Ok Jonathan

4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?

Being pushed and told to stop description and elaboration.

5) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control. What makes things happen? How does it work? What are you responsible for? Give examples from ...

Hi Jonathan

Isn't any tradition that treats honest doubt or even despair as 'inappropriate' or 'selfish' or 'failure' not denying part of Life? Wouldn't that be like denying the slightly terrifying thrill of night?


Oh thank you - what a wonderful analogy!

Yes, ready for the final 3 questions ...

Thanks Jonathan for such a long thoughtful response - helpful pointers, very clear and kind - desperate feelings have subsided immediately, just disappeared - they arose and then went....interesting. Your points speak of truth, I have no doubt of that.

Might it be useful to discard the notion of ...

Hi Jonathan
Had a terrible night - doubts arising, felt as though there was a fight going on....now I don't know. Is any 'insight' seen a persuasion of thought? The communication sent to you was honest, clarity was there at that time of communication. There was a sense of being part of ordinariness ...

Hi Jonathan

Who or what 'experiences' and 'sees'?

I don't know - there are sensations apart from that nothing else.

Is there a person 'not controling' any more?

No.

Liz

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

No separate entity exists, and never was.

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 ...

Ok - ready for the 6 questions

Liz

On reflection - yes too many words.
The label 'Buddhist' - being part of a spiritual community which doesn't have answers just ways of being together.

Liz

Hi Jonathan

Thank you for the push - the explicit request to stop description and elaboration pointed to the tendency to over think and not always take notice and listen to the first response to something. It certainly made a difference :-)

And yes - patterning arises and will not just disappear ...

Hi Jonathan

'I don't know' was going to be included along with 'Life' but didn't want to send 2 words.
I really don't know but it doesn't matter at all.

Is there a line to be found, a division or break of any kind between actual sensations and 'the world'?

No.

Liz

'Life" is the better choice of words trying to describe the indescribable.
The other words - presence/process/non-self - have an oblique reference to an idea of something either there or not there. There is no thing.
I have no doubt about that.

Questions - habitual reactions.....fear of dogs ...

Life

Love Liz

Hi Jonathan

Since there is no 'I', no 'Liz' reading this right now, how are these words 'seen'?

What 'sees words'?

A process, a presence, no self.

Liz

hells bells Jonathan - (just recovering from a laughing fit)
Ok stripped down and no over thinking.

Is there a self here now?
Has there ever been?'

No

Return to simple direct experience. Is there a self in the sensation in this arm? Is there a self that sees? Is there a self that drives the ...

Hi Jonathan

Is there anything other than Now, this moment, Here? ....Ever?

Nothing has separate existence there is only now constantly unfolding. I see this clearly when space is there.

'Is there a self here now?
Has there ever been?'


The self is a fabrication constantly being created and ...