The reverse will and backwards law (Watts uses these interchangeably between one another) are ideas that I see in logic today. The glass is already empty when you pour it. The book is already read once you finish the first page. People are already dead before they live. This logic for Watts though represents a "letting go" of the world that translates to not only joy but also gives humanity a better depiction of reality.
Watts also makes a distinction between faith and belief, where belief is a firm grasp and faith is more similar to that of backwards law, being an open palm. I think most of us are only able to have beliefs, and that this faith has been forgotten from the public's conscience. Whether or not these times are actually difficult and our possessions are the only thing separating us from life and death, people do not exhibit behaviors of faith, whether it be in science or God. We talk as if everything we say is a belief, a tightly held grasp upon an idea we struggle to keep alive. This is most troublesome as it degrades or empathy, or our ability to feel for humanity. If we can not have faith in this ultimate project of human civilization, whether it is through the faith of god or the faith of science or even the faith of both, than what do we even have to say? Nothing.
On page 26th Watts writes "To discover the ultimate Reality of Life— the Absolute, the eternal God
— you must cease to try and grasp it in the forms of idols." I want to outline some more aspects of this paragraph because Watts gives us an interesting directive. In the next sentence he then goes on to mock those who envision God as an "old gentleman". He labels that these images are only preconceptions of the truth so they "block an unreserved open mind and heart to reality". He gives us a final quote, "The legitimate use of images is to express the truth, not to possess it."
Watts attempts to stop humanity from depicting idols, specifically warning the image of Him as an old man. Unfortunately, though for him, this call is not backed by much other than personal preference. He states that it blocks an open heart & mind but how exactly? To replace this idolization, Watts after this paragraph praises the oriental religions/traditions, specifically Buddhism, Vedanta (Hinduism), and Taoism. His prescription of these Eastern spirituality's to remedy the issue of the lack of faith but even the most uncultured person knows of the Buddha, an important idol in Buddhism. Hinduism uses idols frequently with many varying depictions, more so than Christianity. Many figures in Christianity are depicted very similarly to those in Hinduism, in paintings and other art forms, but I do not see how this means that either of these religions is any worse at depicting reality than Taosim or Buddhism.
This question of how possibly images can block an open heart & mind to reality is also lacking in explanation. Taoism uses the ying-yang symbol to express some principle (one that I am sure there is someone with more knowledge than myself) about the path of life. Each side is meant to represent masculinity & femininity and their respective natures. For us, with science we herald the human scientist and their ability to make life easier, but this still represents an idol. Ultimately, disciplines carry idols naturally as histories continue. To destroy these idols is to kill the tribe, whatever it may be in its present form and nothing more.
I think the real interpretation of the "reverse will" rests upon whether or not we can come to terms with the truth that humanity has only begun its journey within itself. This faith is greatly needed today. In Watts' words, "The discovery of the mystery, the wonder beyond all wonders, needs no belief, for we can only believe in what we have already known, preconceived, and imagined." Faith is that perpetual mystery for it is that perpetual journey.
