--- title: "4 Metaphysical Quotes By Alan Watts" description: "4 Metaphysical quotes by Alan Watts. Plus more from Alan Watts and more Metaphysical sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/alan-watts-587_blades_here-s-an-example-someone-says-master-pl_100485.jpg" --- > [Here's an example: someone says, "Master, please hand me the knife," and he hands them the knife, blade first. "Please give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/here-s-an-example-someone-says-master-please-hand-me-the-knife-and-he/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdf/alan-watts-587_blades_here-s-an-example-someone-says-master-pl_100485.jpg) > [You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/you-are-an-aperture-through-which-the-universe-is-looking-at-and/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/alan-watts-587_aperture_you-are-an-aperture-through-which-the-un_1284920.jpg) > [Really, the fundamental, ultimate mystery -- the only thing you need to know to understand the deepest metaphysical secrets -- is this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/really-the-fundamental-ultimate-mystery-the-only-thing-you-need-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8b/alan-watts-587_quote_really-the-fundamental-ultimate-mystery_1450453.jpg) > [The religious idea of God cannot do full duty for the metaphysical infinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-religious-idea-of-god-cannot-do-full-duty-for-the-metaphysical/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e42/alan-watts-587_duty_the-religious-idea-of-god-cannot-do-full_1603177.jpg) ## Other authors on Metaphysical - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-stephen-richards-446.jpg) Stephen Richards 31 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/stephen-richards/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b008/author-ross-caligiuri-31263.jpg) Ross Caligiuri 11 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/ross-caligiuri/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b020/author-r-buckminster-fuller-76573.jpg) R. Buckminster Fuller 8 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/r-buckminster-fuller/) - [Mina Faraway 6 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/mina-faraway/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b014/author-karl-popper-55250.jpg) Karl Popper 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/karl-popper/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b011/author-haruki-murakami-40784.jpg) Haruki Murakami 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/haruki-murakami/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-friedrich-nietzsche-36363.jpg) Friedrich Nietzsche 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/friedrich-nietzsche/) - [Doug Dillon 6 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/doug-dillon/) - [Thomas Vazhakunnathu 5 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/thomas-vazhakunnathu/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b016/author-ludwig-wittgenstein-61873.jpg) Ludwig Wittgenstein 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/ludwig-wittgenstein/) - [Elliott Sober 5 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/elliott-sober/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b004/author-ayn-rand-15943.jpg) Ayn Rand 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/ayn-rand/) ## More by Alan Watts > [“The self-conscious feedback mechanism of the cortex allows us the hallucination that we are two souls in one body -a rational soul and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-self-conscious-feedback-mechanism-of-the-cortex-allows-us-the/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The more we try to catch hold of the present moment the more elusive it becomes. It is like trying to clutch water in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-more-we-try-to-catch-hold-of-the-present-moment-the-more-elusive/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The Universe is the game of the self, which plays hide and seek forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-universe-is-the-game-of-the-self-which-plays-hide-and-seek/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [If my happiness at this moment consists largely in reviewing happy memories and expectations, I am but dimly aware of this present. I shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/if-my-happiness-at-this-moment-consists-largely-in-reviewing-happy/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [...mysticism and empiricism go together in opposition to scholasticism...they base themselves on the non-linear world of experience rather than the linear world of letters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/mysticism-and-empiricism-go-together-in-opposition-to-scholasticism/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The hallucination of being a separate ego will not stand up to biological tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-hallucination-of-being-a-separate-ego-will-not-stand-up-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/although-profoundly-inconsequential-the-zen-experience-has/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Everything is perpetually becoming new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/everything-is-perpetually-becoming-new/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The psychotherapist ... tries to help the individual to be himself and to go it alone without giving unnecessary offense to his community, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-psychotherapist-tries-to-help-the-individual-to-be-himself-and-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [“As you make more and more powerful microscopic instruments, the universe has to get smaller and smaller in order to escape the investigation. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/as-you-make-more-and-more-powerful-microscopic-instruments-the/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [We are at the moment looking at space as something to be entered by the tremendous thrust of a rocket because that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/we-are-at-the-moment-looking-at-space-as-something-to-be-entered-by/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [A philosopher is a sort of intellectual yokel who gawks at things that sensible people take for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/a-philosopher-is-a-sort-of-intellectual-yokel-who-gawks-at-things/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The best way to convince someone is by making him realize that what you speak came from his own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-best-way-to-convince-someone-is-by-making-him-realize-that-what/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The myths underlying our culture and underlying our common sense have not taught us to feel identical with the universe, but only parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-myths-underlying-our-culture-and-underlying-our-common-sense-have/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [To feel that life is meaningless unless “I” can be permanent is like having fallen desperately in love with an inch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/to-feel-that-life-is-meaningless-unless-i-can-be-permanent-is-like/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysical/alan-watts/#itemlist", "name": "4 Metaphysical Quotes By Alan Watts", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Here's an example: someone says, \"Master, please hand me the knife,\" and he hands them the knife, blade first. \"Please give me the other end,\" he says. 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