Not seeing your face as a first step to enlightenment? (with Richard Lang)

Mar 15, 2023 1h 12m 12 insights Episode Page ↗
Richard Lang discusses the 'headless way,' a philosophy of perception for awakening to one's true nature as boundless, open space. He shares experiments for experiencing this direct awareness, distinct from our conceptual self-image.
Actionable Insights

1. Awaken to Headless Nature

Practice being aware that you don’t see your own head above your body, recognizing your true nature as clear, open, boundless space full of the world. This is the core of the headless way and transforms self-perception.

2. Experiment: Point to No-Face

Point your index finger back at where others see your face and directly observe that, in your own experience, there is no face, only wide open space. This is a direct, non-verbal way to experience your true nature.

3. Two-Way Meditation Attention

Direct your attention not only to what you are hearing, feeling, and seeing, but also to the space in which those experiences are happening. This approach broadens meditation beyond just sensory content to include the awareness itself.

4. Embrace Dual Identity

Recognize and embrace both your personal identity (what you are for others) and your boundless awareness (what you are for yourself), allowing for a healthy balance rather than trying to eliminate one. This acknowledges both your social role and your true nature.

5. Cultivate Awareness Consistently

Actively cultivate and value the awareness of your true nature, understanding that consistent attention and reflection will help stabilize and deepen this experience over time. If you value it, it will grow in you.

6. Seek Community & Share

Engage with a community of like-minded individuals who value this awareness and actively communicate your experiences. Sharing externalizes the insight, making it more real and fostering growth through mutual support.

7. Adopt First-Person Language

Use a “new language” that articulates your direct, first-person point of view (e.g., “I’m face there to no face here,” “the room is in me”). This helps to express and integrate your true nature, which is different from how others perceive you.

8. Refocus Meditation on “Home”

Approach meditation not as a search for who you are, but as an opportunity to simply “be at home” in the vast openness of your awareness and enjoy that state. This shifts the goal from seeking to resting in what is already present.

9. Relax into Boundless Space

When struggling to sleep or needing to relax, become aware of body sensations and breathing, attending to the fact that they have no edge and float in a vast, empty space. This helps induce deeper relaxation by allowing you to “float on the great void.”

10. Observe World Within Awareness

Notice that the entire field of view, including all thoughts, feelings, and sounds, is floating within your boundless awareness. This expands the “headless” insight beyond just vision to encompass all internal and external experiences.

11. Thought Experiment: Baby’s Perspective

Imagine yourself as a newborn baby or in the womb, setting aside all learned models, language, and assumptions about your size or shape. This helps you directly experience your boundless, undifferentiated awareness before conceptualization.

12. Focus on the Mystery, Not Benefits

Approach the practice by “coming home” to the inherent mystery of your true nature, rather than solely chasing specific benefits. This fosters a deeper, more authentic engagement with the experience itself.