Great findings here and with the feelings. How does it feel to see this? Relieving? Uncomfortable?Actually it was an assumption that the brain was making the decision. i can't feel the brain working, just assume that it does. all i can know is that the hand picked up the blue pen and not the black pen. The body just chose, like it just breathes.
It actually feels quite amazing. That decisions are so simply happening, so naturally, by the body, without thought. But also uncomfortable to see that fearful thoughts often stymie this simple natural process with doubt, hesitation, analysis. If only these thoughts could be allowed to just pass by without attachment, life would flow so beautifully, and vitally.The body just chose, like it just breathes.
Great findings here and with the feelings. How does it feel to see this? Relieving? Uncomfortable?
Yes it's like that, it's how the body has always functioned. It does quite well without a little 'me' ;).It actually feels quite amazing. That decisions are so simply happening, so naturally, by the body, without thought. But also uncomfortable to see that fearful thoughts often stymie this simple natural process with doubt, hesitation, analysis. If only these thoughts could be allowed to just pass by without attachment, life would flow so beautifully, and vitally.
Yes, that's exactly how it happens. Thoughts following thoughts accompanied by a body sensation, that makes a gripping, attaching feeling. IT is the believing of the thoughts, (which is just more thoughts), which often creates a body sensation and a feeling of being stuck. THe last three days i have had my niece, and her 3 1/2 year old daughter staying and it has been very interesting observing the little ones behaviour and my own. for example, we took her to a newly built playground, where she had never been. every object she approached to play on,...the slide, the swings, the rope surrounded trampoline, she would say" i can't" and her shoulders would cave inwards. It took just a little encouragement "yes, you can, try it" for her natural interest and curiosity to lead her into playing on each piece, with great delight. i found this interesting as when i face a new step, as i do every day, the thought 'i can't" also appears in the mind... so what generates genuine interest and curiosity, thirst for joy and delight, that would invite new, helpful encouraging thoughts to arrive, and a willingness to hold steady and step through that gate and not step back. regardless of the thoughts appearing in all their fearful intensity, You asked a while back, could the fear just be allowed to be there, whatever its intensity? the answer is yes, it could....so i'm going to watch this over the next few days, and try to observe the body's natural urge, and the thoughts arriving, and look carefully for the stickiness, and what arises.Do thoughts really not pass freely? Does that actually happen, or could it be that there are just other thoughts claiming that thoughts don't move and pass freely? Perhaps it's paired with a sensation in the body, so it seems to make it somehow 'sticky'.
With fear, there's the thought then the body sensation, then more thoughts and body reacting, tightening, and more thoughts and body sensations. but when i look at the fear, there is nothing there but the thought and sensation. and they are passing by, changing moment to moment. there is not even an 'i' experiencing it. the fearful thoughts and sensations are just passing phenomena. ..the fearful thought passing through is direct experience, the content of the thought is not real. the accompanying sensations are directly experienced. the actions of the body responding to the thoughts and sensations passing e.g. withdrawl from the situation that the thoughts say is fearful, is also direct experience. perhaps the body actions could just as easily be to step closer into the situation that the thoughts say is fearful, and this would also be direct experience, but with different consequences.... passing thoughts and sensations might be labelled 'fear' but underneath it, is nothing real, emptiness.So just with thoughts passing freely, and there only being more thoughts claiming they don't pass freely plus a body sensation, look at fear for what it is in your direct experience. What is fear? What's it made of? Look underneath the label 'fear'.
Voila. Should you have any doubt, just check in now and then and ask yourself "is this anything more here than a thought + body sensation"? Then okay, is the content of this thought real? You may find thought stories and fear have less and less grip. You might even try noting to yourself via thoughts "thought of not wanting to work tomorrow" "thought of forgetting to do something" and acknowledge that's the content of the thought.but when i look at the fear, there is nothing there but the thought and sensation.
What actually happens when you 'withdraw' from a situation though? Think of it as if there's a witness who has to describe what happened objectively without any interpretation. "He withdrew" or "he stood up and walked out of the room"? This may be helpful, break down what is "withdrawing" for you in direct experience?withdrawl from the situation that the thoughts say is fearful, is also direct experience.
Withdrawing, for example, "he stood at the letterbox, looking along the street at neighbourhood activity, then turned and walked back into the house ".What actually happens when you 'withdraw' from a situation though? Think of it as if there's a witness who has to describe what happened objectively without any interpretation. "He withdrew" or "he stood up and walked out of the room"? This may be helpful, break down what is "withdrawing" for you in direct experience?
Great! Is it absolutely necessary that it be labelled as "withdrawing"? And is there anything wrong with withdrawing?Withdrawing, for example, "he stood at the letterbox, looking along the street at neighbourhood activity, then turned and walked back into the house ".
Thankyou for this guiding here. Exactly right. It just is what it is, no need to label it and make a story out of it. it just is. smiling here, like a big relief to just see it as it is without judgements. much love here. with this seeing, it feels as if the resistance i have felt has fallen away. at least for this moment.Great! Is it absolutely necessary that it be labelled as "withdrawing"? And is there anything wrong with withdrawing?
There is no doubt here about the separate me, . I feel complete with this looking, seeing the freedom from me/i, the doer, controller, witness just happened. that lens for looking at life is totally changed. I think it all just needs to settle. heart is full....thankyou so much for your patience and care. you have certainly made a positive difference to my life.Is there any doubt about there being a separate me/I, a doer, a controller, a witness? Anything as such? Let me know what you feel if there's anything sticking out that we can look at.
Great to hear! This is a tool that will carry you a long way, when some form of suffering arises, you can just look to see whether it's coming from thought or not from thought. 99% will likely be from thought, unless perhaps there is physical pain, but even then the vast majority of suffering is likely from thought stories about it.Thankyou for this guiding here. Exactly right. It just is what it is, no need to label it and make a story out of it. it just is. smiling here, like a big relief to just see it as it is without judgements. much love here. with this seeing, it feels as if the resistance i have felt has fallen away. at least for this moment.
Aw, great to read :D. The pleasure is mine, and yes please do allow things to settle and just take it easy, enjoy, have fun.There is no doubt here about the separate me, . I feel complete with this looking, seeing the freedom from me/i, the doer, controller, witness just happened. that lens for looking at life is totally changed. I think it all just needs to settle. heart is full....thankyou so much for your patience and care. you have certainly made a positive difference to my life.
what you are doing in guiding people to this liberation is wonderful.
Thank you, with love. :D
NO separate entity at all, nor has there ever been.1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?
THe illusion of separate self is the mistaken belief that the body/mind organism is run and controlled by an entity 'i'. It starts in childhood through the introduction of language, where 'i' is considered to be the owner of memories, experiences, thoughts, feelings, senses, and the doer behind all these things, able to control the life that is happening. Something is experienced by the body (observing), and the mind labels it and claims it (I am witnessing), reinforcing that an 'i' entity exists. Often the mind then creates a whole story around the experience happening to the 'i'. In reality, the 'i' exists only in language, but is not real. An experience happens, and it can be seen that it is just happening, no need to identify, judge and create a story around it. It just is. THe difference between what is experienced, and what is just a thought can now be seen.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.
It is a relief to see this, bringing a feeling of lightness, delight and joy. laughter even. Before seeing this, identification with the thoughts and the story they told brought heaviness and despair.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.
There have been a number of ahhaa moments. the last was to observe direct experience only as though observing another person. Doing that without interpretation, was very freeing. Made me look at the body.mind experience as impersonal phenomena. LIfe just happening. No 'i'.4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?
Decision, intention, choice occur when the body urge is expressed. The body just chooses, like it just breathes and functions well without a 'me' being involved at all. There is no free will or control as there is no entitiy to have a will or have control. LIfe just happens as the body/mind expresses its uniqueness through behaviour. There is no one to be responsible, juset life to be experienced. It is all very impersonal. Thoughts just arise. URges just expressed.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.
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