Reflection 5

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The Experience and the Meaning

Now I hate to say this, but I guess that, out of ten of my readers, five will not do the experiments at all. And that, out of the five who do them, three or four will say: ‘Of course I see. But so what?’ Said with a sigh, perhaps, or is it with the sophisticated yawn of the adult who’s been around? To which I reply: ‘So you are in all respects the opposite of what you had been told. So you are the deathless splendour. So you are made of God. So all is yours, and from you, and to you. And much, much more. That’s all. THAT’S ALL!’ Having said which, I give up. And turn to you – to you my dear Reader who haven’t only carried out our experiments, but with childlike sincerity taken them to heart… To you I say: ‘Observe what a perfect set-up it is – that while the sight of Who you really, really are is forever the same and complete, the meaning of what you see is inexhaustible, capable of endless enrichment. Observe how you need both, together. And how naturally they converge and become inseparable, given a little time and attention. (Head Off Stress, Douglas Harding)


Comments

I must say that I was quite astonished after reading Reflection 5. To me it seemed impossible not to See after doing the experiments. In my thought everybody would see how extraodinarily obvious the whole thing is. But, as I’ve read, this seems not to be the case! When I stumbled upon the experiments I just tried one out. I pointed towards some objects and then towards where my head was thought to be and like a rocket... beng... it hit me. I just sat there smiling, joyful, not understanding yet knowing that I found something I’d been looking for. Maybe that’s the difference... I’ve had my experiences over the years and was always trying to return to the state connected to these experiences but could only do so by great and enduring effort (yoga, meditation, reading). Still it remained impossible to prolong the experience of openness and space. And now I have found the simplest of ways to go to, to find the exact experience that I recognized from previous occasions. To me this felt, and still feels, like an unimaginable gift. Henk.