logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
59m 59s

Ep. 34 – Confucianism vs. Taoism

BE HERE NOW NETWORK / LOVE SERVE REMEMBER FOUNDATION
About this episode

Breaking free from cause-and-effect and the formal ideas of Confucianism, Alan Watts describes mutual arising as the key idea of the Tao.

Today’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/alan and get on your way to being your best self.

This time on Being in the Way, Alan Watts describes:

  • Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism
  • Our roles in social life and Confucianism as the way for people involved in the world
  • Taoism as the way for those who do not prescribe to formal patterns
  • How the Taoist goes with nature rather than against nature
  • Ideologies of God as a ruler or a lord versus the Taoist perspective
  • Experiences in terms of their polar experience (loud vs. soft)
  • Mutual arising as they key idea of the Tao
  • Man as being within nature rather than dominating it
  • How Taoism gets rid of karma without challenging it
  • The Chinese philosophy of time
  • Sensing the flow of the present and flow of the Tao

This series is brought to you by the Alan Watts Organization and Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation. Visit Alanwatts.org for full talks from Alan Watts.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
May 15
Ep. 35 – Dreaming the World
Diving into the cosmic drama of reality, Alan Watts describes the world as a divine dream which is poetic, playful, and only sometimes serious.Being in the Way is brought to you by the Alan Watts Organization and Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation. Visit Alanwatts.org for f ... Show More
54m 16s
Nov 2024
Ep. 33 – Zen Reconsidered
Re-familiarizing us with Zen traditions, Alan Watts inspires listeners to move beyond going through the motions of practice.Today’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/alan and get on your way to being your best self.In this episod ... Show More
51m 27s
Oct 2024
Ep. 32 – Zen and the Art of the Controlled Accident
Focusing on cosmic balance, Alan Watts outlines the fundamentals of Taoism and how to skillfully interfere with our environment.Find the full Zen and the Art of the Controlled Accident series of talks at play.alanwatts.org.Today’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give onl ... Show More
42m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2020
Taoism Explained - The Art of Flow | Lao Tzu
Taoism is a philosophy attributed to Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. The basic thing in the whole philosophy is the conception of Tao or "The Way", the natural order of the universe which one must discover to realise the potential for wisdom.    And "Wu wei”, meaning “effortless act ... Show More
10m 1s
Jan 2025
197 - A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism
In this episode of the Secular Buddhism Podcast, I sit down with Cortland Dahl, author of A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism, to explore how Buddhist teachings and meditation can help us navigate life’s challenges with awareness, compassion, and wisdom.Cortland shares insights from ... Show More
59m 48s
May 21
Breaking the Illusion: Awakening Beyond the Mind - Alan Watts
Alan Watts was a British-American philosopher and speaker known for bringing Eastern wisdom into the heart of Western culture. With a poetic yet playful style, he made complex ideas from Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism feel beautifully human and deeply accessible.Take action and s ... Show More
22m 2s
May 2024
Breaking Down Buddhism
📿📿📿 Paul and Stephen are honored to welcome the esteemed Dr. Khy Sovanratana, dear friend of Dr. Stephen Asma, and former monk in the Theravada tradition in Cambodia. After 34 years as a monk, Dr. Sovanratana removed his robe and left the monastery to become the Minister of Fo ... Show More
1h 15m
Oct 2022
Episode 112, ‘The Philosophy of Buddhism’ with Jay Garfield (Part I - The Nature of Reality)
A prick of the skin; the sorrow of grief; the inevitability of change; our dependence on the whim of the cosmos. Suffering bleeds into every aspect of our existence and, according to Siddhārtha Gautama (the Buddha), the anguish of our misfortune stems from our ignorance and confu ... Show More
55m 4s
Nov 2024
Tao Te Ching by Laozi (Lao Tzu / Lao Tse) Audiobook
The Tao Te Ching: Recitation of Chapters 1-81 This episode, read by Eric S. Piotrowski and recorded on January 13, 2006, from Madison, Wisconsin, presents a reading of the Tao Te Ching, an ancient Chinese text attributed to Laozi, translated by James Legge. The chapters, from 1 t ... Show More
1h 47m
Sep 2024
10 Philosophy-Inspired Challenges for Becoming a Better and Happier Man
Although they may call it different things and approach its attainment in different ways, many of the world’s religions and philosophies have a similar goal: achieving a life of virtue, peace, and flourishing.In his new book, Seriously Happy, Ben Aldrige explains how anyone can u ... Show More
49m 43s
May 9
We Are All One - Alan Watts
Alan Watts was a British-American philosopher and speaker known for bringing Eastern wisdom into the heart of Western culture. With a poetic yet playful style, he made complex ideas from Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism feel beautifully human and deeply accessible. Take action and ... Show More
17m 16s
May 28
#417 — Philosophy for Life
Sam Harris speaks with Donald Robertson about Stoicism and the good life. They discuss the relationship between wisdom and virtue, ancient versions of psychotherapy, parallels between Stoicism and Buddhism, practical vs. analytical styles of philosophy, CBT’s origins in Stoicism, ... Show More
22m 30s
Apr 2024
Ep. 237 – Fireside Chat with Jack Kornfield
For episode 237, we are launching the Fireside Chat Series on the Metta Hour.This series features intimate conversations with longtime dharma teachers about the early days of their practice and the most impactful moments with their own teachers. Hosted by IMS Online, the launch o ... Show More
1h 33m