If I read something (for example - A revolutionary call to arms)
& then go out & kill some people because of what I’ve read. Where is the narrator here or cause/effect? What instigated this action. Who is responsible?
Where is a narrator found? Using direct looking?
The voice of thoughts?
Do thoughts have voice? Make a sound which can be heard, direct experience?
Have a look at these questions and then check by direct experience:
Where are they coming from and going to?
I have explored this a few times throughout the day & this question makes me feel like I’m going a bit insane! Lol
These questions come up
Do my thoughts just appear out of nothing? I cannot feel them, I cannot hear them
I look & cannot find a source
I hear the sounds of motorbike drive past outside. This triggers a thought.
Are my thoughts a reaction, created as a response to sensory input?
But then daydreams don’t seem to be directly related to the present sensory input.
Often appearing quite randomly & incongruent
Judgements of situation & others don't seem to obviously or directly relate to present sensory input.
Judgements seem to come about from established belief systems, thoughts on thoughts on thoughts.
Did you do anything to make a particular thought or thoughts appear?
No
It sometimes appears this way
E.g. I need to have a think about moving house, so i think about moving house
But what I ask myself, what was behind this initial thought? It just appears. Volition, inspiration, regret.
Could you have done anything to make a different thought appear at that exact moment instead?
No, because you said the words (at that exact moment) it simplified the question for me.
Investigating with direct experience
There is nothing I can do to make different thoughts appear in this exact moment.
I observe that I can sink into familiar patterns of thought but I have no control over this.
Something might grab my attention from outside like a bird or from inside like a body ache. Again, completely out of my control or even influence
Can you predict your next thought?
Absolutely not
Can you select from a range of thoughts to have only pleasant thoughts?
No
Can you choose not to have painful, negative or fearful thoughts?
No
Can you pick and choose any kind of thought?
No
Is it possible to prevent a thought from appearing?
No - but if you know how to do this, please let me know! lol
It seems that thought has some logical ordered appearance, but look carefully and just notice if there is an organised sequence? Or is that just another thought that says ‘these thoughts are in sequence’ or “they take content from previous thought”, or that ‘one thought follows another thought’?
No, no logic
Rabbit holes - Flying down very fast
Going straight at times - seems like logic
But then darting off in every direction
random - very random
It’s weird how some thoughts are persistent, they keep coming back in the cycle
Are you the thinker of thoughts?
I used to think yes, but after these questions I don't think I can be
"I am a deep thinker?"
Mmmmmm
There is a ‘me’ that is trying to work all this stuff out…..
But i cannot sense the ‘me’ with direct experience.
So what is the ‘me’ that’s trying to make it through this maze?
Is there a narator?
No
Just thoughts
But I'm trying to get to the bottom of the 'me'
Who is the 'me' trying to do all this work with you.
It's (narrator) is now presenting as a feeling
Where is a narrator found? Using direct looking?
Again, using direct looking, nothing
but something is still there
It feels a little bit like I'm going in circles
Much Love
