A method of self-enquiry
pioneered by Douglas Harding

Born Free

Born fluid, connected, whole
umbilically united, one, complete.
Naturally held, loved, suckled,
felt, glorified,
rocked, cradled, cuddled.

Growing inside out,
expanding, filling out form,
touching and being touched by life,
becoming accustomed to material things,
learning through modelling ideas and roles
to function and socially fit in.

Gradually closing down the wonder of being,
placing importance on believing and thinking,
losing sight and insight,
becoming duller than the Original Potential Light,
Convention taking over, stealing the Real You.

At last, casting off the appearances of form,
paying no more attention to other's expectations,
to image-held reputations,
loving again, free and wondrous,
no longer captured by the social dream.

Guy Barrington, composed at a workshop with Douglas Harding