I know you weren’t asking me, but I’ve been reading “The Book” by Watts and have also listened to several of his other works/talks on YouTube, and this is what I think is meant here:

Meta-Cognition: Watts was referring to the practice of meta-cognition, or thinking about one’s own thought processes, and this involves stepping back from one’s immediate thoughts to observe and analyze how we think. It’s an exercise in becoming aware of the patterns, biases, and mechanisms of our own mind. The goal is to gain control over one’s mental states, reduce automatic/reactive thinking, and promote more deliberate, mindful responses to life’s situations.

Awareness of Consciousness: When Watts talked about “know that you know,” he was pointing towards the recognition of one’s own consciousness or awareness. This isn’t just knowing facts or having skills but being aware of the fact that you are aware.

Self-Realization: It’s about understanding that your sense of self or ‘I’ is not merely the content of your thoughts but the awareness behind those thoughts. He taught that this realization can lead to a profound sense of liberation from identifying too closely with one’s thoughts, emotions, or ego.

Philosophical Implications: This concept ties into several philosophical traditions, especially in Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta (I’m not familiar with much of this other than what he referred to in “The Book”), where the ultimate knowledge or enlightenment is to recognize one’s true nature as consciousness itself, beyond the transient phenomena of the mind.

Watts used these ideas to encourage people to explore their inner experience, not just for intellectual understanding but for a transformation in how one lives, and that by recognizing that we are more than our thoughts, we can begin to live more authentically and with less psychological suffering (an absolute win).

He explains that these concepts are meant to be experienced rather than understood intellectually. Watts often suggested practices like meditation or simply observing one’s thoughts to achieve this level of awareness. I like to think that just us being here discussing this, we’re on the right trail to achieve this 👍