Hi Nettie,

do 'others' have a self but you don't?
No!

Where do you experience 'others'?
The same place where thoughts, things, sensations, etc are experienced - within empty, impersonal awareness.

In direct experience do others have control?
In direct experience, no. The mind tells a story ...

Hi Nettie,

So describe in particular life right now without a controller.
Decider or thinker.

There is seeing but no one doing the seeing, thinking but no thinker, hearing but no hearer, talking but no talker. So thoughts happening, music playing, sensations felt, decisions being made, words ...

Hi Nettie,

Does it feel like you are still searching? Like something is missing?

No, not that I'm aware of. Maybe there will be some searching type behaviour in the future but there doesn't seem to be much desire for any sort of search now, or any sense of incompleteness. What is is what is ...

Hi Nettie,

What would be lost for good?
A subtle sense of control in life - but only a sense, no real control would be lost.

So look again.. Is there a do-er?
A thinker?
A chooser?
Anything stable or solid or fixed?
There is no me (other than as a thought) or entity that does or chooses, and ...

Hi Nettie,

So thought is composed of learned shared words....and it seems to divide the timeless flow into 'bits' that includes a separate you. And this all happens effortlessly....and is there a you who can step outside of this all-encompassing un-compounded unicity to change or re-arrange or add ...

Hi Nettie,

Do you decide, intend, choose, control events in Life? Do you make anything happen? Give examples from your experience.

okay, some examples from today re intending, controlling, choosing, deciding;

Sleep - no intending or deciding about that really.
Waking up - no one does that, it ...

Hi Nettie,

Thank you. Here are some answers to the final questions;


1)Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?
No. There is no separate entity / Ian thing that has shape or form that thinks, or talks or writes etc. Nothing has ...

Hi Nettie, the questions do very good work I think so I won't rush the answers (if for no other reason than the enquiry is so revealing & strangely enjoyable!). I'll take my time, do some more looking & get back to you when it's done. Thanks for your time on this again, Ian :-)

Hi Nettie, it's been really really good so far so fire away! Thanks, Ian

Hi Nettie,

Thanks for your reply - that's helpful about 'When the illusion of a separate self is seen as simply an illusion the story of you doesn't go away... It is seen through as it is happening.'

Notice that all feelings arise naturally un-worded...and the objectifying mind labels them.
Have ...

Hi Nettie,

Thanks again for your reply & engagement with this. I'll try to answer honestly your questions;

is there a separate you who can step outside of this seamless timeless all-encompassing unitary flow and stop it or change it or control it in any way? Or is it that Life simply ...

Hi Nettie,

Just lost a longer reply to your questions as the browser crashed. Oh well - probably for the best. It will teach me to use the save button more often.

Can you say when one thought ends and another begins?
Can you isolate or catch a thought?
Can you change it when it appears?
Does it ...

Hi Nettie, thanks for your quick reply. Okay, here are some answers;

When you use the word 'I' what does it point to? Does it have color or shape ....qualities and characteristics? Anything unchanging? Can you bring it to me and put it on a shelf?


The word 'I' doesn't point to anything tangible ...

Hi Nettie, thank you for your reply. The ground rules you set out all seem reasonable & I'll abide by them.

re your questions;
What are your expectations for this process?
Clarity of understanding about what is real or not real about me / my experience. An end to some of the dissonace in the mind ...

Hi, I've been reading Gateless Gatecrashers & I'd like to go through a similar process & to see what's real & what isn't for myself. I'd say I've a few blind spots left in my understanding - like it's clear there is no one doing seeing or hearing, but there is still a feeling of someone (a me) doing ...