SatChitAnanda

[Anna77]

Haaaaa!!! That was one out of 7 that worked!!! I've been traveling non stop for 3 days - not the initial plan...today is my birthday so I will be back on here tomorrow xn

[myporties2]

Got your message.

[Anna77]

Great! So glad a few msgs went through! I am still trying to post from my phone and it's not working very well.

I will try again tomorrow, am back home tomorrow night so will have laptop again!

Keep looking with direct experience at life as it happens anyway...this is where everything unfolds and this is the place you see clearly for yourself that there is no self, never was and never has been :)

[myporties2]

I'll also be back at my computer tomorrow (also using iPhone now). I will continue to notice experienced.
Thanks!

[Anna77]

Hey SatChitAnanda :)

I'm finally back at the place that is my home base for now after that stint away.
I've just gone back through our thread to see what you wrote in response to may last lot of questions from Fri Sep 11, and I can't see any responses to these so I'm posting them again to see where this goes...
from your last responses,

the words are coming from thought, you're not sure where thought is coming from, it just seems to be happening

...we're going to look at this some more...

Not from what you think, but from direct experience, please say:

Are you in control of thoughts?

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 different thought from the thought of say, a table?

Can a thought think?

Next you said...

It seems that all sense perceptions are just happening. I cannot locate a “center” or self that creates sense perceptions.

moving along with this...you say it "seems" that all sense perceptions are just happening...."seems" means you may be in some doubt about that...can you say whether all those sense perceptions, taste, smell, touch, hearing, seeing are just happening or is there a self involved in them anywhere, doing or directing any of them?

Once i hear back on these, we can move on to the next ones that will lead on from here:)

cheers,
neroli

[myporties2]

Are you in control of thoughts? Definitely not.

Can you stop a thought from coming? Yes, temporarily. If I am present and watching my mind like a cat watches a mouse hole. Thoughts will not arise in that state of complete alertness. When alertness is lost, thoughts arise uncontrollably.

Can you stop it in the middle? Yes, if I am alert enough.

Do you know what the next thought will be? No.

Is 'I' a different thought from the thought of say, a table? No.

Can a thought think? No.

"moving along with this...you say it "seems" that all sense perceptions are just happening...."seems" means you may be in some doubt about that...can you say whether all those sense perceptions, taste, smell, touch, hearing, seeing are just happening or is there a self involved in them anywhere, doing or directing any of them?"

If I watch alertly, there is no self involved in sense perceptions. They are just happening. But, who or what is watching?

[Anna77]

Hi SatChitAnanda,

thanks for your replies, great work!

from your response...

Can you stop a thought from coming? Yes, temporarily. If I am present and watching my mind like a cat watches a mouse hole. Thoughts will not arise in that state of complete alertness. When alertness is lost, thoughts arise uncontrollably.

When you say, "If I am watching, if I am present...where is the "I" that is in control of this watching and presence? How are "you" in control of this watching or presence? Please describe exactly how that process works after looking at it with direct experience. Is there really a "you" that is controlling thought? Is there really a you that is watching and present?

If I watch alertly, there is no self involved in sense perceptions. They are just happening. But, who or what is watching?

This is a very good question, seriously, look at this right now. Look into this question deeply with your direct experience. Who or what is watching? Don't think about it, just look, just keep looking and reply from a place of direct experience. Is there a someone or something watching? Or is there just watching?

[myporties2]

"This is a very good question, seriously, look at this right now. Look into this question deeply with your direct experience. Who or what is watching? Don't think about it, just look, just keep looking and reply from a place of direct experience. Is there a someone or something watching? Or is there just watching?"

There is just watching.
Is there a someone or something watching? There is only awareness.

[Anna77]

Great, thanks for your response, can you please also respond to this query...

When you say, "If I am watching, if I am present...where is the "I" that is in control of this watching and presence? How are "you" in control of this watching or presence? Please describe exactly how that process works after looking at it with direct experience. Is there really a "you" that is controlling thought? Is there really a you that is watching and present?

[myporties2]

There is something that happens that looks like there is watching. It looks like there is choosing to watch. But upon closer examination, it is just happening. No choice whatsoever.

[Anna77]

Wonderful! Thanks for that SatChitAnanda :)


Can you run through this exercise for me then let me know what you find?

Raise your right arm (or don’t). In that process of raising the right arm (or not), a decision is made or at least something happens (or doesn’t).

Can you pinpoint the actual moment of choice and find an entity/self that appears to be making that choice? In direct experience, can that moment of choice, that apparent chooser, actually be found? Or does the idea "I just chose to (not) raise my right arm" come after the event itself?

Blessings,
neroli

[myporties2]

hahahahah! The idea "I choose to raise my arm" comes after the event!!!!!!

[Anna77]

I know :) It's comical huh? Funny and kooky.

I think we're almost done here....I better be careful of famous last words!!!!

Could you answer these for me SatChitAnanda?

Does the body experience sensations and thoughts?

Is the "body" just another thought label for sensations (namely tactile & kinaesthetic)?

When you look at every facet of life with direct experience, thought, sensation, action, experience, what remains?

What experiences?

What thinks?

What does?

What is aware?

xn

[myporties2]

"Does the body experience sensations and thoughts?"
No. They just appear.

"Is the "body" just another thought label for sensations (namely tactile & kinaesthetic)?"
Yes!

"When you look at every facet of life with direct experience, thought, sensation, action, experience, what remains?"
Empty space.

"What experiences?"
Empty space.

"What thinks?"
Empty space.

"What does?"
Empty space.

"What is aware?"
Empty space.

xnUser avatar
Anna77

Posts: 68
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 5:08 am
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[Anna77]

Beautiful work, SatChitAnanda

I think we're good to go here with the final questions, it seems you have seen clearly there is no self. What will happen is that I will share your responses with the other guides and if they have any further questions, they will ask me to send them on to you for clarification....or they will confirm there are no more questions and we're all done here :)

As always from direct experience, please answer the following:

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?

Please give examples from recent experience.

6) Anything to add?

xn