Hi Kay, thanks for answering...
You have written ‘sensation-emotion’ several times. Can you see that the label ‘emotion’ is AE of thought and not AE of sensation?
Yes, I see that now, saying emotion is a label of thought, but keeping in that same idea.... can we say that 'sensation' is also a label? Why not say elephant? or house?....
Does the sensation itself suggest in any way that it is an emotion or that it is fear?
No, its doesnt suggest anything! lol...thanks.
Yes, exactly. Without thought, a sensation is simply a sensation.
Now I ask you, what is a sensation?... Ive been contemplating that... all these things are labels too... they dont express the reality 100%.... the truth would just beingness.
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Great observation. You can see how thought overlays AE with stories. There is just this moment with whatever is appearing (ie actual experience)...the rest is thought
We could say nothing is appearing, only beingness no? the rest would be labels even...
Yes. So these ‘findings’ are important, so that when emotions appear, you can break them down into AE and you can allow the sensations to be without wanting anything to be different, because it is only thought that says sensations are uncomfortable, intense, unbearable etc.
Thank you :)
First, there would have to be a ‘you’ who is lost in daydreaming. Can you find anyone/anything that is 'lost in daydreaming'?
Nobody... but Im not conscious of myself also during the daydream, just immersed in whatever the daydream is. But whos immersed right?... so theres just daydreaming, and the AE of that would be images-thoughts.
Second, what does ‘being lost in daydreaming’ point to? Does it point to colour, sound, smell, taste, sensation or thought?
Thought.
You tell me what the AE of guilt is. That is why I gave you the exercise of breaking down activities and emotions, so that you start to become aware of AE. I want you to LOOK at it carefully and tell me what it is.
Yes, guilt is a sensation.... not a common one, and thats why is more difficult to pinpoint (yes, this is thought saying it lol!)... other emotions area easier to identify (again, thought here labeling and explaining lol)
What is the AE of ‘memory”? What does it point to exactly? Does it point to colour, sound, smell, taste, sensation or thought? And what is it exactly that would have ‘memories’?
The AE of memory, points to thought, but sometimes its mixed with a 'mental image'.... what are the AE of mental images? thought-image?...
So I invite you to do this exercise:
Think of a cup. Get a very clear picture in your mind. See clearly the size, shape, colour and volume of the cup. Notice whether it is decorated or plain. Notice whether it has a handle. Notice whether it is heavy or fragile. Do you have a clear picture in mind?
Now, can you physically grasp that image of a cup?
Can you pour tea into it?
Can you drink from it?
Is there a ‘real’ cup or just a mental image of a cup?
Is the content of the mental image (the cup) ‘real’?
No real cup, only a mental image.... the content not real... only a thought. But heres something I've been pondering. We dont go about life ignoring contents of thoughts, in reality a lot of times its important, because you remember things to do, etc. So content of thoughts are the story of the character no?, so for him its important to follow trough on those content sometimes? I understand most of the time, thoughts are just stories of what ifs... imaginations, things we worry that never happen.... but still.
"Here is a cup" is the thought; the ensuing thoughts of what a cup is and does, what it is made from etc are the content of that thought. What do those thoughts point to exactly? Do they point to colour, taste, smell, sensation or sound? Or do they simply point to actual experience of thought and thought only?
They point as AE of the thought, just a story that develops after the initial thought. One thought on top of the other.
So thoughts and mental images are actual experience only as arising thoughts (words and mental image), their ‘presence’ cannot be denied. However their contents, what they are about, what they are pointing to (like the cup) are not ‘real’, they are just fantasies. Can you see this?
Yes! Thank you.... the AE of thought is where the 'fantasy' starts no?... only 'real' (not even that, but for sake of a conversation) would be the thought or mental image.... I see this as first theres a thought, then that one has a chain connected, that will bring a story on eventually if theres no awareness of it being just a thought.... but again K, sometimes these mental rumiations, even fantasy's, lead to doing something important in life... planning something, figuring out a problem.... all those scenarios would be fantasy land, but necessary no?... how does one reconcile this with these non-dual conversations?
Over the course of the next day or so, I'd like you to notice the content of thoughts. Whenever there is an arising thought or mental image, check whether its content (what it’s about, what it is pointing to) is REALLY happening, or the content is just pure imagination. Let me know how it goes.
Hi Kay! Ive waited a few days to check back in with you because I wanted to give this exercise time. I found this exercise really interesting and have implemented in my daily practice... It has helped me to 'detach' from the fantasy of thought, content.... the part that becomes a story. ts really powerful, have to say. So answering to your question, only AE is the thought, the content is the imagination/fantasy what if part, the story part. Sometimes I guess these ruminations are necessary like I mentioned before, to plan things or analyze a problem, so that fantasy part could become a reality no? If it serves to resolve something, or figure out something.... but overall, its helps to detach and 'be here now'. So thank you for this one. This has been a big problem of mine, these daydreams or ruminations, sometimes like a torment, so I plan to continue this one exercise.
Thank you.
