Thread for Hannah Brown

[Mad biker]

You wrote: 'I am thinking about the Metta that gives rise to a long term sort of volitional flow of things'

Mmm, you got a wee bit vague and maybe fudgey here.

Can you tell me if anything can actually be observed, to actually cause anything else, for a definite fact in this respect'?

[HannahBrown]

No nothing can be observed in direct experience, either intention or volition or any sense of making things happen, that is clear to me.

So I guess I'm just hanging on to a concept, and appropriating the 'volitional' element of the skandhas. This is not present in experience, nor can it be. It's just a thought, me trying to make sense of what the skandhas are and how Things actually happen without a self willing it all.

[Mad biker]

So I guess I'm just hanging on to a concept

Well do you in fact 'guess' here Hannah? Or do you not?

This is not present in experience, nor can it be. It's just a thought, me trying to make sense of what the skandhas are and how Things actually happen without a self willing it all.

In other words, in direct experience leaving aside the realm of thoughts and concepts, can you stand by the latter statement alone without guesswork?

In direct experience, can anything be directly observed to be happening "in dependence on conditions"? Or is this merely interpretation / labeling, in 'thought'?"
Mbx

[HannahBrown]

No, nothing can be observed to be happening in dependence on conditions, it is merely interpretation / labelling happening in thought.

Out of the habit of doubt in my intellectual acuity or depth of understanding I often use the term 'I guess' , keeping things comfortably vague. I can see it's not appropriate here, if at all. There was some fear that I have moved too quickly to see there is no self, that some huge resistance will somehow spoil it all. But I can see now that these sort of thoughts will continue, fears, doubts, not being good enough or clever enough, etc but I REALLY do not have to identify with any of them any more! It is a huge relief to see how simple it really is.

[Mad biker]

OK, we are through, that is us finished here, all done and dusted, it was nice working with you!

But I can see now that these sort of thoughts will continue, fears, doubts, not being good enough or clever enough, etc but I REALLY do not have to identify with any of them any more! It is a huge relief to see how simple it really is.

Yes, that stuff will take a wee while to fade, but fade it will.

Yes, it really is very simple isn't it? And, as one guy put it; 'eerily ordinary', but though simple and ordinary, the consequences of seeing this are very far reaching indeed.

I will be in touch about aftercare groups.

With much warm metta,
Mb xxx

[HannahBrown]

Well you mad biker, I just want to say thank you so much! That was a brilliant guiding, warm, funny, encouraging, pokey and very clear. I really appreciate your style, there is so much unfolding to be grateful for.

With love and gratitude
'Hannah Brown' aka Mumukshu x x