That wraps up our conversation. It's been a pleasure talking to you. As you said earlier, it's good to keep inquiring and clarifying this, as this is just the beginning.

If you ever have any questions, you can always ask anyone on the FB group, or reach out to me at anytime.


Thank you again ...

What is "God/Universe" at direct experience?


From direct experience; you could say that 'what is' is God/Universe, or you could say that God/Universe doesn't exist.
But God/Universe only becomes a separate nameable 'thing' within thought. So I would say that God/Universe is a concept.

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1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

No, only the illusion of one.



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 see it now ...

Would you like to answer the final questions now?

Yes, I think I'm ready. :)

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You seem clear, and there seems to have been a clear shift.

Yes, I’m realising more everyday just how big it was, or maybe I should say just how big the ramifications are.



Would you like to answer the final questions to wrap up our conversation here at LU?

Or is there something that is still ...

Is there a thinker thinking thoughts?

What about an experiencER experiencing sensations, sounds, and so on?

Is there inside/outside?

Do you make decisions? Can you decide to go and drink some tea/coffee now?

No, to all the above.


What is the body? Can the body do something?

From direct ...

It seems like there was a clear shift in perception/perspective?

How does it feel? (if you have more to say)

It feels very clear, very simple. It also feels like a weight has been lifted, a relief. One thing I forgot to mention was the humour. When I saw that everything was just mental stories ...

Hi Henri,

I hope all is well. :)

I had a few things happen in the last couple of days and I would like to run them by you. The first happened when I inquired about what was stopping me from fully accepting what I’ve seen about thoughts and the sense of self etc. The sticking point turned out to be ...

And what is mind in direct experience?

There is no mind, everything just is.


We can dive into the specifics more. Maybe that will help.

Is there such a thing as me to be released in the first place?

No, it’s just an illusion. An illusion that’s become a habitual way to see the world ...

Do these sensations give the impression of a me?

How do they do that?

No, the sensations are just sensations. It's the mind/thoughts that create the 'me'. There's a movement that's noticable just before the sense of 'me' comes into awareness. It's sort of a gathering or bringing together of ...

What is awareness in direct experience? Is there awareness that is aware of things? Are there two separate things?

No, there’s no awareness in direct experience. There’s just what is. No separation, no things.


Do you find a personal identity, or only thoughts referring to one?

Just thoughts ...

You look for where the inherent self is. Who or what is it that is going to do something?

Are you making decisions? How do decisions happen?

I still see an impulse arising from nowhere and then the mind claiming that 'I' decided to act. 'I' still seem to be a combination of thoughts/ideas that ...

Hi Henri,


Just because you see there's no inherent self doesn't mean you always feel good, it simply means there is no doer. That's it.

I might not have expressed that the best way. By ‘feeling bad’ I meant ‘suffering’ – in the Buddha sense of suffering – not just having a bad day etc. It was ...

Hi Henri,

I hope you are well. :)

The normal self-state returned a few days back after/during a family function. For a day or so I couldn’t work out why I felt so uncomfortable, unstable……awful! Then I realised and did everything I originally did and the clear spaciousness returned. I dropped back ...

Hi Henri,

If the sense of self is a thought, can it feel dejected?
No.

So when there is a sense of self that feels something, look at how that is created in direct experience. It's likely a sensation that is labeled as something. Separate the senses and look into each one. Where is this self ...