In this profound exploration from the classic audiobook series Four Ways to the Center by Alan Watts, we arrive at part four—a compelling invitation to move beyond conflict and contradiction toward a harmonious relationship with life itself. This installment, presented by BetterListen, delves into the fourth way of centering, which Watts intriguingly calls “reincarnation.” Yet, this concept transcends the usual understanding of reincarnation and instead points to an attitude of fully embracing the ongoing adventure of existence.
Understanding the Four Ways to Center
Watts begins by reflecting on the three approaches previously discussed: repentance, resignation, and rebellion. Each of these ways, he notes, carries a sense of desperation and conflict—a struggle between the ego, which experiences itself as separate, and the life situation in which it finds itself. This conflict is a kind of game or pattern of life, much like the particular style of a robin or an ant.
The first three ways, while distinct, all share an element of duality or opposition:
- Repentance: A plea for forgiveness and a promise to improve, acknowledging human error but maintaining a relationship with a higher power.
- Resignation: The sense that the world or life itself is flawed, leading to withdrawal or renunciation, often seen in ascetic or vegetarian practices.
- Rebellion: An oppositional stance against the universe or nature, exemplified by humanity’s technological conquest of nature, yet ultimately a self-defeating conflict.
The Fourth Way: Reincarnation as Getting With Life
Watts introduces the fourth way—“reincarnation”—not just as a belief in literal rebirth, but as a metaphor for the willingness to be fully present in life’s unfolding, repeatedly and without resistance. This approach is rare in religious traditions, which often lean toward rejecting or escaping life’s challenges.
Rather than viewing life as a mistake or a prison, the fourth way embraces the totality of existence. Watts explains that in this viewpoint, the boundaries between “I” and “not I” dissolve. The inside and outside, the self and the world, are two poles of the same process. This non-dual understanding reveals the secret of metaphysics: every inside has an outside, and they move together in harmony.
Space, Mind, and the Soul
Expanding on this, Watts challenges conventional assumptions about space and mind. He suggests that space is not empty but possesses properties and that the mind is not confined within the brain. Instead, the brain functions like a radio receiver, tuning into the vast “soul” or total arrangement of the universe. This cosmic perspective aligns beautifully with ancient and mystical traditions, such as the Sufi doctrine of An Al Haqq (“I am He”), which proclaims the unity of self and divinity.
Life, Death, and the Continuity of Being
Addressing common questions about unconsciousness and death, Watts reassures that these states do not interrupt the flow of consciousness but rather are transitions akin to sleep. Just as the body continues functioning during sleep without conscious awareness, the cosmos—the extended body of the self—continues beyond individual death. When consciousness re-emerges, it will feel like birth anew, perhaps in forms and perspectives unfamiliar yet fundamentally the same.
Respecting All Life and Its Diverse Cultures
Watts beautifully underscores the value of all creatures, emphasizing that each species experiences its own “human” center—the unique perspective from which it encounters the world. He shares anecdotes about animals like dolphins and mockingbirds, whose cultures and ways of being are as rich and refined as human culture, though expressed differently. This invites us to expand our respect and understanding beyond human norms.
The Bodhisattva and the Mahayana Approach
Historically, the fourth way is most closely associated with Mahayana Buddhism, which transcends resignation by embracing life’s turmoil out of compassion. The Bodhisattva archetype emerges here—a being who chooses not to escape into Nirvana but to return to the world to aid others in their liberation. This endless cycle of awakening and forgetting is the dynamic that sustains existence and love, described by Watts as “much ado about nothing,” where being and nothingness coexist inseparably.
Living Fully in the Present Moment
Watts concludes by urging us to seize the day—not in a superficial sense, but as a spiritual imperative. He references the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and its call to “get drunk” on life, a metaphor for awakening to the present moment. The future is an illusion; only now exists. Spiritual preparation that postpones awakening is, in his words, a form of playing games with oneself.
Ultimately, the “sin” that no one admits is recognizing oneself as the supreme self playing a role, and yet feeling guilty for stepping beyond the socially accepted boundaries of identity. This guilt keeps the game of separation going, but awakening to the fourth way means embracing the unity of self and cosmos with love and without reservations.
Conclusion: A New Religious Vision of Unity and Love
Part four of Four Ways to the Center offers a transformative vision: a reconciliation of spirit and matter, inside and outside, self and world. It proposes a new kind of religious approach where heaven genuinely loves earth, without conditions or schisms. This vision encourages us to live fully now, recognizing our place as the center of the cosmos and extending compassion to all beings.
By embracing this fourth way, we step beyond conflict and despair into peace and fulfillment—here, today, with all the joys and challenges that life presents.
