"But at any rate, the point is that God is what nobody admits to being, and everybody really is"
- Alan Watts
About this Quote
Alan Watts, a theorist known for translating and popularizing Eastern philosophy for a Western audience, frequently engaged with profound existential and spiritual themes. The quote, "But at any rate, the point is that God is what nobody confesses to being, and everyone truly is," can be unpacked through several layers of interpretation.
At the heart of this quote is the idea of divinity and the human experience. Watts might be recommending that the essence, or the basic nature, of what people term as "God" is naturally within every person. This perspective aligns closely with certain Eastern philosophical and spiritual customs, such as Advaita Vedanta in Hinduism, which presumes that atman (the individual self) is Brahman (the universal self or God). Essentially, each person is a personification of the divine, although they might not consciously acknowledge or acknowledge it.
The expression "no one admits to being" highlights the typical unwillingness or failure to see one's own magnificent nature. This could be due to cultural, religious, or psychological elements that put divinity on a pedestal far eliminated from human reach, perpetuating a belief in separation in between the private and the divine. Such beliefs frequently emerge from spiritual teachings that stress the transcendence of God, placing divinity outside and above human experience.
On the other hand, "everyone truly is," suggests an axiom-- that the qualities or essence attributed to God are inherently present within everybody. This echoes the idea of immanence, where God or the divine permeates and exists in the universe, consisting of within everyone. This view motivates a recognition of interconnectedness and oneness, urging people to transcend the illusion of separateness and to embrace their intrinsic divine nature.
Ultimately, Watts welcomes a shift in understanding-- encouraging individuals to recognize and accept their own divine qualities and to understand that the divine is not external, however an integral part of their own being.
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