“We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree.”
— Alan Watts
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Simplified Meaning:
People aren't just dropped into the world from somewhere else; we grow out of it naturally, like leaves grow from a tree. Think of how a tree grows leaves. The leaves are part of the tree, not something separate that gets added later. In the same way, humans are part of the world from the very start. Our existence is like an outcome of the Earth's natural process, much like leaves are an outcome of a tree’s growth. This suggests we are deeply connected to the world around us. Knowing this can help us to feel more connected to nature and the environment. For example, when we see ourselves as part of nature, we might take better care of the planet because it feels like taking care of ourselves.
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Alan watts Existence Humanity Interconnectedness Nature Origin Philosophy Self-awareness Spirituality UniverseFEATURED QUOTES
