Headless Way

Peaks and Vallies

No not at all. We can often accept things too readily. My initial reaction was the same as yours What is all this about ? Harding talked of valley and peak experiences when people get it. For most people who 'get it' ( but really youve already got it )its the valley experience but like any meditation (which of course it is) you keep repeating it and you start to climb out of the valley. You slide back occasionally too but the valley is also very beautiful

Graham _/\_

 

Look no head !

Here is a quote from Huang Po (Zen master 9th century)

This hat of mine is very small
But when i put it on (ie point) it covers the world (look no head .

Graham_/\_

 

I don't think the seperation process is bad or wrong. It is the start of conciousness, part of growing up. The way I see it, our western culture thinks that adolescence is the last step, when in fact, it is the second to last step. When coming out of adolescence, the hormones responsible for all the emotional turmoil leave our body, but our self(ego)-centered view of the world remains that of an adolescant. But we receive no further help from those who have raised us. Figure it out for yourself from here on, good riddance, love you, bye bye ! Our society is based on adolescants, and the way they think and behave, because we stay an adolescant in our minds. We are missing the final stage of growing up. The problem is not early childhood, but late childhood.

Children, even tho their connection to Self is wonderfull and quite cute to see, are unconscious. After seperation, they are still unconscious, but now due to their ( not actual ) disconnection to Self. Because they become aware of feeling disconnected ( which actually they are not ) they start looking for a way back. This is how consciousness is born.
And the final step is called awakening, where one finds out that the disconnection is not real, and now, through your knowledge that we are always Self, you can consciously be aware of Self. So I think that the seperation process we go through when growing up is essential for the rise of consciousness.

But this is entirely the way I see it and I could be wrong what do you think ?

 

Hi Edwin

I agree with all you have said. I perhaps tried to say it all in too short a space. Yes all the stages are important and i missed out the adolescent stage or covered it only by saying. 'Of course to function in the world we have to experience separation '. I think in Hinduism these stages are recognised and indeed the final stage of life is a journey of rediscovery.

There has to be a move through all of the stages for the reasons you say but i do think in Western culture that the early childhood stage is rushed because of the demands of the culture (economy), with the spread of globalisation more and more cultures are likewise changing. However if you subscribe to the idea that not only that there is physical evolution but there is a spiritual one also then this may indeed be part of a speeding up of that process.There is now an urgency to evolve more quickly from the left brain way of thinking to a more right brained one. I believe our survival depends on it. I remain positive

Graham _/\_

 

Once you start to create a framework of understanding for it, within your own beliefs and existing understanding, then you will start to grasp it.
The perceiving of that something is your awareness. You will not be able to see it just as an eye cannot look at itself, but you know it is there because you are the knowing.

Congratulations.

My pleasure. _/\_

 

I like that.

 

Hi Graham,

Is this a book? an article? what? I can't seem to find it.

Hugs

Giles

 

Science of the First Person

Its a book Giles, ive just checked the website and it is no longer listed. Cant even find a copy on Amazon. Will let you have some more info as and when.

Graham_/\_

 

Thanks Graham,

I've actually managed to find a second hand copy on abebooks.co.uk.

Hugs

Giles

 

The Book

Great! I couldnt find it at abebooks but i got this back from Richard Lang the Headless site creator.....

Hi Graham,

This book isn't in print. I just tried to get it printed, but I have to find a special printer since there's a paper tube built into it. So, when I find the right printer, we'll re-publish it. It's a great little book.
Best wishes,
Richard

Graham_/\_

 

Great, now I have to find a way to read it when it comes out...

I seem to have misplaced my head a few days ago.

 

Im sure those spectacles of yours will see for themselves Edwin

 

I now have my copy of Science of the 1st Person and have started reading that (Already read On Having No Head).
I've also just got my tickets for the the workshop this weekend (in Birmingham ). 40 people going and it's sold out. We had the last two tickets.

Should be interesting...

Hugs

Giles

 

Hi Giles
Glad you got the book and the tickets ! I have some friends going i trust they know its ticket only

 

Eeek!, let's hope so. The flyer did sort of say that you had to phone and book.



Hugs

Giles

 

Well, I'm all Headless!

Maybe more later...

Hugs

Giles

 

I don't understand any of this at all

 

To be and not to be that is the answer - D.E.Harding

Not sure if i do, or at least able to put it clearly into words Eady but thats ok this is an understanding at a non-verbal level.

If you look back in the thread to the first post i sent it gives a little history of the so-called Headless Way. Although the originator Douglas Harding regretted it having taken on that name, it certainly catches peoples attention. The name came about because when he had an awakening experience he described it as having had the experience that he was without a head, in effect he had lost all sense of self and also of his body and was only consciousness. Words are all we have to communicate these experiences and of course they can mean different things to different people no matter how articulate the speaker. Being an architect and wanting to share this way of seeing with the world he developed diagrams and a very pragmatic set of what he called experiments for others to use to test the hypothesis that we are indeed metaphorically 'headless' For some people its an amazingly direct way of 'getting it' ie seeing their true nature to others its crazy.To me i think its crazy wisdom If you want to explore it further check out The Headless Way -- Douglas Harding

Graham _/\_

 

Thank you Graham you made it a little more clear for me I explored the site a little and I think I have a clearer understanding of it what its about is basically a scientific way of becoming awakened I will explore it more to see if I can fully grasp it.


May you have peace and blessings