Surrendering Does Not Make Sense, But It Does | Alan Watts
The article is a theoretical piece.
The article discusses the concept of love and how it is a spectrum of energy that can manifest in various forms. It also emphasizes the importance of surrendering to love and taking risks in relationships. The author challenges the idea that surrendering control is illogical, arguing that in madness lies sanity and that not surrendering to love can lead to self-destruction.
Main topics include: love as a spectrum of energy, the importance of surrendering to love, the risks of not taking risks in relationships, and the connection between self-love and self-destruction.
- The concept of falling in love as an act of surrender and faith
- The relationship between selfishness and love
- The importance of honesty in self-love
- The Spectrum of Love and its different forms
- The importance of taking risks and committing to love
- The consequences of not allowing love to flow
- Love as a necessary element for the survival of humanity
Surrendering Does Not Make Sense, But It Does | Alan Watts
In this speech, Alan Watts explores the idea of surrendering oneself to another person and the risk-taking associated with loving another. He mentions that the act of falling in love is associated with the idea of "the Fall," which is tied to the creation of life and the act of gambling. He states that love is like water flowing through a hose but can be directed in different directions. He argues that selfish people cannot be taught to be unselfish but rather must investigate their self-love to discover why they love themselves and what they mean by loving themselves.
Watts explains that loving oneself is as difficult as kissing one's own lips because the self is elusive and impossible to love. He suggests exploring what one genuinely loves, even if it is something as simple as ice cream, in order to discover oneself. He also discusses the idea of loving one's enemies, not in the sense of being charitable to convert them, but because enemies are necessary for a person's collective ego.
Watts argues that love is a spectrum and that there is no distinction between good or bad forms of love, only different forms of energy. He advises allowing love to grow where it is found and acknowledges the risk-taking associated with loving oneself and others. He concludes by stating that not taking the risk of loving properly can lead to self-destruction and suggests that surrendering oneself to love is a powerful act of faith.
The information in this article can influence several areas of knowledge and areas of life. It touches upon philosophy, psychology, sociology, and even spirituality. It sheds light on the idea of love and surrender, which are important aspects of human relationships and our interaction with the world around us.
The article misses the perspective of biology, particularly the biology of love and bonding. It would be interesting to explore how love affects the brain and how different kinds of love produce different chemical reactions and states of mind. Additionally, the article could benefit from an analysis of the cultural and historical dimensions of love and surrender.
The author of the article misses the fact that love and surrender, although acts of faith and risk, require a certain level of emotional and physical safety. For example, a person cannot surrender to an abusive partner or love someone who repeatedly violates their trust and boundaries. Contradictions in the article include the suggestion that selfish people cannot be taught to be unselfish but also that selfishness can be transformed through an exploration of one's own desires and motivations.
Question 1: What is the tie between falling in love and the Fall, according to the article?
The tie between falling in love and the Fall is that "there is always a curious tie at some point between the fall and the creation taking this ghastly risk is the condition of there being life."
"...there is always a curious tie at some point between the fall and the creation taking this ghastly risk is the condition of there being life"
Question 2: Why is surrender important in a relationship, according to the article?
Surrender is important in a relationship because "love is an act of surrender to another person total abandonment I give myself to you take me do anything you like with me see so that's quite mad because you see it's letting things get out of control all sensible people keep things in control."
"love is an act of surrender to another person total abandonment I give myself to you take me do anything you like with me see so that's quite mad because you see it's letting things get out of control all sensible people keep things in control."
Question 3: What is the importance of honesty in understanding oneself and love, according to the article?
The importance of honesty is that "the first problem in the whole of this is honesty and the reason why the Lord God says that the beginning of things Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind is not because the Lord God is stupid but because he's very clever that which appears to be a commandment is actually a challenge or what in Zen Buddhism would be called a koan a spiritual problem because if you exercise yourself resolutely in trying to love God and or your neighbor you will find that you get more and more Tangled Up you will realize increasingly that the reason why you are attempting to obey this as a commandment is that you want to be the right kind of person and obviously you want to be the right kind of person for your own reasons."
"the first problem in the whole of this is honesty and the reason why the Lord God says that the beginning of things Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind is not because the Lord God is stupid but because he's very clever that which appears to be a commandment is actually a challenge or what in Zen Buddhism would be called a koan a spiritual problem because if you exercise yourself resolutely in trying to love God and or your neighbor you will find that you get more and more Tangled Up you will realize increasingly that the reason why you are attempting to obey this as a commandment is that you want to be the right kind of person and obviously you want to be the right kind of person for your own reasons."
Question 4: What is the alternative to self-love, according to the article?
The alternative to self-love is self-destruction because "if you won't love and you won't let it out the thing comes out in the form of self-destruction."
"The alternative to self-love in other words is self-destruction because you won't take the risk of loving yourself properly you will be compelled instead to destroy yourself."
Quiz 1: Love and Risk
- a. They are not related at all
- b. Falling in love is a symbol of rising into love
- c. Falling in love and the Fall are fundamentally tied together
- d. The idea of falling in love has no relation to any fundamental concept Answer: c
- a. There is no connection
- b. Taking risks can lead to death
- c. Life requires taking risks
- d. Taking risks is foolish Answer: c
- a. True
- b. False Answer: a
Question 1: What is the relationship between falling in love and the idea of the Fall?
Question 2: What is the connection between taking risks and living?
Question 3: Love requires surrender and abandonment to another person. True or False?
Quiz 2: Types of Love
- a. Divine charity and animal lust
- b. Dr. Freud's libido and agape
- c. Distrust and affection
- d. Apathy and obsession Answer: b
- a. Yes, love can always be controlled
- b. No, love cannot be controlled until it is first allowed to exist
- c. Only certain forms of love can be controlled
- d. The text does not address this question Answer: b
- a. They are identical activities
- b. They are both difficult to do
- c. There is no relationship between them
- d. Loving oneself is easy, while kissing one's own lips is difficult Answer: b
Question 1: What are some different forms of love that exist?
Question 2: According to the text, can love be controlled?
Question 3: What is the relationship between loving oneself and kissing one's own lips?
Quiz 3: Love and Self-Destruction
- a. Loving other people
- b. Not loving at all
- c. Self-destruction
- d. Finding a way to control love Answer: c
- a. Love requires no risk-taking
- b. Taking risks can lead to the destruction of love
- c. Love requires taking risks
- d. The connection between love and risk-taking is not addressed in the text Answer: c
- a. The in-group has nothing to do with the out-group
- b. The in-group depends on the out-group for its identity
- c. The in-group and out-group are separate and unrelated entities
- d. The in-group and the out-group are identical Answer: b
Question 1: According to the text, what is the alternative to self-love?
Question 2: What is the connection between taking risks and love?
Question 3: What is the relationship between the in-group and the out-group?
- Let go of control and surrender to life. This means accepting the risk of not always having complete control over situations, but trusting that things will work out in the end. Apply this by taking a step back, breathing and acknowledging that some things are out of your control.
- Take the risk to love others and yourself. This means being vulnerable and accepting that there may be disappointments and failures, but the alternative of not loving is self-destruction. Apply this by being willing to open up to others and expressing your feelings honestly.
- Understand that all forms of love are valid. Whether it's spiritual or material, friendship or passion, love is an energy that needs to be nurtured. Apply this by accepting the different forms of love that exist in your life and allowing them to grow.
- Be honest with yourself and others about your feelings. This means not pretending to love someone or something when you do not. Apply this by being true to yourself and expressing your feelings honestly and respectfully to others.
- Recognize the importance of enemies or outsiders. This means understanding that they play a role in defining who we are and what we stand for. Apply this by acknowledging that differences and disagreements are a natural part of life and handling these situations with respect and compassion.
Overall, the best tip to include in daily life is to let go of control and surrender to life. This can apply to both big picture situations and everyday interactions. Accepting that not everything is within your control can lead to less stress and more peace of mind.