NowHere

[oboundless]

No, such experiences absolutely seemed like Something, and what's more, totally happening to Somebody! I'm pretty sure that unfortunate state could get re-constellated 'by' my girlfriend PDQ! BUT (and it's always a risky experiment to give voice to the kind of things I posted about today, because often, after languaging them, they [seemingly] vanish!) this astonishing nothingness remains. I used to hang out with Candace O'Denver, and she would often say "You can rely on nothing."

[kvotski]

Where could it possibly go?

Look out for old flames returning instead!

[oboundless]

Lol Sunil....
.....a day of old flames passin' through......!

[oboundless]

Dear Sunil,

Happy New Year to you.

The last few days there's been a fresh influx of seeing, and a deepening noticing of the infinite nature of it. As this has happened, I've been quietly aware that without your steadfast company and sturdy insistence, I would not have had a trustworthy footing to rely on, again and again. NO ONE HERE, your offered-foothold, is a radical reorganization of being, healing the virus of believing. (Makes me think of William Burroughs' remark that 'Language is a virus from outer space'....)

Having your trustworthy company, and something like a personal relationship with you as my guide, has been repeatedly, so, so helpful. And I just felt the impulse, start of 2018 and all that, to reach out in gratitude and let you know this. I've written something akin to this before to you, but here it is again!

I hope you are very well.

Best,
Glenn

[kvotski]

Hi Glenn,

Thank you. I am grateful that the conceptual constuct called sunil has miraculously reached you and turned a switch somewhere that allows to keep coming back to the right place. What makes this right? Obviously this makes all a joy.

Its quite simple actually if we can alwyas remember the weakness of the separate self idea. And that is it is nonexistent.

Isnt it amazing how this works.

Your new year arrived little earlier than today but happy new new year any way. Let this be an excuse to shed more of pestering recurrent distractions.

[oboundless]

Thanks Sunil,
You posted something from Pema Chodron: how might this apply, since it references somebody, to the person being only conceptual?
"Others will always show you exactly where you are stuck. They say or do something and you automatically get hooked into a familiar way of reacting—shutting down, speeding up, or getting all worked up.
When you react in the habitual way, with anger, greed, and so forth, it gives you a chance to see your patterns and work with them honestly and compassionately. Without others provoking you, you remain ignorant of your painful habits and cannot train in transforming them into the path of awakening.”
~ Pema Chodron

[oboundless]

In other words she's referencing 'somebody and this sounds more like psychotherapeutic work she's talking about,.... How do you see this fitting in with there being in actuality nobody?

[oboundless]

So, for instance, my girlfriend does stuff that upsets me. From a no self vantage point this is just flurries and eddie's of thoughts feelings and sensations, but a lot of the time it sure as heck feels like someone individual, distinctive, threatened, and at risk! (by the way this is not to preclude the also-fact that the stuff I do upsets her...)

[kvotski]

Hi Glenn,

Pema as most Buddhist monks teaches self inquiry. You may be mixing up her methods with the end result of the enquiry. Body reacts to suffering by spurring into action. Anger, anxiety or fear are not actions, they are mind afflictions.

There is no conflict. Pema is talking to you that your reactions are based on a false assumption of a separate body. Only by watching the toothless tiger you can relax.

Suffering is essential to survive but only correct action leads to relief. That correct action never originates from a non-existent separate self.

Best wishes.

[oboundless]

Thank you Sunil, I will use my gums to chew on that for a while....:-)