Requesting Eyeman...

[Mettasattva]

jearing lol that just happens sometimes to.... Hearing I ment of course :)

[eyeman]

Wow Mettasattva,

Let's keep this ball rolling :-)

While there IS a 'sense of self' which could be considered 'conceptual idea of self', we need to now see if there actually IS a real self as anything other than just an idea:

Can you find the 'self' anywhere in your in the moment direct experience?

Is it perhaps the body or in the body - if so, where exactly?

Is it perhaps the mind?

Is it perhaps the body and the mind?

Is it somewhere else?

Mike :-)

[Mettasattva]

Hey

"Can you find the 'self' anywhere in your in the moment direct experience?

No

Is it perhaps the body or in the body - if so, where exactly?

No It's not in the body.

Is it perhaps the mind?

No ... The mind isn't even a thing and the brain is part of the body and It's not i the body.

Is it perhaps the body and the mind?

No

Is it somewhere else?"

It's only in thinking thoughts which are just thinking happening... It could be somewhere else but I don't have access to it with the equipment given to me, my body and mind, as in physical experience... It only exists If I believe the thought "I am" and even then it's only in thinking. So a "self" doesn't, in my present moment experience, exist.

:)

[eyeman]

Well Mettasattva,

Simple question for you:

Have you seen through the illusion of a separate self? Do you have any doubts or uncertainties?

Mike :-)

[Mettasattva]

Hey

"Have you seen through the illusion of a separate self? Do you have any doubts or uncertainties?"

Yes... The only uncertainties I had we have cleared up in this thread... I don't believe I really ever had a strong sense of a seperate self. In general i am more easy about not knowing everything.

:)

[eyeman]

Great stuff! :-)

As you are aware, there are a list of final questions designed to see if I've missed anything important and also to make sure there is clarity and no loose ends. Of course this is optional, once you see, you know it and that's it.

By doing this, you will gain access to the many forums for those who are discussing any questions that come up or deepening their insight.

If you'd like to proceed with these questions, in your own time, then I can present this to my fellow guides, who may ask further questions or clarification on what they see:


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



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.



3) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.



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



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 experience.




6) Anything to add?

Love

Mike :-)

[Mettasattva]

Hey

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 “self”, “me” or “I” in my direct experience. Was there ever? Not in the present moment experience only ever in thinking.

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.”

Well I’m not sure I can explain in detail but I’ll have a go… the illusion of a separate self is a belief that “I” ultimately exist separate from my environment and separate from other living beings, that thoughts are my thoughts and feelings are my feelings. Also a belief that I can ultimately control the world around me. When did this start? I expect it started when I was a toddler and my ego kicked in… when I started knowing what I wanted and didn’t want… Also when I started taking life personally as in life was happening to me, if something bad happed it was because of me, and was happening to me because of something I had done. Same as if something good happened, it was happening to me and because of me. When of course life just happens and good and bad are just ideas.

3) “How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.”

It feels good to get clarity on this subject. Over the past couple of days I have been able to more clearly clarify the doubts I’d had around some of the pointing process. Also trusting the process and the person guiding has been very beneficial for this go round. I think it was still beneficial to have the dialog before and I obviously needed a longer process to really see.

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

Well I believe it was in clarifying all the “thought content” stuff. I had difficulty with content not being real at first because of the effect that content can have/has on reality. I can see the difference between effecting reality and actually being reality.

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 experience.”

This one I’m really not sure about. I actually find it a bit confusing to be asked to describe these things… decisions, intention, free will, choice and control… after going through this process. When I look at these I just see preference and I don’t know where the preference comes from, it just happens. What makes things happen? I don’t know. How does it work? I don’t really know other than preference arising. And ultimately I’m not responsible for anything. I don’t get how to give examples from experience because the experience of these would be in thinking.

6) “Anything to add?”

Not at this point.

:)

[eyeman]

Thanks Mettasattva,

I have no further questions and have no problem with your last answer so it just remains for me to ask my fellow guides to take a look to see if I've missed anything or if they have any further questions, this can take a little while as it requires available guides - hopefully it won't take too long :-)

Mike :-)

[eyeman]

Good Morning Mettasattva,

There are just two questions which fellow guides have for you:

1) Regarding the imagined future- if thoughts continue to imagine/think about a self enough, is it at all possible that those thoughts will 'become real' in the future, creating a separate self, a bit like the story of pinnochio?

2)

'I had difficulty with content not being real at first because of the effect that content can have/has on reality"

--

what is reality, in experience? Can it be affected by thought?

Mike :-)

[Mettasattva]

Hey

1)" Regarding the imagined future- if thoughts continue to imagine/think about a self enough, is it at all possible that those thoughts will 'become real' in the future, creating a separate self, a bit like the story of pinnochio?"

Funny... I was reflecting on this too.... No because "I" isn't a thing, It's only in thinking, like the unicorn. It's imagined.

"what is reality, in experience? Can it be affected by thought?"

I believe I've already answered this question. We covered the only reality we can be certain of and we covered content effecting reality... my making music example.

:)

[eyeman]

Thank you for your answers,

I'll let the guides know that you've answered their questions

:-)

[eyeman]

Thanks for your patience Mettasattva, myself and the other guides have no further questions for you. Please check your private messages for more details. :-)