If you ever get a chance go and read the
Tao Te Ching. It's a very short and simple text that's foundational to Taoism. Taoism is a very old and simple philosophy that started in China. It categorizes the world into two principle parts. Some things are Yin and some things are Yang. The idea is that the whole world arose from these two basic parts. Things that are Yin are considered feminine, dark, and empty. Things that are Yang are considered masculine, light, and full. So if you look at an empty glass then the part you can fill with water is considered Yin. The hard outer glass is considered Yang. It's a very simple worldview but I've found it's a helpful way of looking at the world. The idea is that you shouldn't fight these principles because it causes disharmony. When you are actually working with the way Yin and Yang flows then you've found the principle of
Wu Wei. It's an easier and effortless way of working with the world. You can see how these principles are used in certain martial arts such as Judo. Anyways, after reading the Tao Te Ching... go back and listen to Alan Watts again. The way he speaks is poetic and he has a very solid understanding of how to apply Taoist principles to thought. You might start out with his video about "Prickles and Goo". It's very Taoist.
