Clarity

[Seamist]

Hi Becca

I know through inquiry that there is no thinker.

that's right, there is just thinking.

I had a horrible couple of hours earlier today where the critical voice became very critical and it felt very real.

I'm sorry to hear this - were the critical thoughts connected to he inquiry in any way? Or a separate thing?

And what is it that can be lost IN the thinking mind? I’m not sure I know what this question means.

Ok
somewhere you had said

sometimes...I'm getting lost in the thinking mind"

unfortunately I'm now having trouble finding where.
So the question is about that - what is this thing that gets lost in the thinking mind?
xx

[Seamist]

How are you doing?
xxx

[Plant31]

Hi Sioned,
Sorry for the delay. I meant to reply on Friday but it was such a rush and then I was away in a forest and had no signal all weekend, so apologies if you were concerned.

Were the critical thoughts connected to he inquiry in any way? Or a separate thing?
No it was a separate thing, a pattern that has been with me for a long time about not being good enough (mainly at work in group situations).

So the question is about that - what is this thing that gets lost in the thinking mind?
This is another really good question as it would appear that I’m saying there is a me that can get lost. I see that there isn’t a me at all to get lost. It’s just more thoughts arising about getting lost!! Thank you Sioned.
xx


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[Seamist]

Hi Becca
Glad to hear from you. I was concerned that you might have become discouraged.

So the question is about that - what is this thing that gets lost in the thinking mind?
This is another really good question as it would appear that I’m saying there is a me that can get lost. I see that there isn’t a me at all to get lost. It’s just more thoughts arising about getting lost!!

Yes, so there's something there to explore further, isn't there? A belief, a view, concepts. Good that we know that now.

Try this:
Look at whatever is in front of you. It is seen from the perspective of two windows (eyes) or is it like a windscreen view? Now zoom back in and try to find the thing that’s seeing. Is there seeing separate from what’s seen, or is there just what’s seen?
Is there any awareness separate from experience or is there just experience?

xx

[Plant31]

(Yes, so there's something there to explore further, isn't there? A belief, a view, concepts. Good that we know that now.)
Yes, some further inquiry is needed.

Or is it like a windscreen view?
It’s a windscreen view.

Is there seeing separate from what’s seen, or is there just what’s seen?
There is just what’s seen.


Is there any awareness separate from experience or is there just experience?
No there is just awareness. Again this is also quite an ‘eye opener’. Awareness is not separate!

When I asked you about getting rid of thoughts and how I’d made them the enemy. You said it’s not that they go away, it’s just that we place too much importance on them. What then is more important? Feelings? Direct experience? Awareness?

I would have said awareness before, but now I see that awareness is not a thing and is not separate. It just is. It’s always there experiencing. This has really made sense to me. I’m going to sit with this for a while as it feels quite profound xx



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[Seamist]

Hi Becca

now I see that awareness is not a thing and is not separate. It just is. It’s always there experiencing. This has really made sense to me. I’m going to sit with this for a while as it feels quite profound

lovely
do you want a pause here? r another exercise? Let me know
xx

[Plant31]

Hi Sioned, yes it might be good to have another exercise as I feel like I get glimpses but not all the time x


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[Seamist]

ok, here you go:
Find somewhere quiet to sit. Rest for a moment and listen to the sounds in the room where you are, or sounds from outside. Whatever it is, I'll just refer to it as 'what can be heard'.

1) In 'hearing' can anything be found other than 'what can be heard'?
2) Can what is doing the hearing be found? Or is there only 'what can be heard'?
3) An 'I'? a 'body'? a 'person'? a brain? a pair of ears? Can these be found doing the hearing? Or is there just 'what can be heard'?
What do you find?
Can an INHERENT HEARER be found? Would anything that is suggested as the hearer, be anything other than a concept/idea/thought?

xx

[Plant31]

1) In 'hearing' can anything be found other than 'what can be heard'? No.

2) Can what is doing the hearing be found? Or is there only 'what can be heard'? There’s just ‘what can be heard’

3) An 'I'? a 'body'? a 'person'? a brain? a pair of ears? Can these be found doing the hearing? Or is there just 'what can be heard'?
Definitely no ‘I’ or ‘person’ can be found. It appears that sound is coming through the ears into the brain but I don’t believe this to be true. In hearing, it’s the thinking mind that feels like it’s the ‘me’ part. The narrative. Although I know from previous exercises that the thoughts can’t be found, held on to or created so this is just an idea and not reality.

What do you find? Space and sound.

Can an INHERENT HEARER be found? No. It’s just the thoughts that are there.

Would anything that is suggested as the hearer, be anything other than a concept/idea/thought? No, the idea of the ‘thinker’ mind being the hearer is just an idea. It’s tricky with hearing as once sound is heard it seems to be in ‘my’ head. I can see there is no hearer, there is just what’s being heard (sound) recognised by something. But the ‘something’ cannot be found, so the sound is just being heard.



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[Seamist]

Excellent Becca, lovely to read!
Next..
Please close your eyes for this exercise, just notice any ‘mental’ images or thoughts that appear and put them aside.

Place a hand on a desk or table (flat surface) - Close your eyes.
Now 'go to' the feeling/sensation which we would normally refer to as 'hand on desk' and answer from what you can FIND.

1) How many things do you find? Are there two things (hand and desk) or is there one thing – sensation?
2) Can a ‘feeler’ be found in 'what is being felt'?
3) Do you notice 'one thing feeling another thing'? Or is there just 'a sensation'?
4) Do you find an 'I', a body, a hand 'feeling' . . . or is there just 'a sensation'?
What do you find?
Can an INHERENT FEELER be found? Would anything that is suggested as the feeler, be anything other than a concept/idea/thought?

xx

[Plant31]

1) How many things do you find? Are there two things (hand and desk) or is there one thing – sensation?
Just one thing which is sensation.


2) Can a ‘feeler’ be found in 'what is being felt'?
No. Just what’s being felt through sensation.

3) Do you notice 'one thing feeling another thing'? Or is there just 'a sensation'?
Just sensation.

4) Do you find an 'I', a body, a hand 'feeling' . . . or is there just 'a sensation'?
No, nothing other than sensation.

What do you find?
Just lots of different sensations. A heaviness, tingling, fizzing. Although it’s like I can tune in to become more aware of the sensation. The I feels like it’s me but feels like it’s awareness. So am I making awareness the new ‘i’?

Can an INHERENT FEELER be found?
No

Would anything that is suggested as the feeler, be anything other than a concept/idea/thought?
Ah so my last question above was just thought - haha. Feels like I need to be reminded of this one!! Thank you



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[Seamist]

Hi Becca
Awareness happens, but it's not a "thing" - be careful that you're not reifying it - though I can see that you're on the case with this!
Imagine holding sensation in the right hand and thought in the left hand.
Does thought, on the one hand, and sensation, on the other, know about each other?
Is there a link between the two?

2.Imagine sensation and thought are resting on either side of a pair of scales. When sensation is looked at it gets heavier. When thought is looked at it gets heavier.
Is it possible to look at both thought and sensation at the same time to balance the scales?

xx

[Plant31]

Awareness happens, but it's not a "thing" - be careful that you're not reifying it - though I can see that you're on the case with this!

Yes, I do need to keep reminding myself of this as this was a big realisation for me in the last couple of weeks.


1. Imagine holding sensation in the right hand and thought in the left hand.
Does thought, on the one hand, and sensation, on the other, know about each other? No, they can’t.

Is there a link between the two? No, no link as objects unless you say awareness is the link. It’s hard to be aware of them at the same time.

2.Imagine sensation and thought are resting on either side of a pair of scales. When sensation is looked at it gets heavier. When thought is looked at it gets heavier. Yes.

Is it possible to look at both thought and sensation at the same time to balance the scales? In a way but they are then out of focus and not getting full attention. It’s like they are on the periphery of awareness. So maybe the answer would be no they can’t be looked at properly at the same time. It’s a tricky one as it’s not the direct experience so I’m just guessing rather than speaking from experience. Struggled a bit with this one. xx



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[Seamist]

Hi
I'm going to take a few days off guiding as I'm moving house. Back mid-week xxx

[Seamist]

Keep exploring in the meantime xx