1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?
This is why I see the santa claus example as such a good one. There never was a self, only the belief in one. All that has changed is that the belief is seen as a belief (and has naturally ...

Now's the time to go for some sweep-up questions, just to make sure where you're at:

In direct experience:

Have you been able to find, a ‘self’ that is the ‘experiencer’?

It still amazes me every time I see that the answer to this question is no. It's so clearly simple when I'm willing to ...

Hi Ben,

Just looking from a different perspective and, as always, from direct experience:

With "you" revealed as a thought story, what remains?

What experiences?

What thinks?

What does?

What is aware?


Experience "experiences". Thoughts "think". Doing "does", and awareness itself is aware ...

Hi Ben,


'I' is just a thought..so it can't be a thinker, doer, witness or anything at all?

The I cannot witness, but is itself "witnessed" by existence itself (which is definitely not an "I").

Truly, the I cannot be anything but a label. It's definitely loosening it's grip on (my) reality the ...

Hi Ben,


Let's look at thoughts and thinking. Not from what you think, but from direct experience, please say:

Where do thoughts come from?
Are you in control of them?
Can you stop a thought from coming?
Can you stop it in the middle?
Do you know what the next thought will be?
Is "I" a ...

If I'm wrong here Ben please tell me so, but it seems that you're quite certain that there's no self involved at all when most actions are performed, but you are not clear when certain decisions or choices happen, or planning, preparations occur.



I would say that you are correct.


Really ...

Ok, now let's move on to looking - in direct experience - for the self as doer/controller:

It's clear that when we breathe, blink, digest food etc. there's no "I" involved, but how is it for you when walking?



Breathing is a great example I think, because it is something that very few people ...

Hi Ben,

When you look at something, a book, a tree outside or whatever, can you find an 'I' that is looking or seeing, or is there just seeing?

If there is an 'I', where are the boundaries between what is being seen, the seeing process itself and the seer?

Please do the same with hearing ...

Hi Ben,

Moving on towards the core of this work - just look at the following statement, and ponder it every which way you can:

Nothing exists outside the present moment.

Can you find anything, anything at all, that does?

Definitely not. There is only this moment, and nothing that I can see ...

Pete,

I am very grateful for your time. Thanks for this!

1) Tell me a bit more about yourself, how you came to LU and what it is that you're looking for. Also, what time zone are you're in - I'm in Somerset in the UK.

- Well, I'm a 22 year old male living in the U.S, and I've been looking into ...

Greetings!

As to why I'm here:

I have been reading up on this so-called "Eastern Wisdom" for about 3 years now, and I couldn't feel more ready to end the seeking. I gradually transitioned from more Advaitic language to the Theravada Buddhist model, as I feel it makes less metaphysical claims ...