The Great Mystery of Life by Alan Watts
- Kacie Davis
- 31 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Why You Should Stop Trying to "Solve" Your Life
We spend our entire lives trying to figure it all out. We treat our existence like a puzzle that needs to be solved, a mountain that needs to be climbed, or—my personal favorite—a destination we have to reach. We think that if we just find the right career, the right partner, or the right "vibration," the mystery will finally be over and we can relax.
But as the philosopher Alan Watts famously taught, life is not a problem to be solved, but an experience to be had.
Watts used to explain life through the lens of music. In a song, the point isn’t to rush to the final note. If the goal of a symphony was just to reach the end, the fastest conductor would be the best one.
The same goes for dancing. You don’t dance just to get to a specific spot on the floor; you dance to be in the movement.
Yet, we treat our lives like a race toward a finish line. We "work for the weekend," we "live for retirement," and we miss the melody that is playing right now. When you treat life as a mystery to be conquered, you stop being a participant and start being a spectator.
You Are the Universe Experiencing Itself
One of the most profound moments in Watts’ teachings is the realization that you are not a stranger in this world. You aren't a "soul" trapped in a "bag of skin" that was dropped onto a random planet.
You are an integral part of the whole thing. Just as a wave is something the entire ocean is "doing," you are something the entire universe is "doing." The "Great Mystery" isn't something outside of you—you are the mystery. When you stop trying to control every outcome, you realize that you don’t have a life; you are life.
We feel "out of alignment" when we try to force the universe to make sense to our logical, human brains. But the logic we use is just a tiny sliver of the actual reality.
The "Divine Frequency" I’m always talking about? It doesn't need to be understood to work. Your heart beats without you telling it to. Your hair grows without your permission. The planets spin without a project manager.
How to Lean Into the Mystery Today:
Stop the "Arrival" Mindset: Notice when you’re thinking "I’ll be happy when..." and pull yourself back to the current note of the song.
Embrace the Illogical: If something feels right in your gut but doesn't "make sense" to your bank account or your social circle, listen anyway. That’s the mystery speaking.
Just Dance: Whether it’s a dance fitness routine or just moving around your kitchen, get into your body. Remember that the movement is the point.
You aren't a problem to be fixed. You are a divine happening. Stop trying to solve the mystery and start enjoying the show.
Namaste,
KacieLynn
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