Michael Armenia art

STILL THE MIND
An Introduction to Meditation
by ALAN WATTS
New World Library
$12.95 (softcover)

Reviewed by Michael Armenia

Still the Mind, the new paperback release by Alan Watts is physically soft, flexible, and lightweight, a testament to the simple elegance of his philosophy. Watts is known for his studies of Buddhism, among other Eastern religions, and wrote on these subjects until his death in 1973. This book was compiled and edited by Mark Watts, his son, from recordings made of Alan's lectures in the 1960s and 1970s. It is primarily for this reason that the language is simpler and more accessible than many of his other written works. The result is unique and refreshing.

Make no mistake - Alan Watts was an extremely eloquent writer whose works are among the most lucid of any author who has tackled the challenge of bringing Eastern philosophy and religion to the Western reader. He shows us that we use words to define ourselves and reality when, in fact, they are simply part of the illusion that we mistake for reality. I think he illustrated this fact best in his book The Way of Zen when he asks, "What happens to my fist when I open my hand?" Watts often uses the term "noise" to describe words and the objects to which they are arbitrarily attached, a garble that obscures the true signal of reality. In Still the Mind, his ideas (taken from the lectures) are approached with much more simplicity and personality than they would be if he took the time to ponder words before writing this book himself from cover to cover.

While Still the Mind is subtitled "An Introduction to Meditation", the emphasis is placed more on the philosophy of meditation rather than the methods of practice. The book is divided into three parts: "The Essential Process of the World", "The Essential Process of Meditation", and "Still the Mind".

Our picture of "I" is an incomplete image that our ego has of ourselves resulting in our alienation from nature. To instill a more complete picture - ultimately a paradox as he says, "consciousness does not illumine the lamp from which it shines" - Watts explores many topics such as interconnectedness, cycles, vibrating energy and even an amusing little interlude of what life may be like from the perspective of a potato. Our concept of time is also pivotal to stilling the mind. While able to recall only a tiny fraction, perhaps only the highlights of our past, we find ourselves unsatisfied and wanting more. So, we plan for a bigger future and our life looks like an hourglass with its skinny little neck representing our attention to the present. The complete image is that we are the universe and there is no past or present, only now. If we realize that we are not separate from our experience, we can learn to look around, to listen and to be aware. Meditation comes by the proxy of living. We practice meditation like a doctor practices medicine - it's a way of life, not a process of improvement towards some acquisition. In this vein, Watts presents a meditation exercise of breathing, adding unforced sound (mantras) and simply listening.

Alan Watts had an incredible talent in his ability to write a mystical experience into our lives. It is often said that regardless of how much one reads or studies, there is no substitute for experience. This is a truism and is especially applicable to Zen meditation. However, Watts is able to convey a sense of enlightenment through his words much like a Zen koan. On occasion I have found myself at the end of a paragraph not being able to recall the words I had just read. Yet, when I look away from the book for a moment, I find myself smiling blissfully and inspired. I am transported.

Still the Mind can be read in several hours, but by no means has to be. It can be savored slowly and repeatedly. If you haven't read anything by Alan Watts, this delightful little paperback would be a perfect first choice for exposure to his provocative ideas. Those already familiar with his other books should treat themselves to this one as well.