Clarity

[Seamist]

Fab!
and...
Does thought make any contact with other kinds of sense experience, such as sounds or sensations – or are they totally separate from each other?
xx

[Plant31]

They are totally separate. Senses, sensations and thoughts are totally separate. x


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[Seamist]

Great, Becca!
For a moment take note of exactly what is being experienced in this moment: Notice all sound, all sensation, all smell, all taste, all colour. Notice how you're making absolutely no effort to be aware of them. And notice that you're not making them happen. You're not conducting the orchestra of experience that you're aware of. And notice that thought is exactly the same as the rest of experience. You're effortlessly aware of it, but you're not orchestrating it. You're not even orchestrating the thoughts which say that you're able to orchestrate thoughts
Let me know your response
xx

[Plant31]

Yes. It’s all happening in one moment as one, hearing outside noises known as traffic and wind, seeing shapes and colours known as furniture, feelings of solid and tingling sensations in the body where it meets clothing, the chair etc, there is no one making this experience happen. It’s just happening without an orchestrator.
It feels as though the experiences are felt, heard and seen through a mind. But I can’t find a mind, just awareness of experience. The awareness part feels inside my head. Then I try to examine the concept of head and can only find sensation. There is an expansive feeling.

Thank you so much for your guidance x


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[Seamist]

Morning Becca

It feels as though the experiences are felt, heard and seen through a mind. But I can’t find a mind, just awareness of experience. The awareness part feels inside my head. Then I try to examine the concept of head and can only find sensation.

good.
Let’s examine the solidity of the head.

Press a finger down onto the top of the ‘head’.
Notice what is actually present.
Is it a head, or is it just a sensation labelled ‘pressure’ and a story ABOUT a head?
Do the same with a finger on each side of the head.
Is a head actually found, or are there just sensations again?
And is there anything between the pressure points, or is it just a thought that says there must be something between them?

xx

[Seamist]

PS, I'll be away over the weekend, so may not be able to post again until monday xx

[Plant31]

Thanks Sioned.
Yes, it’s just a sensation that feels more dense.

Do the same with a finger on each side of the head.
Is a head actually found, or are there just sensations again?
There are just sensations and a thought that there are hands or pressure on my head. The experience seems to take place in the ‘head’ area.

And is there anything between the pressure points, or is it just a thought that says there must be something between them? I can’t find anything in between them. Just a thought or belief that there is something there.

My heart started to race. Doubts and some fearful thoughts came up but quickly went too. It can be a little confusing as it feels alien to the way I’ve experienced life up until this point.

I really want to carry on the process and want to truly know the illusion. I will keep looking.

Thank you. Have a lovely weekend away.


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[Plant31]

Hi Sioned.
Hope you enjoyed your break. I had some lovely insights this weekend. Whilst out running, thoughts were present commenting on something I can’t remember now then there was a realisation that although the chatty mind is present there is no one in control. Running was just happening. Made me laugh out loud!
Also had some wonderful meditations where I felt completely aware of my true being. So exquisitely beautiful. Pure peace. It feels so present right now. There were occasions where I thought I was sat for 10 minutes but it was almost an hour. I felt like pure consciousness.
Thank you for guidance. I re-read all our posts again and there was a deeper understanding. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you xx


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[Seamist]

HI Becca,
So very lovely to read your posts!Wonderful that your realisations are spreading into the rest of your life: I love it!

I'd like you to do some further exploration of the body:
Sit with eyes closed for about 15 minutes.
Paying attention only to the pure sensations, without relying on thoughts or mental images:
Can it be known how tall the body is?
Does the body have a weight or volume?
In the actual experience does the body have a shape or a form?
Is there a boundary between the body and the clothing?
Is there a boundary between the body and the chair?
Is there an inside or an outside?
If there is an inside - the inside of what exactly?
If there is an outside - the outside of what exactly?
What does the word/label ‘body’ ACTUALLY refer to?
What is the ACTUAL experience of the body?
Look very carefully, especially with the last question. Take your time, don’t rush. You can look several times during the day while doing other things (like washing hands, showering, having a short break from work, walking, etc) before replying.

xx

[Plant31]

Can it be known how tall the body is? No, the edges are blurry
Does the body have a weight or volume? It doesn’t feel like it, just gross sensations in parts. It actually feels very light.
In the actual experience does the body have a shape or a form? No, actual experience expands beyond the form. There are only sensations in different parts.
Is there a boundary between the body and the clothing? No, they merge into one.
Is there a boundary between the body and the chair? No, again they merge.
Is there an inside or an outside? There seems to be more of an inside than an outside as all experience seems to come from within, but on looking for an inside this can’t be found.
If there is an inside - the inside of what exactly? Can’t find anything.
If there is an outside - the outside of what exactly? There is no outside.
What does the word/label ‘body’ ACTUALLY refer to? A seen figure and collection of parts that move. A constructed idea in thought.
What is the ACTUAL experience of the body? Direct experience is seeing parts of the body move, hearing sounds and smells that are made, tasting in the mouth, feeling sensations within in more gross and subtle ways in different areas.



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[Seamist]

Hi Becca
Really lovely noticing. Well done

Please find a quiet place and a quiet time.
Sit or lay down and relax. Close your eyes and relax.
Can you attend to sensation exclusively?
Not minding thought babbling about this and that?
Not minding thought labelling sensation for a bit?
Thought may tell: "I am lying here" or "My body is lying here" or "A body is lying here".
But could this be known from pure sensation?
Thought might suggest: "There is a soft pressure against the back".
But could you know about "pressure" or "back" from pure sensation?
Once arrived there, while ONLY attending to sensation, please have a look at the following questions:
Can be known how tall the body is?
Does the body have a specific size, shape or weight?
How many toes are there?

xx

[Plant31]

Thank you Sioned.

Can you attend to sensation exclusively? Not always.
Not minding thought babbling about this and that? Yes that’s ok.
Not minding thought labelling sensation for a bit? Yes, this happens and then doesn’t happen.
Thought may tell: "I am lying here" or "My body is lying here" or "A body is lying here".
But could this be known from pure sensation? No, nothing can be known about the shape of the body, only sensation.
Thought might suggest: "There is a soft pressure against the back".
But could you know about "pressure" or "back" from pure sensation? You can only know clusters of sensations.

Once arrived there, while ONLY attending to sensation, please have a look at the following questions:
Can it be known how tall the body is? No, not at all. There is no top or bottom.
Does the body have a specific size, shape or weight? No, nothing, it’s all space.
How many toes are there? It can’t be known without looking.

Thank you x



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[Seamist]

Hi

nothing can be known about the shape of the body, only sensation.
Thought might suggest: "There is a soft pressure against the back".
But could you know about "pressure" or "back" from pure sensation? You can only know clusters of sensations.

lovely!
all great noticing, in fact.
Here is an even deeper investigation of the body. Please follow each step, don't leave out any. Take your time. Don't move to the next step until the previous one is clearly seen. Repeat the exercise several times.
Stand in front of a bigger mirror.
(1) First, close the eyes and feel the sensations labelled ‘body’.
(2) Then open the eyes and look into the mirror while still paying attention to the sensations.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations and the image in the mirror?
Or just thoughts (and/or mental images) suggest that there is?
(3) While still paying attention to the sensations move one hand and observe the movement from the mirror.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations (labelled ‘hand’) and image of movement in the mirror?
(4) Now do the same movement with the hand, but this time look at the hand directly, not from the mirror.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations (labelled ‘hand’) and the image ‘of movement’? Or only thoughts suggest it?
(5) Now, pay attention only to the image in the mirror.
Does the image by itself suggest in any way that is ‘you’ or ‘your body’?
Does the image itself suggest in any way that it is a ‘body’ at all?
Or are there only colours and shapes?
(6) Where the mirror ends, some parts of the body (probably legs) cannot be seen.
Just by the image in the mirror, is there any ‘knowledge’ that there must be legs, or only thoughts and mental images suggest so?
(7) Now turn away from the mirror and look forward (don’t look directly to any body parts).
Is there a ‘body’ anywhere when all thoughts and images are ignored, or are there only sensations?

xx

[Plant31]

Is there any connection between the felt sensations and the image in the mirror?
No, the image is completely separate to sensations. However, there are thoughts about where sensations are felt more strongly that it is connected to a different focus on the image.
Or just thoughts (and/or mental images) suggest that there is? Just thoughts.
(3) While still paying attention to the sensations move one hand and observe the movement from the mirror.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations (labelled ‘hand’) and image of movement in the mirror?
No, this felt strange as there was no connection to the moving arm and felt sensation.
(4) Now do the same movement with the hand, but this time look at the hand directly, not from the mirror.
Is there any connection between the felt sensations (labelled ‘hand’) and the image ‘of movement’? Or only thoughts suggest it? Only thoughts. This was amazing to do and realise. There was no connection.
(5) Now, pay attention only to the image in the mirror.
Does the image by itself suggest in any way that is ‘you’ or ‘your body’?
Does the image itself suggest in any way that it is a ‘body’ at all? No it’s just an image.
Or are there only colours and shapes? Its just an image of colours and shapes.
(6) Where the mirror ends, some parts of the body (probably legs) cannot be seen.
Just by the image in the mirror, is there any ‘knowledge’ that there must be legs, or only thoughts and mental images suggest so? Just thoughts that say there are legs.
(7) Now turn away from the mirror and look forward (don’t look directly to any body parts).
Is there a ‘body’ anywhere when all thoughts and images are ignored, or are there only sensations? There are only sensations some more gross than others.

x



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[Seamist]

Hi Becca
Good noticing once again. And it sounds like you found the exploration interesting. Great!
Continuing on the current theme of the body, next...

Start to walk slowly.
Is there a ‘body walking’, or are there only sensations?
Is there actual experience of ‘walking’ at all?
Or just THOUGHTS ABOUT ‘walking’?
Can such a thing as ‘body’ be found OR just THOUGHTS ABOUT a ‘body’?
Can such a thing as ‘walking’ be found?

xx