Psychotherapy East and West

De: Alan Watts

Narrado por: Jeremy Arthur

Before he became a counterculture hero, Alan Watts was known as an incisive scholar of Eastern and Western psychology and philosophy. In this 1961 classic, Watts demonstrates his deep understanding of both Western psychotherapy and the Eastern spiritual philosophies of Buddhism, Taoism, Vedanta, and Yoga.

He examines the problem of humans in a seemingly hostile universe in ways that question the social norms and illusions that bind and constrict modern humans. Marking a groundbreaking synthesis, Watts asserts that the powerful insights of Freud and Jung, which had, indeed, brought psychiatry close to the edge of liberation, could, if melded with the hitherto secret wisdom of the Eastern traditions, free people from their battles with the self. When psychotherapy merely helps us adjust to social norms, Watts argued, it falls short of true liberation, while Eastern philosophy seeks our natural relation to the cosmos.

©1975 Alan W. Watts (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

really great observations

really great observations the amount of knowledge and insight in this short book is very profound and still completely relevant today. this is a mist read if you are into philosophy and psychology.

All roads lead to The Road.

Not for the faint of heart but for the initiated, the most succinct summation of Alan Watts's understanding of Western psychotherapy and Eastern liberation- a masterpiece manual for realizing one is already in the Bodhisattva's shoes.

Good, as always.

Straightforward content, and to the point.
I enjoy listening to Alan Watts in his own voice but this narrater did an excellent job and was nearly as good as Alan Watts himself.

Not what I have come to expect from Alan Watts works

I didn’t find too much that I would say is helpful or useful in my everyday life. I have studied and listened to many Alan Watts books, and this isn’t as polished as his other works. Not too many similes like the dew drop line in “still the mind.” There are speech lectures and other Alan Watts books that will give you more. Who this book is for: I think this book is for people who want to compare and contrast east and west ideas of mental and spiritual health. For me all I can recommend listening to it at least once, but i am not keeping this title. Perhaps “you’re it” is a good title to judge Alan Watts on.