I was initially planning to save this discussion for my review of Alan Watts’ “Out of Your Mind,” but I believe it deserves to be discussed in isolation - the Dramatic Model. Unfortunately, there are very few online resources available about it, and most of them are either outdated or snippets from books.
The Dramatic Model draws inspiration from well-known Eastern concepts such as Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Yoga. However, Alan Watts also incorporated influences from panentheistic theology and process philosophy in the Western tradition.
So, what exactly is the Dramatic Model, and how does it compare to other traditional worldviews, especially those more familiar to Western audiences? To understand the difference, let’s briefly examine the two alternative models outlined by Watts.
Watts explains that the Ceramic Model of the universe is rooted in the book of Genesis, forming the basis for the worldviews of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.
The Ceramic Model is a concept widely known in the West. It suggests that a God, existing outside of this universe, created life in a manner similar to a potter molding clay, hence the name. God is seen as the creator, builder, carpenter, and ruler of living things. In this model, God exists separate from humanity, and each human is distinct from others, animals, and nature.
For most of my life, I subscribed to the Fully-Automatic Model (until recently, after extensive meditation and research). This model posits that reality is merely blind energy and that we are the result of sheer chance. Watts uses the analogy of a thousand monkeys typing away at typewriters for millions of years until they accidentally produce the Encyclopedia Britannica and then go back to typing nonsense.
In the Fully-Automatic Model, the origins of life might have been initiated by a God, or it could be purely atheistic. The scientific understanding of the universe’s origins aligns with this model - some cosmic chance causing the Big Bang and eventually, life miraculously emerging on Earth.
The Fully-Automatic Model raises unsettling possibilities. We could be living in a simulation, started either by an indifferent being outside of this universe who clicked the Start button, or by a curious God who simply wanted to observe how things unfold.
The Ceramic Model, at the very least, provides a sense of meaning. It suggests that we were deliberately planned and created by a conscious being who actively watches over us. In contrast, the Fully-Automatic Model is a daunting alternative, proposing that we are products of chance, with no existence before or after this life, leaving us anxious at every turn and uncertain about what lies beyond.
Alan Watts draws upon Hindu Vedanta to explain the Dramatic Model, in which the Atman (God) hides from itself by manifesting in various forms. However, the analogy that resonated with me the most was Watts’ suggestion to imagine dreaming an entire lifetime each night while sleeping, a life in which you could do anything you wanted.
In this scenario, you would choose your dream life initially, living out your wildest fantasies. As subsequent dreams unfold, you relinquish control, and each subsequent dream becomes more adventurous. Eventually, after an infinite timeline, you dream the life you are experiencing right now.
In the Dramatic Model, the dreamer is God. God, all-knowing and all-understanding, intentionally chooses to temporarily abandon its infinite understanding of everything. This means that you are not an unwilling observer in a randomly generated universe, nor are you just one of God’s countless creations. The Big Bang, once an infinitely small point, expanded into the universe we perceive today. You are not a byproduct of the Big Bang; you are the Big Bang.
Consider the possibility that everyone and everything is God. We are all interconnected, linked to the universe, each other, animals, and even extra-terrestrial beings. Our current perception, limited as it is, only grants us a restricted glimpse of our true reality.
In truth, we are all one consciousness, but we are currently experiencing life as seemingly separate individuals. We possess eyes to see in front of us and ears to hear the world around us, yet this represents only a small, restricted aspect of our complete reality.
We are interconnected with everything, and our perception is temporarily limited to allow us to experience the illusion of individuality. The reality is that there is so much more to consciousness that we cannot currently perceive in our limited state. Watts beautifully captures this idea:
You are an aperture through which the universe [or ‘God’] is looking at and exploring itself.
Watts suggests that instead of perceiving yourself as a victim of a mechanical world or an autocratic God, consider this alternative: the life you are living is the life you have chosen for yourself. You may not admit it consciously because you want to play the game.
Living your life as a victim, as a helpless observer brought into existence without consent, whether by a God or not, will lead to a painful experience. Instead, we, as God, are actively experiencing these lives, for better or worse, because God wants to play the part. And, as Watts suggests, God isn’t ready to wake up just yet.
Out of Your Mind on Amazon.co.uk - By Alan Watts
Out of Your Mind on Amazon.com - By Alan Watts
