An introduction without the usual hippie stuff
I also don't like the smell of incense in the morning
I'm taking an unconventional approach, straying from the primarily political discourse on Substack. Yes, that's right. Instead, I'll discuss a direct method for catching a glimpse of reality's true nature. It’s not enlightenment but the closest we can get to it with our senses.
First, a quick disclaimer. I have little affinity for new-age topics and a strong aversion to hippies. You know the sort—the 'spiritual but not religious' individuals ubiquitous on Facebook. To borrow from Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, I can't tolerate the smell of incense in the morning. Additionally, I'm not particularly politically correct. Just clarifying before we proceed.
So, returning to the matter at hand. As I noted, there's a direct method that bypasses the need for masters or gurus. It doesn't require a temple or any financial contributions; it's freely accessible around the clock. While I'm well aware of the adage "nothing is free in this world," I'd argue that perceiving reality's true nature is akin to using your own eyes, albeit differently.
The idea is simple. You just follow a few easy to understand experiments and voilà: you will see it. You might not get it, granted, but you will definitely see it.
Before finding out about this method, I was an on and off Buddhist for decades, first Zen, then Vajrayana1 and finally back to Zen.2 Yes, it was difficult to avoid all the new-age people during these years—it comes with the territory here in the west. Luckily, this method is like no other. You don't need mantras or mudras to catch sight of it, to see what it really is.
Now, a brief history lesson. This method, known as the Headless Way or 'seeing,' was developed by English architect Douglas Harding in the 20th century. He authored several books on the subject, including the somewhat dense 'The Hierarchy of Heaven and Earth.' Fortunately, you don't need to read any books to glimpse the absolute—not even Harding's. As previously stated, a few simple experiments will suffice.
To make things easier, here’s my own version of one of the experiments. That’s the one that did the trick for me. But you can find many other procedures on the Headless Way website maintained by Richard Lang. Again, just to be crystal clear, you don't need to believe in anything supernatural or fluffy to be able to glance at the true nature of reality. Forget all platitudes and cut to the chase.3
If you know anything about Buddhism, you are probably aware of the famous Mahayana saying:
"Form is emptiness, emptiness is form."4
By embracing headlessness, as the method suggests, you'll grasp the meaning of this seeming contradiction—but not intellectually. Non-duality eludes verbal explanation. No words can capture the sensation of losing one's footing. It's simply amazeballs.
Finally, an important observation. The method works; you will see IT. But it doesn't mean you will get it. For some, the experience is "so what?". Like meh, whatever, bro. However, if you are acquainted with meditation or non-duality, you will probably understand what this is all about. Just do it.
Nyingma school, Chagdud Tulku lineage.
Soto school, Kodo Sawaki lineage.
The Headless Way website is full of quotes from ‘spiritual gurus’ and the like. Yes, they give me the heebie-jeebies too. Just forget about all the mumbo-jumbo and go for the experiments.
From the Heart Sutra.