Headless Way

Hi.

I have been with Lifeflow now for about 8 months and have found that it has given an enormous boost to my meditation practice. Not only through the cds but from the knowledge i have gained from the fantastic forum that is so much part of it. In Zen terms there are many Bodhisattvas out there who contribute to the forum and make a tremendous positive difference to the evolving consciousness on this planet. I have sat for over 30 years with many 'techniques' but for the past 7 years have sat zazen as part of a Zen group in UK. Finding Zen was certainly like coming home. At about the same time i came upon Douglas Hardings 'Headless Way'. The reason i am writing this is that i would like to share this very direct and demythologising approach to discovering our essential nature with those who would like to check it out. The Headless Way -- Douglas Harding It may well be known to many of you.

Much as Michaels Lifeflow has equally demystified meditation through its pragmatic approach , Douglas Hardings approach is equally 'scientific' , he was an architect but he also had an extensive knowledge of the worlds religions, having taught comparative religion at Cambridge University.He also used the emerging ideas around relativity as part of his 'rationale'. However he thought traditional meditation 'dull' and so with great humour reached many people around the world with his very direct and immediate 'seeing' Much like the Buddha he often said dont believe a word i say, check it out for yourself.

Yours
Headlessly

Graham _/\_

 

Hehe yes, I am familiar with his teachings.

It has up to some point helped realise that everything can be observed.

 

Thanks for the link, sounds interesting!

Isnt that a bit like the "Who am i" meditation?

 

It is !

 

The only question in town Pan, absolutely...... and the pointing 'experiments' point straight to who is asking the question and answers it at the same time. Well some of the time

Graham _/\_

 

Im afraid my english is not good enough to understand this. Should i try harder?

 

'Im afraid my english is not good enough to understand this. Should i try harder? '

No not at all Pan ! Its not your English, its my not very clear way of expressing what cant really be expressed in words but i bet there are some on this site that can come closer than i have.

Theres an old Vedic text that goes something like 'What cannot be thought with the mind but that whereby the mind can think, know that to be Brahman (Being ,Stillness, Infinity, God - choose your own word for him or her or that )

Ive probably confused us both even more now

Graham _/\_

Ps 'The pointing experiments' are best explained by going to the website. Headless.org

 

I've heard of it in the past, but never checked it out.

Very good website.
I've also ordered a couple of his books as I like his style.

Thanks for that

Hugs

Giles

 

Having read some your posts Giles i think youll find 'Science of the
First Person' particularly interesting. By the way theres a workshop soon in Lichfield.

Graham _/\_

 

Graham,

Which workshop are you referring to? Is it the one that says...

Birmingham, England. Sept. 27. Sunday. Contact Jonathan (Midlands School of Philosophy)

Which, ironically, links to the Midlands School of Philosophy (branch of School of Economic Science) who's "practical philosophy" course it is that I attend in Lichfield. Looks like the course is being held at the Birmingham branch (main HQ of the midlands branch).

Small world.

 

Looks like the Universe is pointing you towards the next step

 

I guess this is too much for me, for the time being - probably I am not ready yet!

I went through this, twice, but I really don't get the point - to me is more pointless than headless! Will keep trying, though!

 

hi hi, you´re not the only one here

 

Did you guys read it, or try it ?

Don't worry tho, when you are ready for it, you will know.

 

I read it, watched the video, then did it. I just miss the point: the fact that I cannot see my own head doesn't bring any light to me. It reminds me of when my daughter was very little, and she was playing hide and seek by covering her own eyes, believing that given she couldn't see anything, nobody could have seen her either - but she soon discovered it doesn't work like that

 

Hi Charlie Brown,

It's not something that everybody will easily get just like that, so yes, at first it can seem a bit pointless.

Talking of points though, let's just take the first of the experiments... The pointing experiment.

So, you sit (or stand) there. You just use your finger as a pointer to what you are focused on, nothing more than that. And you begin...

You point at a tree out of the window and observe that tree...
You point at the curtains/blinds on the window and observe those...
You point at the chair on the other side of the room and observe that...
You point at the computer or tv in front of you and observe that...
You point at the carpet on the floor and observe that...
You point at your feet and observe them...
You point at your legs and observe them...
(if doing this naked, you can add a step in here (just joking!))
You point at your stomach and observe that...
You point at your chest and observe that
You point towards your face and you observe.... what?

What you are observing at this point is your True Self, the "observer". You can't actually see it with your physical eyes, but you become the awareness of it. You know it's there; you know it's just been observing all those physical things through the physical eyes, but now you are observing 'within' at the ever observant Self.

Does that help?

Hugs

Giles

 

Giles, you must have a special gift: I read the whole thing on the site, watched the video, did the thing, and it just seemed rubbish to me. Then I read your few lines, tried it again, and I can "perceive" something: I cannot say I now understand (that would be a lie), but I can perceive there is something there, something which I just don't manage to grasp - yet.

So, thanks for taking the time to trying to make me understand, I really appreciate it.

>(if doing this naked, you can add a step in here (just joking!))

I have been living 4 years in the UK, and the thing I miss the most from there (apart from London's wonderful parks, which are green gems in the middle of the city), it's the British humor - thanks for reminding me of those days

 

Pointing in the wrong direction !

The Universe in the form of me is very much in need of a new GPS im afraid Edwin
You are right Giles it is in Birmingham on the 27th but yes it is the Midland School of Philosophy. Small world indeed

Graham _/\_

 

Seeing

Great to hear you sensed something. Your daughter like all children 'get it' They all see who they really are. In fact for many children the reflection in the mirror is not them but their 'special friend' Children up to a certain age never count themselves, when asked how many people are say in a photograph. They simply dont have that self consciousness but we soon fix that, with the best of intentions

Of course to function in the world we have to experience separation but in the process we forget the non-separation of the child but then later the whole spiritual journey is about rediscovering that child-like seeing. The real world, the childs world or the 'as is world' is replaced by the adults world, the 'as if world' as Douglas Harding called it. We live our lives 'as if' that person in the mirror is me, the only me and then our problems begin. The enlightened can switch between worlds.

So that is who you are pointing at in the experiments, as Giles so clearly explained.

I suggest you might find it useful to register on the site and go to the forums also the videos. Many of your questions will be answered there. Good luck.

Graham _/\_

 

Thanks for your post, Graham, and I hope you didn't get offended by my "non believer" comments! I hope I'll reach that state you are talking about, one day...