Exploring reality, with much fun and curiosity

[Mothership]

Oooohhh! It makes me feel really sad admitting this! But I maybe you're right, as I have so much going on atm. I'm really sad 'cos what I'm getting from you does mean alot to me, I've been thinking "its all labels" heaps the last few days, and did abit of a dive into "well maybe the concept of I/me is just a label" too, that gets that weird feeling going again, abit milder now. So I can sense something happening, was meaning to write to you earlier today to talk about it, but been too busy...

I seem to have this "thing" where when something really useful spiritually comes along I get distracted or busy with too much to do, or have too many amazing options that I get confused or overwhelmed and end up back near where I began. It's definitely a pattern that I've been struggling with the last few years. An now I have 2 big things that I'm committed to(selling the house & travelling overseas) that are making me so busy, just when I'm starting to see something of what you're saying. I fell abit desperate/despairing just writing it.

If I stop with you now I think I'll feel like I kinda missed the boat... But maybe I need to be practical. Maybe its a lesson I need, to be very careful what I take on.

I don't want you to feel like I'm wasting you're time. Mind if I just message you with any fresh experiences every couple of days until things settle down here? When I'm in Portugal I'll be working 5 hours a day so should have more time then. Or would you rather we put this on hold until I'm back home in October? I will leave it to you, I'm too tired and unclear right now.

kind regards,
Oli

[Nikinutter]

Hi Oli,

I seem to have this "thing" where when something really useful spiritually comes along I get distracted or busy with too much to do, or have too many amazing options that I get confused or overwhelmed and end up back near where I began.

This is an important insight. Seeing through the illusion of self is like seeing through the illusion that there never was any Santa Claus. Often with that awakening to reality and what is actually here now is seeing that our life has been full of conditions and patterns that have kept us trapped.

I've been thinking "its all labels" heaps the last few days, and did abit of a dive into "well maybe the concept of I/me is just a label" too, that gets that weird feeling going again, abit milder now.

This, right here. It's all labels and the more you can be with that "weird" feeling and look at what's actually here now the easier it is to see. We can keep going if you desire, but every possible chance you get look at what is actually going on without the labels. When you get moments try these two exercises and see if anything shifts for you more.

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 red colour ‘experienced’ or is colour green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?
Do the labels have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’?
Or do the labels suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?
Is green-ness an inherent attribute of the ‘experience’ of the red colour; or is green just a
word label on the experience of the red colour?
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?

And

Bring up a thought about a character labelled "friend".
Then bring up a thought about a character labelled "stranger".
Compare these thoughts.
Is there a difference in these thoughts?
Is there a true difference or is it just different content?
Now, bring up a thought about a character labelled "friend".
After that, look at a thought about the character labelled "me”.
Is there a difference?
Is there anything special about thoughts with the content "me-character"?

With warmth, Nic

[Mothership]

Its funny but when I read

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN’, what is the actual experience?
Is the red colour ‘experienced’ or is colour green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

i felt confused, but couldn't work it out, until I read the rest, then realised the colour of the word GREEN was confusing me, 'cos it was 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?

Here I don't quite get this. When I replace 'green' with 'good' or 'bad' for me, the colour is there only to highlight the words so it has little effect, so the red is neither good or bad, its just an highlighter.

In the friend/stranger exercise I could hardly differentiate between the feeling of either, I treat all people as equal, or at least that's what's in my mind when dealing with people, respect. But I did notice the difference between friend and me. Lol! There's still lotsa self-awarenesss or self-centredness in me! Think the thought behind that feeling was something like "without 'me' I have no thinking & no awareness so no awareness of others, so I need 'me' its important." Not sure how that relates to our conversation.

kind regards,
Oli

[Nikinutter]

Hi Oli,

I'm going to get back to you in the next couple of days. I've been away and wasn't aware my cell phone signal would be so spotty!

Nic

[Mothership]

Hi Nic,

No problem, hope you have a good time away. I had 2 interesting happenings yesterday and the day before. Both times it was me considering things like, "if I is a label, then what am I really?" and "What are we really?" Didn't seem quite as intense as first time earlier but am starting to be aware of its potential, it was loosening my view of reality.

I've changed my travel plans, now going on August 7. It all seemed too busy & frantic, got the sense it wasn't right, I was loosing my centre. Am only going for 3.5 weeks now so I can give more time to things here especially reflecting on your posts here. I plan to keep posting here as long as you keep responding. I see that this is so useful to help me wake up fully, that is what I really want. And I've really appreciated all time you have put in to point things out to me.

Kind regards,
Oli

[Nikinutter]

Hi Oli,

Thank you, I did have a good time away!

i felt confused, but couldn't work it out, until I read the rest, then realised the colour of the word GREEN was confusing me, 'cos it was red.

Right, so does the label "green" change your experience of the colour red? Or is it just a label?

Here I don't quite get this. When I replace 'green' with 'good' or 'bad' for me, the colour is there only to highlight the words so it has little effect, so the red is neither good or bad, its just an highlighter.

I hear what your saying but that's all thought. Let's go to direct experience and put aside all thought. When you read the labels "green", "good" "bad" is your experience of the colour red changed in any way? Or is the colour red experienced despite the labels?

There's still lotsa self-awarenesss or self-centredness in me! Think the thought behind that feeling was something like "without 'me' I have no thinking & no awareness so no awareness of others, so I need 'me' its important.

What is this"me" that you need and think is important? When looked in direct experience can you find "me"? Do you need "me" to function? Don't go to thought to answer but direct experience.

Let me know how that goes!
With warmth, Nic

[Nikinutter]

Both times it was me considering things like, "if I is a label, then what am I really?" and "What are we really?" Didn't seem quite as intense as first time earlier but am starting to be aware of its potential, it was loosening my view of reality

.
These are great questions! Don't stop with the question but see if you can answer them. What are "you"... what are "we" really? That is where the juice is.

I plan to keep posting here as long as you keep responding. I see that this is so useful to help me wake up fully, that is what I really want. And I've really appreciated all time you have put in to point things out to me.

Sounds good, I'll keep pointing the best I can!

[Mothership]

Right, so does the label "green" change your experience of the colour red? Or is it just a label?

Its just a label.

Let's go to direct experience and put aside all thought. When you read the labels "green", "good" "bad" is your experience of the colour red changed in any way? Or is the colour red experienced despite the labels?

No, there's no experience of the colour red.

What is this"me" that you need and think is important? When looked in direct experience can you find "me"? Do you need "me" to function? Don't go to thought to answer but direct experience.

Ejah! What is the me that I need to experience all with... Without labels I get a pumping in what I call my heart and abit of a sinking or inward pressure in the heart area. What is me? I know definitely that there is experiencing happening and I'm the experiencer, but what am I? Maybe consciousness, or awareness? Hard to really know...

regards,
Oli

[Mothership]

So 'me' is just a label, but under the label there is a something that is witnessing and experiencing it all, thats what i was meaning before. Just what that thing I've labeled 'me' really is I find hard to really know.

[Nikinutter]

Wow, finally able to log on! The site has been giving me serious troubles. I posted a reply to you, saw that it posted but now I see that it didn't :(I have a busy work day but will get back to you soon as I can given the constraints of the site at this time. It seems to be cashing a lot on my end. If I don't reply it's not because I don't want to, it's because I'm having troubles doing so. Hopefully they'll be able to work out the bugs with it soon.

[Nikinutter]

Hi Oli,

No, there's no experience of the colour red.

Look again. What is actually experienced when you read the word "Green" and don't go to thought only use direct experience.

Without labels I get a pumping in what I call my heart and abit of a sinking or inward pressure in the heart area. What is me? I know definitely that there is experiencing happening and I'm the experiencer, but what am I?

Stay with that pumping feeling in the heart area. Yes, experience is happening, but is there really a "me" experiencing it? Or is experience just happening and there really is no one behind the wheel?

So 'me' is just a label, but under the label there is a something that is witnessing and experiencing it all, thats what i was meaning before. Just what that thing I've labeled 'me' really is I find hard to really know.

Yes, me is just a label, I'm glad that's clear. Kind of like Santa Clause or the tooth fairy that we've all once believed in. So if that's true what actually is this witnesser that you've taken to be "me"? It is hard to know but try to describe it the best you can.

With warmth, Nic

[Mothership]

Hi Nic,

Really sorry for not replying earlier, its been a month since your last email. I went away for 2 weeks and couldn't login through my phone's web browser, then when got home I'd look at it occasionally meaning to reply but just didn't for some reason. Feeling abit bad for that.

Hey I've really appreciated all the things you've said to me, they've certainly made me think heaps about who am I and what really is "I" and the way we label things, but at the moment I don't think I'm in the space to do your wonderful support justice. Maybe I need to be abit more desperate like you said you were when you opened to this teaching. I have really appreciated the small "look in" to non dual teachings that you've given me and I hope I will come back to this. But its just not the right time for me atm. I don't want to waste your time further so I'll withdraw from our conversation for the time being.

Many blessing on all your future coaching & pointing out.

Oli Love