Need guidance

[Anastacia42]

Good. There are a couple of follow-up pointers to clarify this.

1. Correct. No "I" is truer.
2. Only Direct Experience is here without labels. Can you see that?
3. No. Labels do not affect experience. There is a pointer for that.
4. Good! Weightlessness relaxation expansion - all of these. Good that you are in touch enough with your body to sense this. Many people aren't.

So, first, look at this:

Here is how to distinguish truth from lies.


We often lie every day & don't realize it.

For example, the grocery clerk asks, "How are you?" You reply, "I'm fine." While, yes. there is a sense in which we are always fine, even in the middle of suffering, at that moment, you were grieving the death of your dog, you had a slight sore throat & you had a headache, but you didn't feel like sharing all of that with the grocery clerk, so you lied, "I'm fine."

Also, it matters none at all how "distant" the remembered lie is. Besides the fact that time itself is fictional, a kind if lie, as we recall the lie it becomes present in this moment, as if it were happening now. This brings the body Sensation that accompanies lying.

Lies can be intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious, even so automatic that we ourselves are fooled.

The story of a separate "self" is a lie.

This is the lie you came here to see through. Therefore, it is helpful to notice the body Sensation of lying as one of the tools for finding the truth of no self.

You want to be in touch with body Sensations & able to clearly express them in words. This will help.

Lies are usually felt in the heart or solar plexus as a contraction that we may label as tight, heavy or tense.

In contrast, truth is usually expansive. We may call it loose, light or relaxed.

First, can you remember a time when you lied to someone you loved?

Here we count anything, lies we think of as "big" or "small" that "matter" or don't "matter."

How are you? I'm fine. No, your knee hurts, but you don't feel like discussing it with the grocery clerk.

It's a lie. A seemingly "bigger" one will work better for this exercise.

Find the lie. I don't need the whole story, just a few key words to refer to it.

Then scan your body for any Sensation (DE or Direct Experience), particularly in the gut or maybe the heart. Check very closely.

What is found?

If you think the memory you used wasn't clear enough, find another one or lie to yourself right now, make something up.

1 + 1 = 14 is a lie.

I love eating worms is (probably) a lie.

Or call up a video of a lying politician & notice what Sensations arise as you listen.

I will give you a clue: it is not that peaceful Sensation you felt before when you omitted "I." (refers to an exercise I gave before this one)

Please report back with what body Sensations (not interpretations) you feel. Bodies can feel hot or cold, heavy or light, contraction or expansion, etc.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

Loving,

[besttorest10]

2. Only Direct Experience is here without labels. Can you see that?
3. No. Labels do not affect experience. There is a pointer for that.

I am not sure if I have understood the queries or followed what they meant. For no. 2, I looked around myself without labeling things. I looked around and tried to understand what it feels like to have no labels or words on mind when looking around. Is that what was meant? Checking.

For question no. 3, I compared this feeling of looking around without labels with how I feel when I look around and name things in mind. Again, is that what was meant or I missed the point? because I don't understand your own answers to those questions either.

I will submit a separate post about lying experiment.

[Anastacia42]

Let the pointers answer your questions. The truth lie pointer is one.

I promise I won't state anything as a fact that cannot be proven in your own experience. Do NOT take my word for it. LOOK using the pointers as a guide to how to do this and what questions to ask.

Here is the one to prove that labels affect nothing:

Label-Reality Correlation

There is a belief that labels have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’. But there isn’t. Just like it is a generally accepted belief that labels like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are inherent characteristics of ‘things’. But actually, they are not.

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests?

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

Let me know what is SEEN.

Loving,

[besttorest10]

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

Red color

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

Color Red

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

It suggests something else that what is here and now.

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

Second one.

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests?

Redness is not affected.

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

No effect on reality.

I said labels affect my experience in the other pointer because I noticed I go blind and instead hear the labels in my own mind only. Like I go to the park, and if I don't know the name of a tree, I actually look at it. But if I know the name of a tree, for instance OAK, the word comes to my mind and I just think automatically, well, I know this tree and don't bother seeing it. Is that clear?

[Anastacia42]

Very clear... is it clear that this is what you do with the label, "self?"

the word comes to my mind and I just think automatically, well, I know this tree and don't bother seeing it.

Loving,

[besttorest10]

Very clear... is it clear that this is what you do with the label, "self?"

I just believed it to be true. So I have never looked.

[besttorest10]

LIES

What is found?

My memories were not sharp enough. I just invented lies and checked my body.

I . I eat babies for lunch (Gut twist)

II. This keyboard in front of me is BLACK. (Slight intestine twist)

III. I am a woman. (Gut Twist)

IV. I am dead. (Slight twist and turn in the lower gut)

V. This coffee is COLD. (Breath stops. Faint sensations in the gut)

VI. Tonight it is super duper cold. (Slight twist in tummy)

V. My name is Joseph. (Gut twist)

VI. I will be stabbed to death NOW. (Teeth Grinding/Gut Twist)

VII. This crying baby is inured. (Gut twist)

VIII. I have many daughters. (Slight turn in tummy)

IX. I am living under the ground. (Pause in breath. Some tension in arms.)

X. It is very very LOUD here. (My tummy twists a bit.)

I noticed that if I tell myself the truth in each of these instances I deeply breathe and let go.

Fascinating.

[Anastacia42]

Yes, exact! In my opinion, we should all know this by the time we're 5 or 6.

Now let's look closely at whether labels affect reality...


Label-Reality Correlation

There is a belief that labels have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’. But there isn’t. Just like it is a generally accepted belief that labels like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are inherent characteristics of ‘things’. But actually, they are not.

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests?

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

Let me know what is SEEN.

Loving,

[Anastacia42]

Oops. Forgive me. I meant to offer...

Actual/Direct Experience - Apple

Have a look at an apple (or any fruit you like.) If you have a ‘real’ apple, you can use it for this exercise. Google for a picture of an apple.



When looking at an apple, there's color; a thought saying ‘apple’; and maybe a thought saying, "I'm looking at an apple."

What is known for sure? Color is known and thoughts are known.

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

Actual experience does not refer to thoughts ABOUT something…because that is only just more thought.

Actual experience is sound, thought, color, smell, taste, sensation and the fact of thought arising, but not its content.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

While these thoughts are known, what they talk ABOUT can't be found in actual experience.

This is what is meant by "looking in actual experience." What you know for sure, and, is always here.

Taste labeled ‘apple’ is known
Color labeled ‘apple’ is known
Sensation labeled ‘apple’ is known (when apple is touched)
Smell labeled ‘apple’ is known
Thought about/of an ‘apple’ is known

However, is an apple actually known?

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

Loving,

[besttorest10]

Hi

I am processing some the exercises I did earlier. And also some fears have come up regarding this process: that if I see there is no self, I'd go crazy, I'd lose control of my life, that I am only a leaf in the wind, etc. So I will get back to you once I am ready to resume the work.

Cheers
Farshad

[Anastacia42]

Good morning

This video is helpful for fear. Repeat until your clear.

https://youtu.be/jKX1llYtlKE?si=Ke28c-hQz6hzyBrK

It us VERY helpful to attend the groups & see that no one there has "lost control" or "gone crazy." We're all just normal people.

I don't recommend trying to do this alone.

We have a couple of support groups that are meeting via teleconference and I'll give you the information on that.

There are 3 meetings.

Vince Shubert runs one on the weekends. Write to vinceschubert@gmail.com for the link & schedule.

Luchana & Lubo run one on Thursdays. Write to Luchana at luchanauzunova@gmail.com

Ilona holds a monthly meeting. Write admin@ilonaciunaite.com for that link & schedule

Loving

[besttorest10]

Hi.
I am back. I did not do the fear video. But today there is no fear present and I felt ready to resume. Voila!

Actual/Direct Experience - Apple

I put an apple in front of me and looked at it. But honestly no thought presented itself. Not even the word apple.

I read through your queries but they were vague and I could not follow.

So what to do now?

[Anastacia42]

Please do the apple pointer.

Quote one question & wait for a reply to arise.Do this with each one.

The questions are not vague. Meditate on each -one at a time.

Welcome back

[Anastacia42]

Please do the apple pointer.

Quote one question & wait for a reply to arise.Do this with each one.

The questions are not vague. Meditate on each -one at a time.

Here's a hint in a movie clip:

https://youtu.be/Ph02o6K2aoo?si=QSttkajPbvyA4gtL

Welcome back

[besttorest10]

So I used a banana in front of me.

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

My thoughts coming up after a while of looking at the banana : "It is yellow. It is delicious. Coming from a tree. Arrived from the Caribbeans, probably."

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

I look at the banana. I don't see "banana" out there in front of me. I don't see any words at all in fact. I just see color, shape and I can smell it too.

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

Like I said above, I don't see any words attached to my actual experience. But there is something out there on the table, of course.

However, is an apple actually known?

Smell, taste, colors, shape, etc are in direct experience. But there is nowhere written banana. Sorry. I am still confused by this question.

I did not watch the video. I don't like hints. I just love to find things for myself.

Farshad