Who am I?

[countrylife]

Hi again Cheryl,

However, is 'an apple' actually known? (Or is it just a label?) Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’? Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

The 'apple' is as you said. A shape/colour with a thought labeling it. 'apple' cannot be found in experience.

I have actually been observing in that manner. Thoughts are seen as thoughts, emotions as sensations with a label, sights as shapes with a thought, sounds as sound with a thought.

To provide an example however:

A sensation on my back - sensation
"The sun is warming my back" - thought
A sound of a playful cry - sound
"My niece is crying or she's playing?" - thought
Pressure in my chest - sensation
"There is anxiety" - thought, sensation (aka emotion)
Fingers typing on the screen, text appearing on a white background - sight, colour

As mentioned earlier there is a lot less noise today. Moments with my partner are much less sticky than they usually are. We were having a little argument today and I was much less reactive. Everything was experienced the same but there was the awareness of it all. 'Anger' was seen and it soon went away. An understanding is here which is felt. A kind of knowing that experience is happening and a feeling of being is present. An awareness of I.

[countrylife]

It seems we are on page 2 now, how exciting.

[CherylVT]

Dear Simon,

I have actually been observing in that manner. Thoughts are seen as thoughts, emotions as sensations with a label, sights as shapes with a thought, sounds as sound with a thought.

I'm glad to hear that you've already been practicing with Direct Experience.

Two pointers:

You say

emotions as sensations with a label

An emotion is sensation plus thought. Please notice that a label is a thought.
Look at emotions. What do you experience?
Little, passing emotions are sufficient for this exercise. Little emotions are also a good practice because they are not overwhelming. Report what you find.

sights as shapes with a thought

Sight is essentially color. Shape is a thought (a concept). Can you see this?

Till soon,
Cheryl

[countrylife]

An emotion is sensation plus thought. Please notice that a label is a thought.
Look at emotions. What do you experience?
Little, passing emotions are sufficient for this exercise. Little emotions are also a good practice because they are not overwhelming. Report what you find.

A sensation in the body and a thought that attempts to make something out of it. "This is anxiety, I am anxious because..." but that doesn't matter because thought content is not real. A story that cannot be seen in direct experience.

Sight is essentially color. Shape is a thought (a concept). Can you see this?

Yes it is colour and a thought trying to explain it. Life is much more fresh when seen directly, thoughts cause everything to be too organized and not really seen as they are.

I will try to be more clear with my words. Thanks again Cheryl!

Regards,
Simon

[countrylife]

From direct experience there is the sensation of an I. Behind the eyes and a bit lower, there is the sense of I. A me. Upon investigating it is found to be a sensation and a thought. Then there is emptiness. Nobody to be found.

[CherylVT]

Dear Simon,

Very good.
Very specific looking to notice where the sensation of "I" is located.

Just for fun, check out "me." Where is "me" located?
Say "Me. Me. Me."
Where is "me" felt?

I'll ask questions about fear tomorrow.

By the way, i'm on Eastern time in the United States--GMT-5

Cheryl

[CherylVT]

Dear Simon,

A couple of posts ago, i said,

Please notice that a label is a thought.

Hopefully you agree that you can only be 100% certain by looking.

One of the things that veils DE is the phenomena of labeling

Here is something Ilona wrote about labeling
https://markedeternal.blogspot.com/search?q=labels

Just to be crystal-clear, let’s use DE with seeing and hearing, one more time.

As you are sitting responding to this post describe……

What are you are seeing? (without labels.)

What are you are hearing? (without labels.)

Smiling,
Cheryl

[countrylife]

What are you are seeing? (without labels.)

Colour appearing on the screen, then it goes and returns. A thought saying "with eyes closed there is darkness" but in DE it is experienced as seen and unseen.

What are you are hearing? (without labels.)

Any attempt at this seems to stem from the mind. The sound of "water" but "water" is a concept. In DE there is colour moving quickly which is labelled as "water". The sound of "breathing" is just another concept.

[CherylVT]

Thank you Simon.

And now, the subject of fear and anxiety.

Fear serves to protect the imaginary self from harm. In this case it protects “you” from changing and losing your ”humanity”. But let’s be clear here… why would the absence of something that has NEVER existed cause a change in existing stuff?
You probably believed in Santa when you were little. There was magic and joy, and love, and giving, and caring. When you realised that Santa is not real (I hope you did :) ), did Christmas change? Did the spirit of Christmas disappear or just the belief in Santa?
Please sit and examine this carefully. Sit with this fear and allow it to be there. See what it is really protecting and if it is necessary.
Please let me know what you find.

Fear serves to protect the imaginary self from harm. In this case it protects “you” from changing and losing your “humanity”, “your” memories, “your SELF”-expression. But were they ever yours to begin with? Life expresses itself - that's it! "We" are part of this expression. In some way, we get the idea that we are life and we do things such as writing, loving, caring etc. But let’s be clear here… why would the absence of something that has NEVER existed cause a change in existing stuff?

Sit with this fear and allow it to be there. See what it is really protecting and if it is necessary. Please let me know what you find.

Love,
Cheryl

[countrylife]

why would the absence of something that has NEVER existed cause a change in existing stuff?

It cannot be found in experience.

Please let me know what you find.

Nothing. Just what is in direct experience.

But were they ever yours to begin with?

No "I" can be found. It is only found in thought.

Luckily I did know Santa doesn't exist otherwise we'd have an awkward conversation ahead of us.

I feel there is an expectation of a big event, something that will shift this belief out of existence. As though what is plain in view is not enough, there needs to be more, something special to make this searching come to an end. It is seen as thought and sensation, but yet no shift, no realization. Is there anything else beyond being?

Thanks again, Cheryl.

[CherylVT]

Dear Simon,

You say

I feel there is an expectation of a big event

Everyone has some “idea” about awakening. There is so much information out there now with so many people sharing their experiences, and “teachers” preaching how it supposed to look and feel, that to have no expectations is almost impossible.

Your expectation is very typical and normal, but ultimately, expectations are a hindrance. They cling to an idea of how it is supposed to go, which is not necessarily correct, and this is why I asked you to read the FAQ’s of what Liberation Unleashed is NOT. When realisation happens, it can be very subtle and if there are expectations of any kind, then it can be missed and the guiding becomes very difficult. I can promise you there will be no fireworks; it is just a subtle shift in perception! The only true expectation, that you can have, is that the seeking will end. If there are any other expectations, it's good to acknowledge them and then set them aside. It is all much simpler and ordinary.

A few days ago, you mentioned anxiety. Before we move on, do you have any further questions about anxiety, fear, or worry? How do you cope with anxiety now?

Love,
Cheryl

[countrylife]

do you have any further questions about anxiety, fear, or worry? How do you cope with anxiety now?

It is experienced as a sensation and a thought. There is no attachment because there is nobody to attach to!

So thanks for clarifying that and the great pointers.

[countrylife]

"I" went through the FAQ’s of what Liberation Unleashed is NOT again and "I" will keep it in mind.

[CherylVT]

Dear Simon,

Let’s have a look at the idea of control, choice and decisions. Please explore the two exercises below and report your findings.

1. Hold a hand in front of you; palm turned down. Now turn the palm up. And down...and up and so on.
2. Put two objects that you like in front of you (e.g. a cup of coffee and a glass of juice), then pick up one or the other, while paying attention to the whole process of choosing.
Watch like a hawk. Don't go to thoughts, examine the actual experience. Do this as many times as you like, and each time inquire…
How is the movement controlled?
Does a thought control it?
Can a ‘controller’ or and entity that is choosing be located?
How is the decision made to turn the hand over? Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over.

If there is ‘here’ or ‘there’, there must be a refence point, right? Without center, “I” there is no reference point, hence no location. ‘Location’ (left, right, up, down, etc.) is a label, ‘here’ and ‘there’ are labels for various things (hearing, seeing, sensing).

So, is there a choice or just cause and effect playing out?


Love,
Cheryl

[countrylife]

How is the movement controlled?

Movement takes place. Colour moves, the mind labels it as "moving my fingers". That is just a label. In reality there is colour moving. No doer.

Does a thought control it?

No. It labels it. Narrates it and takes ownership of it.

Can a ‘controller’ or and entity that is choosing be located?

No. Just like right now there is text appearing on the screen and fingers are typing but there is no doer. There is just doing and thought claiming ownership.

How is the decision made to turn the hand over? Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over.

None can be found. The action happens and thought follows.

So, is there a choice or just cause and effect playing out?

There is no choice in direct experience. There is just doing so cause and effect.