Watts, Alan W. (1947). Behold the spirit: a study in the necessity of mystical religion. London: John Murray. ISBN 0-394-71761-9.

This is the best Alan Watts book about understanding yourself. It is also Watts’s most famous book in general. Watts takes you on a journey through the universe in an attempt to make people understand their meaning and presence in this world. After all, if we understand ourselves we will have a better understanding of what everyone else is going through and what they generally desire happiness. Vedanta The 2017 video game Everything contains quotes from Watts' lectures. [76] (The creator previously worked on Her, which also referenced Watts [77] [69]) Watts believes that the greatest issue that people are facing today is that we view nature as separate from us, rather than as part of us. We view the external world as a cluster of objects that we encounter, something we come into, as opposed to something we come out of. In doing so, Watts believes that we are settling in for our impending doom.a b Lowe, Scott (February 2019). "Alan Watts – In the Academy: Essays and Lectures ed. by Peter J. Columbus and Donadrian L. Rice (review)". Nova Religio. 22 (3): 129–130. doi: 10.1525/nr.2019.22.3.129. S2CID 151087402. Mak, Sarina (10 November 2016). "STRFKR – Being No One, Going Nowhere". Radio UTD . Retrieved 14 September 2021. Regarding his intention for living, Watts attempted to lessen the alienation that accompanies the experience of being human that he felt plagued the modern Westerner, and (like his fellow British expatriate and friend, Aldous Huxley) to lessen the ill will that was an unintentional by-product of alienation from the natural world. He felt such teaching could improve the world, at least to a degree. He also articulated the possibilities for greater incorporation of aesthetics (for example: better architecture, more art, more fine cuisine) in American life. In his autobiography he wrote, "… cultural renewal comes about when highly differentiated cultures mix". [37]

We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean "waves," the universe "peoples." Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe.” The prevalent sensation of oneself as a separate ego enclosed in a bag of skin is a hallucination which accords neither with Western science nor with the experimental philosophy-religions of the East.” But there are always gonna be ones who think they’re above you in their rather earthy pursuit of questionable possessions & peccadilloes! Watts left formal Zen training in New York because the method of the teacher did not suit him. He was not ordained as a Zen monk, but he felt a need to find a vocational outlet for his philosophical inclinations. He entered Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, an Episcopal (Anglican) school in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied Christian scriptures, theology, and church history. He attempted to work out a blend of contemporary Christian worship, mystical Christianity, and Asian philosophy. Watts was awarded a master's degree in theology in response to his thesis, which he published as a popular edition under the title Behold the Spirit: A Study in the Necessity of Mystical Religion.Still the Mind: An Introduction to Meditation, ed. Mark Watts, New World Library. ISBN 1-57731-214-7 By the mid-fifties a “Zen Boom” was underway as Beat intellectuals in San Francisco and New York began celebrating and assimilating the esoteric qualities of Eastern religion into an emerging worldview that was later dubbed “the counterculture” of the 1960’s. Following the 1966 publication of The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, which sold very well, requests for appearances poured in. Alan lectured at colleges throughout the U.S. and conducted seminars at fledging “growth centers” across the country, such as the world-renowned Esalen Institute of Big Sur, California. Broadcasts of his talks continued at KPFA and KPFK, and spread east to WBAI in New York and WBUR in Boston. The weekly shows attracted a wide audience and Alan became an important figure in the counterculture movement. Watts, Alan W. 1947/1971 Behold the Spirit, revised edition. New York: Random House / Vintage. p. 32

Tragedy & Hope (22 December 2013). "Why Fight? - Alan Watts" . Retrieved 17 August 2017– via YouTube. If you are wondering how many books Alan Watts has written, there are approximately 25 books that focus on the meaning of life, spiritual balance, how we think individually and as a society, and generally what is happiness and how to achieve it. I am sure that you won’t be disappointed by any of the books written by Watts and you will be surprised by how this man was thinking and all the knowledge his work holds. Have a look at what the best Alan Watts books are.For a snapshot of his views on a variety of topics, as well as how he imbued such views with wisdom from Eastern religions and philosophies, This Is It is a favorite among fans of Watts’ life and work — short yet powerful, deep, and wise. Further reading