the full truth of this reality, that we might never find that Answer (capital A noted) that we so long for... And I think that they also want to show us that that's alright, because if we focus on experiencing our universe instead of trying to break it down, we might resonate much more with what's around us.
Myths, dreams and religion is an exceptional volume that everyone should read. I retain that last star because some of the conferences tend to get too dense for the average reader, and even for me, and I consider I have an at least above-average vocabulary and comprehension of hard subjects. I feel like I speaked more of my life than the book in this review, but these subjects are so close and relevant to me that I just can't help reflecting on how my path has brought me to this kind of (awe inspiring) reads. Also, this book is like life itself, as its themes can't be separated from our existence, even when so many scholars insist on trying to do it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
¡Hola de nuevo, Goodreads! He estado bastante ausente del sitio por varias razones, pero estoy tratando de volver a reseñar y tomar desafíos porque es realmente divertido, y me ayuda con mi escritura. Tengo un montón de libros que no he revisado, ¡pero los he estado separando en una pila para hacer un seguimiento! Los estaré reseñando de arriba a abajo, es decir, de más a menos reciente. Solía reseñar solo en español, que es mi lengua materna, pero también quiero hacerlo en inglés ahora, para practicar el idioma. Inicialmente quería hacer una reseña por día, pero ese es un objetivo irreal para mí en este momento. Trataré de hacerlo tan seguido como pueda, al menos 2 o 3 reseñas por semana. ¡Espero que todos los que las lean disfruten con ellas!
¡Ahora, a la reseña!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Una de las mejores cosas que aprendí de A fue que se podían conseguir todo tipo de libros en la biblioteca de nuestra universidad: ¡hasta que la conocí pensé que sólo tenían libros técnicos! Habiendo estudiado ingeniería, frecuentaba únicamente la sala de ciencia y tecnología y nunca fui donde estaba lo realmente bueno: la sala de humanidades. Sí, es obvio para mí ahora que allí habría libros no-técnicos, pero entonces no había pensado en ello, por alguna razón. Todos se pierden algo de la experiencia universitaria. Lo bueno es que me enteré y he estado sacando libros desde hace un tiempo ya. Cada vez que el libro que estaba leyendo me aburría, no tenía ganas de leer algo de mi biblioteca, o quería un libro específico, iba a la biblioteca y siempre me dio sorpresas muy agradables. Esta fue una de ellas.
Siempre me ha interesado la mitología, desde niño podía pasar horas leyendo páginas de Wikipedia sobre el tema. Quien guste de la mitología y se haya sumergido en ella, sabe que se encontrará con Joseph Campbell tarde o temprano. Desde que escuché las palabras "El viaje del héroe" y "Monomito" he estado buscando el famoso libro "El héroe de las mil caras". Recorrí librerías y puestos de vendedores de libros de segunda mano buscándolo, sin éxito. Entonces un día se me ocurrió que tenía que estar en la biblioteca de la universidad, ¡y tenía razón! Desgraciadamente para mí, solo poseen una copia, lo que significa que no puede abandonar la biblioteca. Lástima, porque quería llevarme el libro a casa... Es denso, largo y mis horas de lectura más efectivas son después de las 8 p.m., cuando no hay biblioteca. Al principio pensé que era un callejón sin salida, pero luego me di cuenta de que había más libros de Campbell en la biblioteca, ¡muchos de ellos con varias copias! Así que me decidí por este libro, basado en el título. Me alegra decir que no me arrepiento de mi elección, aunque no me esperaba que fuera una compilación de conferencias. ¡Y qué compilación! Algunos de los más grandes nombres en mitología, religión, sociología, antropología, psicología e incluso filosofía; disecan brillantemente los tres temas que dan título a este libro. A través de sus páginas pude observar cómo estos tres conceptos se entrelazan entre sí y con nuestra propia existencia, definiendo y siendo definidos por lo que significa ser humano.
Siendo una persona inclinada a la ciencia nacida en una familia altamente católica, estaría mintiendo si dijera que mi relación con la religión (y con la espiritualidad) ha sido fácil. Me encantaba la mitología, eso es cierto, pero nunca la vi como algo parecido a mi tortura dominical de una hora (¡dos o más cuando me estaba preparando para mi primera comunión!). Sin embargo, a medida que crecí un poco y tomé conciencia de mi propia mortalidad, recurrí a la religión en mi búsqueda de sentido, luego a la rebelión en mi adolescencia, cuando despreciaba y me burlaba de cualquier idea religiosa. Mantuve esta actitud en mis 20, reforzada por el comienzo de mi experiencia universitaria, pero luego material como el que se refleja en este mismo libro y mis experiencias con los psicodélicos, me abrieron los ojos a comprender que conceptos como el alma, dios, los espíritus, reinos más allá del nuestro, lo sagrado y lo profano; eran más grandes y más trascendentales para la humanidad de lo que cualquier religión podía captar. Y eso es exactamente de lo que se trata este libro.
Los mitos, los sueños y la religión son hasta la fecha algunos de los temas más misteriosos y complejos en nuestro mundo, con raíces tan profundas en nuestra experiencia como seres conscientes que gran parte de nuestras victorias y luchas son definidas por ellos. Incluso en esta era de desmitificación, racional y científica, cuando la mayoría de nosotros estamos tan avocados a destruir los símbolos y el misticismo, dependemos mucho de los mitos y estamos ciegos a ello. Las conferencias registradas en este libro son un llamado de atención para que nos demos cuenta de que hay algo más allá de la mente, más allá de la racionalidad, verdades tan profundas y tan grandes que quizás nunca podremos entenderlas, cosas que solo podemos experimentar y no explicar. La forma en que las personas incluidas en este libro hablan sobre lo que han experimentado y atestiguado es simplemente magistral, y nos permite echar un vistazo a la idea de que hay patrones de los que no estamos lo suficientemente lejos como para contemplarlos por completo.
Creo que el propósito de estas conferencias, y de esta compilación, no es captar ese "Gran Misterio" que todos podemos sentir y que todos buscamos; sino hacernos conscientes de que existe, para que podamos disfrutar más nuestra experiencia, nuestras luchas y victorias, como seres humanos, que han construido todo tipo de conceptos para ayudarnos a enfrentar el hecho de que nunca podremos revelar toda la verdad tras esta realidad, de que quizás nunca encontremos esa Respuesta (R mayúscula) que tanto anhelamos... Y creo que también quieren hacernos ver que eso está bien, pues si nos enfocamos en experimentar nuestro universo en lugar de tratar de deconstruirlo, podríamos resonar mucho más con lo que nos rodea.
Mitos, sueños y religión es un volumen excepcional que todos deberían leer. Me guardo esa última estrella porque algunas de las conferencias tienden a ser demasiado densas para el lector promedio e incluso para mí, que considero tener un vocabulario al menos superior al promedio, y buena comprensión de temas difíciles. Siento que hablé más de mi vida que del libro en esta reseña, pero estos temas son tan cercanos y relevantes para mí que no puedo evitar reflexionar sobre cómo mi camino me ha traído a este tipo de (grandiosas) lecturas. Además este libro es como la vida misma, ya que sus temas no se pueden separar de nuestra existencia, por más que tantos eruditos insistan en tratar de hacerlo.
April 4, 2020
2016.08.03–2016.08.04
Contents
Watts A (1996) (06:02) Myth and Religion - A Thorn in the Flesh (The Edited Transcripts)
1. Not What Should Be, But What Is
2. Spiritual Authority
3. Jesus and his Religion
4. Democracy in Heaven
5. Image of Man
6. Sex in the Church
7. Karma of Christianity
Contents
Watts A (1996) (06:02) Myth and Religion - A Thorn in the Flesh (The Edited Transcripts)
1. Not What Should Be, But What Is
2. Spiritual Authority
3. Jesus and his Religion
4. Democracy in Heaven
5. Image of Man
6. Sex in the Church
7. Karma of Christianity
April 9, 2014
Wish time-travel were real, then see him (and Joseph Campbell) in person, perhaps listen to him (them) speak on end, with a never ending cup of joe. Even to this day, Watts has my standing ovation. Am glad he left a wonderful book behind. Life is beautiful, after reading this book-
July 2, 2018
"Acorde con la tradición de místicos y sabios, que insisten en una conexión directa entre el hombre y Dios, Watts identifica al individuo como la verdadera fuente de toda religión."
Muy interesante.
Pág: 120
Puntuación: 8
Muy interesante.
Pág: 120
Puntuación: 8
February 22, 2018
Мястото ви в живота е там, където вие сами сте се поставили. Същото е с повърхността на сферата – всяка точка по нея може да се разглежда като неин център, затова и всяко място може да се приеме като най-подходящото. Всеки е на своето истинско място. Няма значение на какъв език го казваш, но всеки човек е проявление на божественото, играещо си на една или друга игра. Твоето неведение – ако ти наистина не осъзнаваш в каква ситуация се намираш – също е част от играта. Така е още по-забавно. Все едно си казваш: „Абе аз защо не се изгубя?” и вземеш, че наистина се изгубиш.
Какво искате? Знаете ли какво искате? Помислете хубаво и кажете какво точно искате. Няма начин да не се върнете там, където сте (сега, в този момент). Всичко се случва, защото вие го вършите. Защо тогава медитирате? Защо изобщо вършите разните му там неща от духовно естество?
Хората всъщност не разбират какво е това медитацията. Медитацията е единствената човешка дейност, която няма никаква цел.
Опитният гуру винаги ще те насочи там, където дори не си и помислял, че можеш да стигнеш, за да види докъде се простират амбициите ти. И това ще се повтаря до безкрай, докато внезапно не се опомниш и не започнеш истинската медитация, осъзнавайки веднъж завинаги, че вече си там, за където си тръгнал и през цялото това време медитираш не заради нещо друго, а просто защото съществуваш.
Всичко е случване. Вашето дишане е случване. Вашето мислене е случване. Онова, което чувате или виждате, се случва. Облаците са се случили да бъдат на небесата. Небето се е случило да бъде синьо, а слънцето – да блести. Това е положението. Така се е случило.
Позволете ми да ви представя на... самите вас. Да, това сте вие. Само една представа за онова, което всъщност сте, както и за начина, по който функционирате. Вие изпълнявате функциите си абсолютно спонтанно, тъй да се каже, по случайно стечение на обстоятелствата. Това не е обусловена ситуация, както вероятно се досещате. В този случай явно не мога да ви дам никакви наставления, защото още в мига, в който започнете да си мислите: „Аз трябва да разбера това”, отново ще се появи и глупавата идея, че „аз-ът” е този, който трябва да разбере, при положение, че няма никакъв „ти”, който да го направи. Затова не обича наставленията.
За да откриеш Бога, трябва да престанеш да се криеш в обятията Му? Защо човек прегръща Бог? За да е в безопасност, разбира се. Искаш да спасиш нещо, искаш да спасиш себе си. Не ме интересува какво точно разбирате под „спасение” – дали това означава да се чувствате щастливи или че животът има смисъл, или че там горе има някой, който се грижи за всичко и всички. По-важното е, че ако не се привържете към едни бог, ще се привържете към друг – държавата, парите, секса, вие самите, властта и силата. Всичко това са фалшиви кумири. Но винаги идва миг, в който този процес приключва и само тогава, само в този миг започва вярата. Хората, които се хващат за Бога, нямат изобщо вяра, защото истинската вяра е заложена там, където за нищо не можеш да се уловиш.
Познавах едно момиченце, на който някой бе подарил малко зайче. Тя бе толкова очарована от животинчето и толкова се боеше да не го загуби, че буквално го удуши в прегръдките си, докато го носеше към дома си. Много родители постъпват по същия начин с децата си, а и помежду си. Прегръдките им са прекалено здрави и не позволяват да диша на онова крехко и прелестно нещо, наречено живот. Ако искаш да изпиташ наслада от живота, ти трябва да се отпуснеш, а не да се вкопчваш в него. Тогава ще се чувстваш съвършено свободен и ще изпиеш удоволствиeто до дъно, по най-главозамайващия и сладостен начин, когато през цялото ти същество преминават бурни вълни, сливащи се с ритъма на самия живот. Но това може да се случи само ако се „отпуснеш”, когато напълно забравиш себе си.
Сексът не е просто секс. Той е нещо свято и едно от най-чудесните божествени откровения, които ни осеняват.
Из „Мит и религия” – Алън Уотс
Превод: Юлиян Антонов
ИК „Лик” 2000
Какво искате? Знаете ли какво искате? Помислете хубаво и кажете какво точно искате. Няма начин да не се върнете там, където сте (сега, в този момент). Всичко се случва, защото вие го вършите. Защо тогава медитирате? Защо изобщо вършите разните му там неща от духовно естество?
Хората всъщност не разбират какво е това медитацията. Медитацията е единствената човешка дейност, която няма никаква цел.
Опитният гуру винаги ще те насочи там, където дори не си и помислял, че можеш да стигнеш, за да види докъде се простират амбициите ти. И това ще се повтаря до безкрай, докато внезапно не се опомниш и не започнеш истинската медитация, осъзнавайки веднъж завинаги, че вече си там, за където си тръгнал и през цялото това време медитираш не заради нещо друго, а просто защото съществуваш.
Всичко е случване. Вашето дишане е случване. Вашето мислене е случване. Онова, което чувате или виждате, се случва. Облаците са се случили да бъдат на небесата. Небето се е случило да бъде синьо, а слънцето – да блести. Това е положението. Така се е случило.
Позволете ми да ви представя на... самите вас. Да, това сте вие. Само една представа за онова, което всъщност сте, както и за начина, по който функционирате. Вие изпълнявате функциите си абсолютно спонтанно, тъй да се каже, по случайно стечение на обстоятелствата. Това не е обусловена ситуация, както вероятно се досещате. В този случай явно не мога да ви дам никакви наставления, защото още в мига, в който започнете да си мислите: „Аз трябва да разбера това”, отново ще се появи и глупавата идея, че „аз-ът” е този, който трябва да разбере, при положение, че няма никакъв „ти”, който да го направи. Затова не обича наставленията.
За да откриеш Бога, трябва да престанеш да се криеш в обятията Му? Защо човек прегръща Бог? За да е в безопасност, разбира се. Искаш да спасиш нещо, искаш да спасиш себе си. Не ме интересува какво точно разбирате под „спасение” – дали това означава да се чувствате щастливи или че животът има смисъл, или че там горе има някой, който се грижи за всичко и всички. По-важното е, че ако не се привържете към едни бог, ще се привържете към друг – държавата, парите, секса, вие самите, властта и силата. Всичко това са фалшиви кумири. Но винаги идва миг, в който този процес приключва и само тогава, само в този миг започва вярата. Хората, които се хващат за Бога, нямат изобщо вяра, защото истинската вяра е заложена там, където за нищо не можеш да се уловиш.
Познавах едно момиченце, на който някой бе подарил малко зайче. Тя бе толкова очарована от животинчето и толкова се боеше да не го загуби, че буквално го удуши в прегръдките си, докато го носеше към дома си. Много родители постъпват по същия начин с децата си, а и помежду си. Прегръдките им са прекалено здрави и не позволяват да диша на онова крехко и прелестно нещо, наречено живот. Ако искаш да изпиташ наслада от живота, ти трябва да се отпуснеш, а не да се вкопчваш в него. Тогава ще се чувстваш съвършено свободен и ще изпиеш удоволствиeто до дъно, по най-главозамайващия и сладостен начин, когато през цялото ти същество преминават бурни вълни, сливащи се с ритъма на самия живот. Но това може да се случи само ако се „отпуснеш”, когато напълно забравиш себе си.
Сексът не е просто секс. Той е нещо свято и едно от най-чудесните божествени откровения, които ни осеняват.
Из „Мит и религия” – Алън Уотс
Превод: Юлиян Антонов
ИК „Лик” 2000
October 5, 2021
The book in one sentence:
Alan Watts on Myth and Religion
Impressions?
Wish it was longer, like most of Alan's work, this one was waaayyy too short.
Who should read it?
Alan Watts fans.
Favorite quote(s)?
"The great mystics have always ceased to cling to God because the only thing you can cling on is the idea of God, not God himself. In order to discover God, you have to stop clinging."
Alan Watts on Myth and Religion
Impressions?
Wish it was longer, like most of Alan's work, this one was waaayyy too short.
Who should read it?
Alan Watts fans.
Favorite quote(s)?
"The great mystics have always ceased to cling to God because the only thing you can cling on is the idea of God, not God himself. In order to discover God, you have to stop clinging."
Readability: Hard ----o Easy
Practicality: Low ----o High
Insights: Few ---o- Many
Length: Long ----o Short
Overall: Bad ----o Amazing
June 23, 2017
My first exposure to Alan Watts. Very enjoyable, easy to read and comprehend. He's presented as a popularizer of Eastern belief systems, but his value is in how much he understands the traditions of both the East and the West (and I'm guessing the West especially so, given his background). In other words, a reader entrenched in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic worldview is likely to get the most out of the book as it provides contrast that highlights the core of both approaches, without denigrating either.
April 19, 2022
This amazing little book is both esoteric and pragmatic, bringing together different religions and tensions therein to a proper climax (pun intended--read it and you'll find out). Watts is a classic iconoclast who personifies thinking outside the box, at least as a Westerner. This should be required reading in all religion classes and seminaries.
November 20, 2025
Takeaways: Oh, Alan Watts, the man that you are. Such a chaotic dialogue with hidden gems. Engaging and unexpectedly humorous. Something I want to remember from this book is to let go. We’re all on a floating rock, so don’t hold on too tight, or you’ll kill the very thing you’re trying to keep. I’ll also remember the etymology of the word “persona” coming from masks worn in old theater plays.
February 15, 2019
I want to read everything this man has ever written. I may go broke.
January 21, 2014
Esattamente come una parola deriva il proprio significato dal suo rapporto con le altre, una religione come il Cristianesimo viene vista sotto una luce completamente diversa, una volta inserita in un contesto globale e paragonata alle (o, per meglio dire, completata dalle) altre credenze religiose nate nel corso della storia umana. Grazie ad Alan Watts ho capito che le credenze religiose sono articolati sistemi di analisi della realtà umana, profonde filosofie espresse da un sistema di immagini. Se ci si ferma alla superficialità dell'interpretazione letterale — come è stato quasi sempre fatto, in Occidente — le si può senza dubbio additare come superstizioni, come “oppio dei popoli”, ma se l'indagine è più rigorosa e derivata dalla triangolazione di culture differenti, si può scoprire una saggezza senza tempo.
È interessante anche notare come la nostra cultura sia irrimediabilmente plasmata sul modello offerto dalla più comune interpretazione del Cristianesimo, ciò influenza anche il modus operandi della nostra ricerca scientifica e, in ultima analisi, il rapporto che ciascuno di noi ha con sé stesso.
È interessante anche notare come la nostra cultura sia irrimediabilmente plasmata sul modello offerto dalla più comune interpretazione del Cristianesimo, ciò influenza anche il modus operandi della nostra ricerca scientifica e, in ultima analisi, il rapporto che ciascuno di noi ha con sé stesso.
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April 17, 2008A must if you are going to own any book by Watts! Funny anecdotes about how the West views itself and the rest of the world through religion.
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