Douglas Harding was a British philosopher and mystic best known for his concept of the "headless way," an original perspective on self-awareness and consciousness. His journey began with a profound realization during a walk in the Himalayas, where he experienced an instant of self-discovery. This epiphany led him to explore and articulate a new method of perceiving oneself and the world. The core of Harding's teaching revolves across the indisputable fact that we could experience a state of consciousness where we perceive ourselves as "headless," seeing the entire world not from the limited perspective of our physical head but from a more expansive, boundless awareness. Harding's seminal work, "On Having No Head," published in 1961, encapsulates his central insight. In this book, he describes the experience of "seeing" with no head, a metaphor for transcending the Douglas Harding headless self-centered viewpoint. Harding argues which our ordinary perception is dominated with a mental construct of getting a mind and an experience, which limits our sense of self and our connection to the world. By shifting our attention far from this construct, we can realize an even more profound sense of presence and openness. This "headless" perspective isn't merely an intellectual exercise but a direct, experiential practice that Harding believes can result in greater freedom and clarity. The headless way is deeply experiential, and Harding developed a series of experiments to help people directly experience this shift in perception. These experiments are simple yet profound, involving exercises such as for instance pointing at one's face and noticing the absence of an obvious head in one's direct experience. By participating in these exercises, individuals can start to see the planet from the first-person perspective that's clear of the usual self-imposed boundaries. Harding emphasized that this perspective is definitely open to us, but we often overlook it due to our habitual methods for seeing and thinking. Harding's approach draws on and contributes to a wealthy tradition of mystical and philosophical thought. He was influenced by a variety of sources, including Zen Buddhism, Sufism, and Christian mysticism. His work resonates with the teachings of numerous spiritual traditions that emphasize the dissolution of the ego and the realization of a greater, more expansive self. However, Harding's unique contribution is based on his capability to articulate and convey these insights in a way that is accessible and practical for contemporary seekers. His headless experiments offer a direct and immediate way to experience what many mystical traditions describe. One of many key facets of Harding's teaching could be the focus on direct experience over conceptual understanding. He believed that true self-knowledge comes not from theoretical speculation but from immediate, firsthand awareness. This process aligns with the phenomenological tradition in philosophy, which centers around the direct examination of experience. Harding's work can be seen as a form of radical phenomenology, where in fact the goal is to strip away all preconceptions and see reality since it is. In so doing, it's possible to experience a profound sense of unity with the planet and a liberation from the confines of the ego