1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?
No, there is not and never was an entity "me".

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you ...

I've been traveling. I am looking at them now. Thank you.

Dreaming is happening, seemingly without stopping. Its only a thought that says don't get caught in thought. But what are we doing here?

Just dreaming.

Thank you so very much. It is challenging to stay with the senses, to not get caught in the dreaming. Yes, the traditional questions now.

When I wrote sense of self I meant the imagined feeling of self, yes. This is thought. It is thought only, even if it seems like there is talking and listening. It isn't sensed, yet it goes on. There is no "me."

I really don't know what it is to "look inside," truthfully. I can't actually look inside, so the visual metaphor isn't going anywhere for me. I am aware of the sense of self, the inner voice, that talks to itself. I hear that inside, somehow. Right now, when I contemplate there is no me, no Krista ...

I experience all kinds of pains and twinges in the body. A constant flux of sensations. Right now my feet ache. When I say there is no me, nothing new arises right now. Often during meditation I experience a racing heart or chest tightness.

Everything is just happening. Awareness--whatever we call it--doesn't have preferences or opinions. There is no problem with thinking. It never stops as far as I can see, while I am conscious. If it is happening, it is happening. No right or wrong. It is. Believing thoughts are true is the problem.

There are just experiences, thoughts, feelings--I cannot see a mind, an origin. Thoughts and feelings and sensations are coming and going. And there is a narrative strain of thoughts generating interpretation. Even now this is happening.

Important is a concept, to be sure. But there is more. Something is moving here. Something, I don't know, is trying to wake up. From me. There have been experiences of this. at this moment, I am just telling a story....

I see how thought triggers a feeling--yes.

And yes, feelings are confusing. Both emotional and physical feelings are happening in this body. There is no I in control, no center. Its just reaction happening. When body reacts to thought, it feels real, but I see there is no self in that. Physical ...

For now things are very gradual, very subtle. I hear what you are saying about awakening. Doubt is at the ready to creep in.

It is very clear that "I" do not raise the hand; the hand raises, the body moves.

It is less clear about the decision. The decision was somehow made. "I" do not feel ...

Ah.

I can't find a me typing this response.

Words are here, and they are useful to label a passing experience.

The direct experience is seeing a computer screen and typing, touching, using words.

I agree. The words are just symbols, and they feel graspy. I am typing this and I sense the movement of fingers and the use of language. I don't really know how it is happening; it is just happening automatically. The part of this that is thought seems internal, unrelated to anything in reality, but ...