Wake the f**k up

[smashme]

Good afternoon Robyn,

Sometimes I thoughts can seem overwhelming, no doubt. The thing about seeing through the illusion of I is that you only see through it once. There’s no going back, no ‘unknowing’ it, no matter how many I thoughts arise. Do you see this?

Yes I can see that.

Decision is still a thought. I don't make a decision to move my arms. They move. Now sometimes there is intention, which is a thought also.
For example: there is a coffee cup that has coffee and I would like coffee (based on past preferences), so I move toward the cup, with the intention (thought) to pick it up. There is no "I" that controls the arm, it moves towards the cup and the fingers clamp on to the handle and lift the cup to sip. The coffee also has a lovely aroma, there is no choice on whether smelling will happen. The nose will pick up the scent whether there is an intention or not.

in looking, decisions, intentions and choice are all thoughts. Some are based on preferences in the past. But that does not mean that there is an "I" in control, making the decision or choice.

What are you responsible for?

there is no "I" to be responsible but there are duties/responsibilities to be played out. Ie: child, home and work.

what makes things happen

Not sure what makes things happen. Just know all is happening

not sure what makes it all work either.

Last item is free will. The understanding I have is that free will alludes to control, feelings, choices and such. Which are all thought. This would suggest that people have the ability to think the way they want to. From doing this work, it has been shown that there is no control to have "free will". There is no control over thought.

I look forward to your reply and do hope that the back spasms have subsided.

Love,
Ashley

[Artst]

Dear Ashley,

You sound completely clear to me.

If you have no more questions, I’ll share your answers with some other guides and if they have no questions, you will be added to the LU Aftercare group and another group for those who have gated.

Then your thread will be added to the archives.

Let me know if you’re ready.

My back is much better and I plan to get out and about tomorrow — thank you so much for your caring.

Love,

Robyn

[Artst]

Dear Ashley,

You sound completely clear to me.

If you have no more questions, I’ll share your answers with some other guides and if they have no questions, you will be added to the LU Aftercare group and another group for those who have gated.

Then your thread will be added to the archives.

Let me know if you’re ready.

My back is much better and I plan to get out and about tomorrow — thank you so much for your caring.

Love,

Robyn

[smashme]

Good day Robyn,

Please share away and let me know if anything comes about.

Thank you for the time and attention given! much appreciated!

Love,
Ashley

[Artst]

Wonderful, Ashley—

I will be able to share this tomorrow. It could take a few days (or not) to hear back.

I have gotten much from guiding you - it’s a two-way street. Thank you!

Belated Happy Valentine’s Day!

Much love,

Robyn

[Artst]

Hi, Ashley,

Just a quick note to let you know that I've shared your thread with some other guides as promised.

Love,
Robyn

[Artst]

Hi, Ashley,

One of the other guides made a great suggestion for an experiment for you to do just to make sure you're completely clear on the issue of choice. There's no doubt you've seen through the illusion of I, yet if the issue of choice is a bit hazy, it can cause you suffering and confusion about 'I.'

So...

Here's what’s needed - A chair, a table and two different drinks. Any two drinks you like are okay for this: coffee, tea, milk, water, juices, smoothies, beer, wine, etc.

Preparation - Place the two drinks side by side on the table in front of you, sit comfortably on the chair and mentally label them as drink A and drink B.

Experiment - Finding the function of choice

Sit for a few moments, take a few relaxed breaths and let the dust settle. When you feel ready:


1. Look at drink A and at drink B. Think about their respective qualities, the things you like about them, compare and weigh the pros and cons of each. See if a preference is manifesting for one or the other.

2. Count to 5.

3. Choose one of the drinks. Pick it up and take a sip.

Questions:

*We’re looking for some kind of function, a something, an ‘I’ which is doing the ‘choosing.'

In step 1 when thinking about their respective qualities, did you ‘choose’ the qualities? Or did they kind of appear by themselves? If some preferences manifested, did you ‘choose’ these preferences? Or did they just pop up by themselves?

In step 2 when you counted to 5, if the preferences took the back seat while the numbers took the front seat, did you ‘choose’ this sequence of event? Did you ‘choose’ to shut down the preferences to give way to the counting? Did you directly experience a mental function or faculty doing the ‘choosing’? Have you seen this function in action?

In step 3 where you made a choice, did you actually witness or directly experience a mental function or faculty doing the ‘choosing?' Did anything arise that announced, ‘I am the chooser?' If so, what does this function look like?

Sometimes we describe this sense of choosing as a ‘feeling’: It feels like ‘I’ did the ‘choosing’. But the question is, can a feeling ‘choose’? Is it in the nature of a feeling to ‘choose’?

Ashley, let me know how this goes, what you discover.

Love,

Robyn

[smashme]

Good day Robyn!

Thank you for sharing the thread. I appreciate it and am glad to see a response. Very quick!

Here is what was found in the experiment:

Two items Hot Tea with lemon and Topo Chico with Lemon:

Sat for a moment breathing, followed with pros and cons, which mainly described what they do or taste. Both have lemon, Topo has carbonation which burns (pro), hot tea is warm (pro), although Topo does not have a true taste, I like it better than the tea (pro) don't like this tea flavor as much (con), topo seems to quench the thirst (pro). The preference before step 2 was already Topo.

Honestly, didn't even count, paused for a few and then took a sip. Never even occurred to me to count. I even read the instructions.. Just went through the pros and cons and then drank the Topo.

In step 3 there was no thought of I am choosing Topo. Based off the preferences in step one topo was picked.
I guess the only thing that was thought was that Topo seems to quench thirst.

This was fun to do.

Thank you again and I look forward to your response.

Ashley

[smashme]

Hello again,

In rereading this and a question posed from a friend “How does your response in LU indicate no chooser?”

I can see that I only referenced preferences.

Prefences are also just thoughts, which there is no “I” in control of. Which means there is no I to choose or to have preferences -
The thoughts just happen.

The thought was topo, so that’s what happened.

♥️ Ashley

[Artst]

Hi, Ashley,

I"m glad you did the experiment.

Prefences are also just thoughts, which there is no “I” in control of.

Good observation.

Never even occurred to me to count. I even read the instructions.. Just went through the pros and cons and then drank the Topo.

Interesting! Ok, there was first the thought when you read the instructions to wait and then going through the pros and cons and drank the topo. Is it possible that the thoughts didn't bring about the actions?

The thought was topo, so that’s what happened.

Does thought determine action? Or, are thoughts and actions separate?

Ashley, if this isn't clear, I invite you to do the experiment a second time.

You're doing great1 I'm really glad we're looking into this fine point.

Love,

Robyn

[Artst]

Hi, Ashley --

More for you...I think this might help.

On question 5, you wrote:

in looking, decisions, intentions and choice are all thoughts. Some are based on preferences in the past. But that does not mean that there is an "I" in control, making the decision or choice.

Are decisions, intentions and choices based on past preferences? Do you have any control over the preference thoughts that appear in any given moment?

Love,

Robyn

[smashme]

Good morning Robyn,

I apologize for the delay.

Will look at this, this morning.

Ashley

[smashme]

Good day Robyn,

Did the experiment over again. This time Coffee and water.

Sat at the table, took a moment, then began to site the pros and cons of both. Some preferences did manifest. They appeared by themselves. Counted to 5 and took a sip of coffee.

See if a preference is manifesting for one or the other.

It occurred to me this weekend, that there never was an "I" who had a preference, not sure "who" is choosing these things.

In step 2 when counting to 5, the number took the front seat, I did not choose the sequence of event. There was no mental faculty, the counting happened and the preferences took the back seat.

Step 3. I did not witness a mental faculty or function that did the choosing, there was no chooser.

Sometimes we describe this sense of choosing as a ‘feeling’: It feels like ‘I’ did the ‘choosing’. But the question is, can a feeling ‘choose’? Is it in the nature of a feeling to ‘choose’?

Not even sure what a feeling is anymore. there are sensations and there is thought - both happen. Neither are tied to an "I"

I look forward to your reply! :)

Ashley

[Artst]

Hi, Ashley,

No problem on the delay. Good to hear back from you.

Great job on the 2nd time doing the experiment. Seems like you have more clarity about there being no chooser/doer.

Nonetheless, would you mind answering these? Are decisions, intentions and choices based on past preferences? Do you have any control over the preference thoughts that appear in any given moment?

Lots of love,
Robyn

[smashme]

Good day Robyn,

Prior to the experiment preferences and what they were was hazy..

After doing the experiment, it is clear decisions, intentions, choices and preferences are all thought. That it just appears and that there is no control over what appears at any given moment.

Which was weird to see. As there have been preferences my entire life. :)

Interesting to say the least

Side note: this opened up yesterday afternoon and there was a shit storm of thought.. Crazy thought that seemed to be never ending. Brought about lots of questions like "what does it all matter" and even thoughts of death. I called a friend, who has completed liberation and he scooped me up until thought calmed down. There have been no thoughts of the sort today. But it occurred that you should probably know that.

Hope all is well!
Ashley