Psychotherapy East and West
Written by Alan Watts
Narrated by Jeremy Arthur
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Before he became a counterculture hero, Alan Watts was known as an incisive scholar of Eastern and Western psychology and philosophy. In this 1961 classic, Watts demonstrates his deep understanding of both Western psychotherapy and the Eastern spiritual philosophies of Buddhism, Taoism, Vedanta, and Yoga.
He examines the problem of humans in a seemingly hostile universe in ways that question the social norms and illusions that bind and constrict modern humans. Marking a groundbreaking synthesis, Watts asserts that the powerful insights of Freud and Jung, which had, indeed, brought psychiatry close to the edge of liberation, could, if melded with the hitherto secret wisdom of the Eastern traditions, free people from their battles with the self. When psychotherapy merely helps us adjust to social norms, Watts argued, it falls short of true liberation, while Eastern philosophy seeks our natural relation to the cosmos.
Alan Watts
Alan Watts published over 25 books, including The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, The Way of Zen and Tao: The Watercourse Way. He was a philosopher, academic and theologian, who wrote and spoke widely on Asian philosophy and theology. He is best known as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism in particular, and of Indian and Chinese philosophy in general. He was the author of more than twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion. He died in 1973.
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Reviews for Psychotherapy East and West
30 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Life changing perspectives in this book. Watts is a master. The audio quality is good though a little quiet.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a highly intellectual book and a wonderful contrast of East and west, and very refreshing break from typical self help books. It is very abstract, however, and you’ll need to listen closely. This is not a casual listen.
1 person found this helpful