Alan Watts
Academy
Eastern Wisdom with a ;-)
Alan Watts was a humorous non-duality teacher in and around the 1960s. One of the first in the West to explain the commonality of Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism – non-dual wisdom traditions – and even Christianity and sciences.
You Are Never Who You Think You Are
His main idea was exactly the same as that of people like Eckhart Tolle, Sam Harris, Osho, Ram Dass and many others: The root cause of all your problems, desires and suffering is that you’ve fallen into an egoic illusion – your conceptual idea of who you are.
The Alan Watts Method
There are many ways to wake up from this illusion – a shift called Ego Awakening – and it depends on your personality and culture you grew up in which one works best.
Watts found his own awakening through using the mind in a very focused and consistent way rather than by meditation or other traditional methods. He spent the rest of his life giving lectures and writing books that could be used for this kind of process.
We Make the Work of Watts Easier to Understand and Experienced
The Alan Watts Academy is dedicated to providing facilities and tools that make it easier to turn the words of Watts (and others) into Ego Awakening. Not just as a single experience, but also in ways that can be integrated in ordinary life.
Our Retreat Center in France
Ego Awakening can already happen in a few days. It's just more challenging when you're exposed to the regular conditioning of society. That's why we host a year-round retreat center in France.
Come for a week to immerse yourself in the works of Alan Watts. Or stay for a month or longer to integrate the non-dual mode of perception that Alan Watts and many others.
The Awakening Process
Watts' philosophy in 8 Quotes
“You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at itself”
About Ego Awakening with the works of Alan Watts
Even after 50+ years, the works of Alan Watts are still very much alive.
You might be one of the many people who enjoy his lectures, youtube shorts or his books. But do you really get it?
"If you believe you understand what I say, but just can't feel it, then it means you haven't understood what I said" ~ Alan Watts
Since 2017, we've been assisting people in turning their understanding of Alan Watts into a felt experience called: Ego Awakening.
We help you use the mind to get past the mind; concepts to get past conceptual thinking. With dialectics, diagrams and whatever it takes to get you past the paradox.
We don't offer a spiritual lifestyle with meditations, mindfulness, yoga, mantras, prayer, a vegetarian diet, etc. This is a yin, or feminine, approach.
While this certainly works for some, it didn't work for Alan Watts. Nor does it work for anyone else with a strong inclination to use the mind.
Using the mind to overcome identification with mind is the yang, or masculine, approach of Alan Watts – an approach without much popular spirituality.
This path entails a temporary change in attitude from the wandering of the ordinary mind into a consistent exploration (and adoption) of all the practical implications of the non-dual philosophy: Practical Non-Duality.
Designed for Ego Awakening
Very few tools help you regain the egoless perspective on a frequent basis ~ with personal feedback ~ without interrupting every-day life ~ while being affordable ~ with fun. We do.
Focus the Mind on Mind
Rather than trying to silence your mind, we focus your conceptual thinking mind exclusively on itself until your perception of this conceptual self shifts.
Down-to-Earth
We refrain from spiritual dogma and semantic bypassing games of conflating the absolute and relative perspective. Just radically honest, playful blind spotting.
Frequent repetition
Regain the non-egoic perspective several times a week with personal feedback instead of long stretches between costly, holiday-requiring retreats.
Small groups
Ask many questions in a small setting and receive personal feedback instead of having to compete for attention and add a challenge of large audiences watching you.
What is
Non-Duality?
Non-duality is a philosophical concept that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things, suggesting that there is no inherent separation between the self and the universe.
What is Non-Duality?
Video 1: "How the brain creates an ego"
“Without effort you will never reach it, with effort nobody has ever reached it. You will need great effort, and only then there comes a moment when effort becomes futile.
If you can surrender, surrender; do not ask how. If you ask how then you are not meant to surrender yet. You are asking for a method, so then follow method. Either you will succeed or you will fail: both are good. Through both you will reach.”
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~ Osho (about ego awakening)
Video: "The Awakening roadmap"
How to.. use the mind for Ego Awakening?
Ego awakening can be achieved in many ways. While paths can be enhanced with all sorts of practices or substances, the main distinction is: Silencing the mind vs Using the mind.
As the ego is a product of excessive conceptual thinking, depriving the mind from conceptual stimulus – by long meditations – can break the egoic thought pattern.
Instead, for those individuals in which the tendency to think is too strong to go back to it's origin, the only way out is by turning conceptual thinking against itself.
Which path is best for you, depends on your personality and the culture – the conditioning – you grew up in.
The Watts Rooms
Deluxe Double →
Indulge in the elegance our deluxe double room, designed for comfort and style. With plush bedding modern amenities, and a spacious layout, it's the perfect retreat for your stay.
Comfort Double →
Indulge in the elegance our deluxe double room, designed for comfort and style. With plush bedding modern amenities, and a spacious layout, it's the perfect retreat for your stay.
Room library
Conscious Single →
Indulge in the elegance our deluxe double room, designed for comfort and style. With plush bedding modern amenities, and a spacious layout, it's the perfect retreat for your stay.
32m2
Single bed
Want to know more about our philosophy?
We have our free online introductory 3-Days course, updated in 2026. This free course builds on the content in the fundamentals course. Would you live to register for this course? Fill in the form below and you will receive an email with the first lesson.
We host guru-free ego awakening programs based on the work of Alan Watts & Friends. Using the mind to get past the identification with mind. And humor. Like Watts.
Academy Options
Make a Reservation: Staying at Alan Watts Academy @ Bordeaux, France
At the Alan Watts Academy, your stay more than just a room; it's an immersive experience that personal growth and exploration. Surrounded by serene and thoughtfully designed spaces, you'll find the perfect environment for and inspiration. Engage in enlightening discussions, participate in transformative workshops, and connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for wisdom and self-discovery. Each moment spent is an opportunity to delve deeper into your journey, guided by the teachings of Alan Watts.
Private consults
At various stages of the ego awakening process, especially towards the initial awakening, it can be helpful to have a private session in which the entire dialogue is tailored around your blind spots. The benefit of private sessions is that we can refer back to previous sessions and workshops – point out your inconsistencies on a meta level – which can't be done in our group workshops.If you're visiting from outside the area, we recommend to get in touch with us as we can reserve your workshop spots as well as guarantee availability of private sessions during your stay. We don't offer accommodation, but we can make suggestions for any budget, making it a tailored private retreat.
“If you got the message,
hang up the phone.”
~ Alan Watts
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