Inner Resource

[My good friend Pete wrote this at a time when his sight deteriorated dramatically:] I want to assure you Richard that the 'Seeing' goes on regardless of my fluctuating eyesight. In fact, as you know, everything that comes and goes is 'apperceived' in and by that which does not come and go, but always is. Seeing has also been a great comfort and a steadier for me in this situation because it clearly locates where the difficulty or challenge is - it is always 'there' and not 'Here'. Here, nothing has changed nor ever could and out of that changeless space (Spirit) arises a confidence, peace and even joy, which must seem to the casual onlooker, quite irrational. I'm not saying that blindness doesn't matter, obviously it does, but it doesn't matter absolutely and that is the steadier or if you like, the anchor, that keeps one grounded when all around is so unstable and transitory. When one 'sees' that the challenge is only out there, and not here at the centre, what normally would be thought of as adversity becomes more of an adventure. It is only thought that makes one regret the past or fear the future, or want something other than this present moment, and when 'poor-me' thoughts like that are observed from that clear space beyond the mind, they somehow dissolve and lose their power to overshadow the inner Light that is always shining. Being freed from negative thought entanglement by Seeing means that I can find much in every situation to be thankful for and your friendship and fellowship in the truth is one of those things for which I am truly grateful. Pete.

I was watching a chat show on television last night and an actress spoke about her yearning for 'something' that is 'wider than life'. She used that very word, 'wider'. She was thinking in spiritual terms, she indicated, but didn't want to use the word 'God'. When I heard the word 'wider' I thought of Seeing. I think she had an intuition of this Width within, but perhaps no easy access to it. I wondered what she would have made of Seeing. It provides such immediate and visible access to the one here that is wider than the world. And I wondered, when will this visible Width be common currency in the world! When will it be acceptable for someone else on that chat show to point a finger and say, Look! Here's the Width you are talking about!

This aspect - Width - was already in my mind. I had been thinking about it over the last few days. Over the weekend I had been aware of certain limitations in my life - things I would rather have otherwise. But there was no instant way of changing them. So I found myself meeting these frustrating conditions with the largeness, the width of who I really am - seeing that the Width and the unwelcome conditions, narrow and restricting in my view, were companions. And seeing what happened when I let them hang out together! I found myself coming to accept (not just once, or once and for all, but repeatedly) that the Width knew what it was doing, that it somehow had access to information that I personally didn't have access to (don't ask me how!). Looking at myself without taking into account the Width within, things looked unpromising. But with the Width, there seemed to be a promise. And there was a feeling that things as they are, just as they are, are just right. For they emerge out of the Width. R.L.

Lately it has been striking me what an amazing resource this infinitesimally small nothingness deep inside me is. Like an incredibly strong yet flexible muscle way down in the centre of me, It is fortunate to have this! R.L. UK

As a musician, playing in a symphony Orchestra ,I had to play a Wagner opera that took 5 hours. In the beginning I thought that I couldn't do it, with the load of a viola on my shoulder. Then I recalled Douglas Harding's experiments. So I stayed with just that what was visible to me: arms moving, an instrument, the score, music-stand, colleagues, the conductor,  the audience sitting in the front row. The effect was that the music came pouring out, there wasn't a 'me ' having to play for so long a time. There was just a total experiment of music and people. A 'Gesamt' piece of art. So, many thanks to Douglas and all his sharing friends. Hilde.

I vaguely remember encountering the headless way over 10 years ago. But I did not pay much attention to it, nor did I understand it. I only perceived it as the observation "One can not actually see his face directly". Now it can be interpreted as "That is how one experiences nothingness, or void as a reality". With the way of negation, one can experience the stillness of the centre. One can also think that these sudden rush of understandings are gifts from Divinity, the Source and Destiny of our own voidness. Gloria in Excelsis Deo! Tony.

The void is so wonderfully helpful after a long time of searching for truth. The 'I am' has been helping me all along. Very paradoxically humorous. Tony.



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