Parallel Lines

Have been reading the most recent journal and I have especially enjoyed "The One Behind the World." This is a transcript of a workshop Douglas Harding gave in September, 2000. Almost feel as if I was there, it is such a good account.

One thing that really struck me was the experiment: The Parallel Lines Meet In Infinity. I don't remember having seen this before anywhere, and Douglas says this is the first time he has done it in a workshop. Anyway, I tried it and it works incredibly well. The basic concept is that parallel lines meet in infinity, and each of us is the infinite Center of the world. By holding one's forearms out, with elbows near the chest, you can take any vertical line in a room or outside, align it to you forearm, and see the line run into your infinite center. Every alleged vertical line runs into me when I do this.

While out running on a country road, I can do the same thing with the edges of the road. After only a few steps, I can drop my arms and just watch the two lines (the edges of the road) meet at my infinite center. Adds a new dimension to running or walking. Even when walking down a sidewalk, path, or hallway, this exercise can be a great help in Seeing more regularly. B. USA.

The parallel lines experiment I mentioned recently continues to intrigue me. It is as effective as anything I've worked with in keeping up a practice of Seeing. And as Douglas has mentioned, one's faithful practice of that seeing must be followed up and cultivated.

I walked a labyrinth recently, the 11 ring model, which of course is made up of parallel lines. Using this experiment, it was quite illuminating in realizing myself as Infinity. Also walked and ran at a local track. Staying in one lane, again, the same realization. Talk about walking meditation! Every line I see now I see as running into Infinity, my own center.

Here is how Douglas describes the experiment: "Shutting one eye, and lining up your forearm (elbow held to chest) with any vertical line, you will see that any allegedly vertical line will find its Centre in you as First Person." He then says to use the other arm similarly. Ultimately, you discover that "every alleged vertical line is centred in you." Quite amazing. B. USA.

B., could you (or anyone else) rephrase the parallel lines experiment for me. I wasn't able to catch on from Douglas' description or the postings here. I'm sure it's incredibly obvious. W.

W: Here is how Douglas describes it initially: The purpose is to prove to you physically that you are the infinite Centre of the universe. Look around a room and you see lots of vertical lines. The corners of the room, the jambs of the window, window frames, etc. They are all vertical. Further, we know that in geometry the definition of parallel lines is that they meet at infinity. You are the infinite Centre of the world. Here's the proof.

Hold you fore-arm out with your elbow near you chest. You move round a bit, shut one eye, and take a vertical line in the room, and align your fore-arm with that line. You will see your fore-arm as you bring your hand at the end of it down, and lines up with that vertical line. Then take your other fore-arm and do the same thing. It converges on you equally. You will see that all vertical lines in the room in fact converge on you, and that they all fan out from you. B.

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