Hello Liane,

You were doing pretty well until this question. You did not answer from your direct experience (DE), you gave a conceptual answer and this is when thought steps in and over-rides what is found in direct experience. Perhaps the wording of the questions was not always clear so please ...

Hello Vistascan,

One is that my attention has been going more often to the associated neutral body sensations when I feel strong emotions. Putting attention on what the body feels like seems to diffuse the emotion. I don't know if this a good thing or a bad thing.

This is the way to go. If a lot ...

On we go!

What is this sense of self made of? An image? Sound? Taste? Smell? Body Sensation? Thought?
I'd say it's a mixture of sensation and thought.

So an apparent multi-sensory phenomenon. i.e. two sense fields appearing as a kind of self-referencing habit pattern.


Does this familiar ...

Hi there,

Is this not just another thought?
Where is this "I" that could have turned thoughts in a certain direction to be found?
Yes. But it is more persistent and sticky.

OK, but you didn't answer the second question!!
But never mind, we will get to that!

What makes one seem more personal ...

Hi Vistascan,

Could you have done anything to make a different thought appear at that exact moment instead?
It seems I could have turned my thoughts in a certain direction if I tried.

Is this not just another thought?
Where is this "I" that could have turned thoughts in a certain direction to ...

Hello again,

Is either of the above two imaginings more 'real' than the other?
Was there any body response to one or both of the two imaginings?

Memories feel more real. I could almost taste coffee and feel the softness of a towel when remembering it.

When you say Memories feel more real ...

Hello VIstascan,


CUP EXERCISE - TWO TYPES OF THOUGHTS - Direct Interpretation and Visualization

1. LOOKING AT AN OBJECT (CUP)
Wherever you are sitting right now, look for an object to focus on.
Don't pick the object up or turn it around, just look at what can be seen without touching it or ...

Hello Liane,

So this way of looking is already quite familiar to me. However, in this case, direct experience is an open awareness of what is happening through the senses, before defining, labelling, naming, or interpreting it.

Great that you are already familiar with this way of looking/seeing ...

Hello Manish,

Thanks for your kind words, and it really is my pleasure to be your guide.

For some reason, in past few days, as I was about to do something for example went to bathroom and noticed thoughts arriving bit later, observing the bright light, where I am, I find myself in the bathroom ...

Hi Liane,


DIRECT EXPERIENCE IS FULL-ON ALIVENESS WITHOUT INTERPRETATION, IMMEDIATE, WITHOUT LABELS.

INVESTIGATION WITH AN APPLE (or any other fruit you have to hand.)
Here's an exercise for you to get very clear on what direct experience is. Place the piece of fruit in front of you on the table ...

Hello,

My name is Rowena and I am happy to be your guide. Please let me know what you would like me to call you.

I am beginning with the initial LU information just for formality even though you are familiar with the forum.

1. Here at LU we assist in the exploration of the idea of the separate ...

Hello Idk,

Sorry for taking so long to reply, I really wasn’t in the mood for it. I’ll reply tomorrow. And can you answer my question: is that all? Because I genuinely can’t find any “I”. Yes, I see the phenomena I used to identify as “me”, but right now I can’t say that these phenomena are “I ...

Hello Vistascan,

Please give a short description of how this landed with you.
I've had occasional seconds of seeing the visual field as a unified whole, almost like a bubble of seeing. But this caused immediate fear sensations, in my belly and heart, and my mind worked to bring me back to 'normal ...

Hello Liane,

I'm wondering whether I can return to some of the earlier exercises, like noticing the senses while washing dishes and others while going about my day? Now that we've moved on, these exercises have already becoming a distant memory.
Would it be helpful to bring them to mind throughout ...

Hi Manish,

EXPERIENCE THOUGHTS WITH AND WITHOUT "I AM" LABEL
Here is an exercise which examines the way in which thoughts add labels to experience - it takes about 20 minutes and you will need a pen a paper. As with all the exercises going forward make sure you are comfortable and take a few deep ...