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[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah
At the moment my thoughts are not chattering away that much. Lots going on both at work and in the family but I seem to be dealing with things as they arise. Memory ain't so good but that's normal. Must be an age thing lol. I'm doing far more noticing than thinking at the moment and I'll keep you posted.Fully intend to keep watching. This is fun.

Love Jackie
X

[Sarah7]

Cool. Keep me posted! Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

I seem to have hit a glitch. Something made me really angry and hurt and while I know it's just anger/hurt 'happening' and the actual problem has been resolved practically I keep coming back to it. It hasn't brought me to my knees like these things used to but I keep coming back to it and getting upset all over again. Then I get back to 'I' only being a thought and it goes away again. I'm laughing because I know it's just thoughts fighting thoughts and it seems so ridiculous that one moment I can see it for what it is and the next I'm right back in these stupid thoughts. I knew these kind of things would crop up and I am dealing with it a lot better than I used to but I'm now very confused. 'I' is still hanging on I suppose. Keep 'bashing' me Sarah, I need it.

I did notice one thing on my walk this morning though. While I was stuck in my thoughts this morning I'd walked over a full field without being aware of doing it. So life does go on without 'me' in attendance:)

Love Jackie

[Sarah7]

Hi Jackie

I seem to have hit a glitch.

You are looking and noticing. That's all that's needed. This is what I meant by what if identification comes back - who or what is bothered by this? What if it doesn't go away? Notice if there is a thought that wants it to stop and you look in order for it to stop - is that there? Notice the thought that says something like this shouldn't be happening too. Is that there?

I did notice one thing on my walk this morning though. While I was stuck in my thoughts this morning I'd walked over a full field without being aware of doing it. So life does go on without 'me' in attendance:)

Wonderful - now see if that applies to decisions too!
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah, always good to hear from you.

You are looking and noticing. That's all that's needed. This is what I meant by what if identification comes back - who or what is bothered by this? What if it doesn't go away? Notice if there is a thought that wants it to stop and you look in order for it to stop - is that there? Notice the thought that says something like this shouldn't be happening too. Is that there?

Really strange Sarah, this may sound a bit daft but it wasn't me that was bothered. It wasn't me! It was the 'I' thought. Didn't once think this shouldn't be happening just kept sifting through thoughts and analysing them. Admittedly they were causing me discomfort. It was like listening to an argument in my head. It has already gone away but at the time there was definitely a thought that said 'I don't want this'. As soon as that came I sort of threw the 'I' word to the winds because it didn't belong where it was.

Wonderful - now see if that applies to decisions too!

Ah, decisions...I am terrible at making decisions. Procrastination is my middle name. Now I've thought about it, life has still happened although I am a master at avoiding making them. So the flow of life happens regardless.

You're amazing Sarah, you know just the right directions I need to look in.

Love Jackie
x

[Sarah7]

Hey!

Ah, decisions...I am terrible at making decisions. Procrastination is my middle name. Now I've thought about it, life has still happened although I am a master at avoiding making them. So the flow of life happens regardless.

Are you deciding? If so whilst procrastinating is happening - does the decision just happen regardless? If you are deciding - how is that possible when you don't know what thought is going to turn up next? Or from whence it comes?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi again,

Tried to think about this one but got nowhere. Then I stepped behind the 'I' and watched. Decisions are nothing more than thoughts and if this thought doesn't occur then another one will. Decision made without any input from 'me'.

It's really great that I can step back behind the 'I' to a place where there's no knowing so I can watch the thoughts dancing ☺

Love Jackie
X

[Sarah7]

Hi
Do you feel in any way separate from experience?

Are you the body? Is the "body" just another thought label for sensations?
Are the five body senses made to arise or experienced by this ‘self’?

Is there a self ‘in here’ which is separate from the world and others ‘out there’?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

So sorry for the delay in replying. Had a weekend at my daughter's and forgot my tablet. I've done a fair bit of looking though.

Do you feel in any way separate from experience?

There is no separation Sarah now is happening all at once, all together.

Are you the body? Is the "body" just another thought label for sensations?
Are the five body senses made to arise or experienced by this ‘self’?

I am not my body. Although it is physically here it's not me. It's just a vessel for the thoughts. The body senses just happen depending on circumstances. If something is cooking I can't 'make' myself not smell it.

Is there a self ‘in here’ which is separate from the world and others ‘out there’?

This is a difficult one for me Sarah as I've always felt very separate and, to be fair, wanted to be separate. I think this is a big part of my 'resistance' as I prefer my own company to others (people scare me). I feel more 'at one' with my surroundings than with other people. Still some work to do then….

Thanks again Sarah
Love Jackie
x

[Sarah7]

Hey!
A little exercise for you!

Stand in front of a bigger mirror.
First, close the eyes and feel the sensations in the body.
Then open the eyes and look into the mirror, while still pay attention to the bodily sensations.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations in the body and the sight in the mirror?
Or just thoughts (and/or mental images) suggest that there is any?
While still paying attention to the bodily sensations move one of the hands and observe the movement from the mirror.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations (in the hand) and sight of movement in the mirror?
Now do the same movement with the hand, but this time look at the hand directly, not from the mirror.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations (in the hand) and sight of movement?
Or only thoughts suggest it?
Now, pay attention only to the sight in the mirror.
Does the sight by itself suggest in any way that what is seen is ‘you’ or ‘your body’?
Does the sight itself suggest in any way that what is seen is a body at all?
Or there are only colours and shapes?
Where the mirror ends, some parts of the body (probably legs) cannot be seen.
Just by the sight, is there any ‘knowledge’ that there must be legs, or only thoughts and mental images suggest it?
Now turn away from the mirror and look forward (don’t look directly to any body parts).
Is there a body anywhere when all mental concepts and images are ignored, or there are only sensations?
Start to walk slowly.
Is there a body walking anywhere, or there are only sensations?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

That looks interesting I'll get back to you with the results.
x

[Sarah7]

ok! S xx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah
Just letting you know I'm still working on the exercise and still looking. I'm struggling with this one as I've discovered the connection with my image is quite strong. Each time I do this exercise I really struggle to see what you're asking me to look for but strangely the struggle is an enormous amount of fun. Keep you posted!

Love Jackie
X

[Sarah7]

Ok! Let me know if you need help.
Hugs S xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

Help! Can't get my thinking cap off and my seeing cap on with this one. It's driving me nuts!

love Jackie
x