When a thought appears is there ever a moment where you become the thought?
No there isn't

Does it come with an owner attached? Or does ownership get added after, as another thought? (just like the thought-image of the future alarm)
Ownership gets added afterwards as a thought

Look again at ...

they'll be thoughts on why I should do something else and this drive to do that.
Slow that down. Is the ‘drive’ anything more than:
* sensation in the body
* a thought saying “do something else”

Look carefully. Is there an entity generating that urge?
Or is the urge just… appearing.
No, it's just ...

Right now, in immediate experience, can you find a past version of yourself? Or is that simply a thought appearing?
I can't find a past version of myself, only thoughts about the past version of myself.

Is mindfulness something that 'you' are in control of doing or not doing?
I have thoughts ...

Thanks for checking in :)

Sorry for the delayed response and not responding after the break. There's been quite a bit of resistance towards mindfulness, not operating from the 'self' and engaging on this forum again :(

It's been alright. I feel like I've gone back to operating from the 'self' and ...

There's a lot of calm and a sense of freedom and peace

My sense is that as long as I'm not overwhelmed with what's going on in life, I'm able to access this (given the right conditions). I think I have been here quite few times over the past few weeks. I do notice that there is a bit of clinging ...

no, it doesn't feel like there is an I

Go a day or two, take a look, and report back…


Notice what happens in the body (direct experience) and what happens in the content of thought during this investigation.

When I investigate it feels like there's an acceptance that there's no choice, intention or control. My mind quiets down ...

So there is no self in the moment of happening?
There is just what happens?
yes and yes

If the moment is already gone before it’s even noticed, what does that say about choice?
About intention? About control?
they are simply thoughts about what is happening. it seems like there is no choice ...

What is in direct experience right now? Does direct experience require effort? Or someone to manage it?

Sensations, thoughts and feelings. No it doesn't require any effort or someone to manage it. It just happens.

Wanting things to be different happens afterwards does it not? And resistance ...

So what, right now, simply is?
sensations, thoughts, feelings, sounds

What is here without any effort?
I don't feel like I'm able to not apply any effort. It feels like there's a bit of effort, a bit of wanting things to be different, a bit of a resistance to what is here.

Look around… What ...

Is ‘awareness’ a word that labels anything? Is it necessary?
yes it's a label for part of my experience. it's not necessary

If everything is there what is left out?
I don't think anything is left out.

Is awareness merely a thought that acts as some sort of mental buffer for what simply is? Is ...

sorry, was avoiding looking into this the last two days.

If all thoughts stopped right now, what remains? And who is missing?
sensations remain. the "I" is missing

Could you describe the sensations that are being looked for/associated?
I think it's a mix of things.
less tension in my head
more ...

Is that sensation of pulling tension in the head doing anything, or is it just appearing?
It's just appearing

Is the thought “I am I” attached to something, or is it just floating there, unclaimed?
hm... I at first thought it was attaching to the sensation but when I look more closely it is ...

Does “seeing clearly” require a thought to confirm it?
no
Or is that another thought after the seeing?
yes, it's a thought about the impact of the previous thoughts

Is there an entity being obscured by thought?
hm... it's more like the thoughts obscure awareness. it obscures sensations and ...

Meant to respond yesterday but I couldn't get this website to work on my computer yesterday evening.

Is there anything present that tries to escape that honesty?

It feels like there are thoughts that try to prevent me more seeing this more clearly.

Is powerlessness a label added on to an ...