Atlantic ocean Quote by Watts Alan Wilson
““So you see, if you become aware of the fact that you are all of your own body, and that the beating of your heart is not just something that happens to you, but something you're doing, then you become aware also in the same moment and at the same time that you're not only beating your heart, but that you are shining the sun. Why? Because the process of your bodily existence and its rhythms is a process, an energy system which is continuous with the shining of the sun, just like the East River, here, is a continuous energy system, and all the waves in it are activities of the whole East River, and that's continuous with the Atlantic Ocean, and that's all one energy system and finally the Atlantic ocean gets around to being the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, etc., and so all the waters of the Earth are a continuous energy system. It isn't just that the East River is part of it. You can't draw any line and say 'Look, this is where the East River ends and the rest of it begins,' as if you can in the parts of an automobile, where you can say 'This is definitely part of the generator,here, and over here is a spark plug.' There's not that kind of isolation between the elements of nature.””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Talks of Zen, 1970s
Awareness of bodily processes connects us to universal energy, dissolving separations between self and nature.
In simple terms: Seeing your body as part of Earth's energy flow.
Recognize your body as part of nature.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- meditation practice
- environmental activism
- holistic health
- creative work
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does bodily awareness affect your daily actions?
- What does “continuous energy” mean to you?
Complex scientific analogies may obscure the simple message.