First of all, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas time with your closest ones!
Yes, it's an astonishing conclusion, isn't it?... 'other' thoughts were still in some way related to myself or from myself. Always reinforcing me as a story in a sense.
All thoughts are directly or undirectly reinforcing a sense of self!
A lifetime building up a conceptual identity, a referential point to whom everything happens!
Where can that referential point (Sev) be found?
Use direct experience (the 5 senses) to locate that referential point.
A few minutes every day, before sleep or just upon awakening, to look within for that Sev entity. Where is it?
In addition, let's look in more detail into the nature of thoughts.
This exercise has a dual purpose. Firstly, to become aware of each and every though as they appear. Secondly, the careful looking for the gap is an example of how carefully to look when looking for the ‘separate self’.
Here is a step-by-step description of how to look at thoughts. First thing is to sit for at least 10-15 minutes quietly somewhere, several times throughout your day. Close your eyes and just notice thoughts. Don’t engage with any thought, just notice them.
1. Notice the current thought that is present.
Like when you sit observing the body, a thought might arise “this is my feet” or “here is a pain” or “my breathing is too
quick” or “I am bored with this exercise” or “I have better things to do” or any sorts of thoughts.
2. This thought will pass and another thought will come. So just observe this thought passing.
3. Then wait for the next thought to come.
4. When the next thought is present, just notice it, and see how it passes.
5. Then wait for the next thought to come.
6. Repeat #4 and #5 many-many times.
Between the 2 thoughts there is a gap. It can be very short or subtle, just a second or a few seconds before the next thought come in. This is how to look at thoughts:
Looking how they come and go, and
Observing the short gap between them.
Noticing how the current thought is passing.
And waiting for the next thought to come.
Throughout your waking day, try to observe the gap between thoughts as often as possible. It can be done by noticing that ‘thinking’ is happening right now, then stop and just simply wait for the next thought to come. In the ‘waiting’ there is a gap between two thoughts.
Let me know how you go.
Warmly,
Atmajnani
