--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be alive spiritually man must have…" description: "\"To be alive spiritually man must have union with God and must be conscious of it. Apart from this union his religious life will be an empty drudgery, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/alan-watts-587_alive_to-be-alive-spiritually-man-must-have-un_1179714.jpg" --- # To be alive spiritually man must have union with God and… ![“To be alive spiritually man must have union with God and must be conscious of it. Apart from this union his religious life will be an empty drudgery, a mere imitation of true spirituality.” quote by Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/alan-watts-587_alive_to-be-alive-spiritually-man-must-have-un_1179714.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/alan-watts-587_alive_to-be-alive-spiritually-man-must-have-un_1179714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95e/alan-watts-587_alive_to-be-alive-spiritually-man-must-have-un_1179714.jpg) > “To be alive spiritually man must have union with God and must be conscious of it. Apart from this union his religious life will be an empty drudgery, a mere imitation of true spirituality.” [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual fulfillment requires conscious union with the divine; without it, religion becomes hollow ritual. **In simple terms:** Union with God gives true spirituality. Key Takeaway Cultivate conscious awareness of the divine. Themes spirituality religion consciousness meaning Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - ritual practice - community worship - personal reflection Key Concepts theism mindfulness existential purpose Questions to Reflect On - How can one feel divine union without belief in God? - What practices foster spiritual consciousness? A Different Perspective Not all traditions emphasize a personal deity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Drudgery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drudgery/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-life/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) ## Related quotes > [“Spiritually, a man's thoughts must be the building in which he lives, otherwise it's wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/spiritually-a-man-s-thoughts-must-be-the-building-in-which-he-lives/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A man after God's own heart is... a man who yearns to please God, a man who desires to grow spiritually, a man who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/a-man-after-god-s-own-heart-is-a-man-who-yearns-to-please-god-a-man/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) > [I think work is a privilege. ... It keeps you alive, spiritually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denton-cooley/i-think-work-is-a-privilege-it-keeps-you-alive-spiritually/) [Denton Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denton-cooley/) > [He is conscious only of God...To be conscious of knowing God is to know about God and self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/he-is-conscious-only-of-god-to-be-conscious-of-knowing-god-is-to-know/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“Sin is always sin in the sight of God—whether we are conscious of it or not. Sins of ignorance need atonement just as truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/sin-is-always-sin-in-the-sight-of-god-whether-we-are-conscious-of-it/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [Unless you're doing some kind of God conscious thing and you know that He's the one who's really in charge, you're just building up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/unless-you-re-doing-some-kind-of-god-conscious-thing-and-you-know/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [The ultimate purpose of our life is to rejoin God in conscious participation of divinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/the-ultimate-purpose-of-our-life-is-to-rejoin-god-in-conscious/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Atheism is not the denial of the existence of God, but having doubts as to whether God is conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/atheism-is-not-the-denial-of-the-existence-of-god-but-having-doubts/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [We acknowledge God only when we are conscious of His manifestation in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/we-acknowledge-god-only-when-we-are-conscious-of-his-manifestation-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To me, growing into spiritual maturity is becoming less self-conscious and more God-conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/to-me-growing-into-spiritual-maturity-is-becoming-less-self-conscious/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [“We are surrounded on all sides by God but often we are no more conscious of him than we are of air pressing against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-are-surrounded-on-all-sides-by-god-but-often-we-are-no-more/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [The greatest geniuses have always attributed everything to God, as if conscious of being possessed of a spark of His divinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/the-greatest-geniuses-have-always-attributed-everything-to-god-as-if/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [Theology necessitates an image of God as a conscious, rational, supernatural being of unlimited power and scope who cares about humans and imposes moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/theology-necessitates-an-image-of-god-as-a-conscious-rational/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [You rise above your problems in your attitude before you ever do in your circumstances. Keep a God conscious attitude at all times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-rise-above-your-problems-in-your-attitude-before-you-ever-do-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We must love because we are loved by God. We must be conscious of death if we are to have a proper understanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-must-love-because-we-are-loved-by-god-we-must-be-conscious-of/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## 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/) [Explore all 460 Alan Watts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be alive spiritually man must have union with God and must be conscious of it. 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