I ask Anastasia42 as guide, please

[Why]

LU is focused guiding for seeing there is no real, inherent 'self' - what do you understand by this?
That what I think I am, my personality, my history, my mind etc. are actually just a delusion. That I do not exist

What are you looking for at LU?
Concrete help along the path to discovering the non-self
I am looking for a guide to help me put an end to the search I have been carrying on all my life.
I've been going it alone but now I realize I need a strong push

What do you expect from a guided conversation?
I expect a guide who can tell me directly what and where to look in order to discover the ultimate reality. I tend to get lost along the way.
I hope for a patient but determined guide who can help me see where I can't or don't want to

What is your experience in terms of spiritual practices, seeking and inquiry?
Books and videos on non-duality

On a scale from 1 to 10, how willing are you to question any currently held beliefs about 'self? 11

[Anastacia42]

Good morning

Happy to help. Below is my usual introduction:

My name is Stacy and I can be your guide, if you would like.

One thing that is helpful is to come to this forum
& post every day. Sometimes the site goes down. It will be back. Just come back later.

Yes, if once in a while you must post later, please post a note telling me when you will return.

If you haven't already read the disclaimer, please read it now and just confirm to me that you have read it. Here is the link.

http://liberationunleashed.com/disclaimer-2/

Also please read “Liberation Unleashed is not …” in the FAQ’s of LU. Here is the link.

http://liberationunleashed.com/about/faq/#faq-1041

Some housekeeping guidelines:

1. Post at least once a day, or every second day. If you need more time, or are unable to post for several days, just write a quick post on your thread to let me know please.

2. There is no one judging answers given, so please be 100% honest in your answers and inquiry.

3. This exploration is based on actual experience (AE) - smell, taste, sound, sensation, color and observed thoughts. Long-winded analytical and philosophical answers are best avoided and may even hinder progress. This is not a self-improvement process. There is no ‘self’ to improve.

4. Put aside all other teachings, philosophies, rituals, practices, books/reading and so on for the remainder of this investigation. Really put all your effort and attention in to seeing this reality, as it is. If you have a daily meditation practice, it is fine to continue that but is not necessary for this exploration.

Technology is not perfect and sometimes there is a glitch which can wipe out your responses. It is advisable that you copy and paste questions asked into Word, answer them there and then copy and paste them to your thread. Always save a copy of what you have done, it will save time in the long run!

To begin with, so that we both become aware of what your expectations are about this exploration. In your own words (not from actual experience, but just honest answers), could you please answer the 4 following questions:

How will life change?
How will you change?
What will be different?
What is missing?

Throughout this exploration I would like you to answer all questions that I have written in blue text. Please answer all questions even if I miss using the blue text.

Please answer questions individually, remembering to use the quote function to highlight the question being answered.

Below is a link to the video with instructions on using the Quote Function. Please watch it. Use the PREVIEW button to make sure your text looks right before you hit "SUBMIT."

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=660

What would you like for me to call you? What time zone are you in, please?


Loving,

[Why]

Hi Stacy and thank you for answering my request!
You can call me Arya and i'm in Belgium
I confirm that I have read the privacy policy and what L.U. is not.
For the rest of what you wrote to me, ok for everything.

How will life change?

Things will continue to be what they are, only I will no longer be there.

How will you change?

More acceptance and love for everything

What will be different?

Just my way of seeing things

What is missing?

Living from the perspective of non-self

Thanks again, your availability is really appreciated!

Arya

[Anastacia42]

Hi Arya

You're quite welcome!

only I will no longer be there.

You're not going to vanish in a puff of smoke. Awareness will be there. You'll just see things differently. We are looking for a shift in perception.


Now what comes up when reading that there is no separate self, never has been, and never will be? That the whole thing was a made up story that we believed.


Loving

[Why]

Good evening Stacy

You're not going to vanish in a puff of smoke. Awareness will be there. You'll just see things differently. We are looking for a shift in perception.

I feel like I can't fully grasp the implications of this, however this concept resonates with me and I'm both happy and scared about it.

Now what comes up when reading that there is no separate self, never has been, and never will be? That the whole thing was a made up story that we believed.

good, I can't wait

Arya

[Why]

sorry, I reversed the answers!

[Anastacia42]

Got it. Good.

This is how to LOOK for no self in the exercises - we call them "pointers' - that we will be doing here:

Colored Socks

There is a big difference between knowing that there is nothing to give up and seeing that there is nothing to give up.

Here is an example to illustrate the difference:

If I ask you what color socks you are wearing right now you have two ways to come up with an answer:

• You can think about it, you can think back to this morning and try to remember putting your socks on, and you can probably tell me what color you think they are.

• Alternatively, you can take a quick look at your socks and tell me what color they actually are!

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

For the purpose of seeing this "no self" idea, it is very important that you are clear about this difference.

Knowing is about knowledge which is all in the mind and we are not interested in that

We are only interested in looking at and seeing what is actually going on in your present moment-to-moment experience. We are only interested in your Direct Experience in the moment..

Direct or Actual Experience is

Seeing
Hearing
Feeling (Sensation, not emotion. Emotion is Sensation plus made-up thoughts & labels)
Tasting
Smelling
Thoughts Arising (but not their content)

Please let me know if you are clear about this or if you would like any further clarification.


Loving

[Why]

Good morning Stacy

Please let me know if you are clear about this or if you would like any further clarification.

yes it is clear

Thanks

[Anastacia42]

Good. Now let's practice this.


Direct Experience - Labeling Daily Activities

Here's an exercise that I would like you to try as many times throughout the day as you can. Label daily activities simply color/image, sound, smell, taste, sensation, thought.

So for example, when having breakfast, become aware of:

Seeing a cup, simply= image/color
Smelling coffee, simply = smell
Feeling the warmth of the coffee cup, simply = sensation
Tasting the coffee, simply = taste
Hearing the spoon stirring the coffee, simply = sound
Thought about drinking the coffee, simply = thought

Just break down daily activities into these categories (which are all Actual/Direct Experience) and report back with lists exactly like the one above.

Post several of your own observations in a list *exactly* like the one above, please.

Refer to the green list of Actual/Direct Experience in the prior post if that helps. Those are the only items any experience can be.

Loving,

[Why]

Hi Stacy!

Post several of your own observations in a list *exactly* like the one above, please.

While driving the car:
Hands on the wheel, simply: sensation
The noise of other cars on the road, simply: sound
The inside of the car, the road, the sky, simply: color
Thinking that I'm late, simply: thought


While eating:
The fork in the hand, simply: sensation
The sound of chewing, simply: sound
Sitting on the chair, simply: sensation
The food in the mouth, simply: taste
Thinking that the food is good, simply: thought

While I hang out the clothes:
The touch of the hand on the clothes, simply: sensation
The sheet hanging on the line, simply: color
The birds singing, simply: sound
The scent of flowers, simply: smell
A thunder in the distance, simply: sound
Thinking that it might rain, simply: thought

As I write this:
The sound of the keys on my cell phone, simply: sound
The touch of my finger on the screen, simply: sensation
My hand, my cell phone, the table, simply: color
The words I want to write, simply: thought

While I wash the dishes:
My hands under the water, simply: sensation
The noise of the dishes while I wash them, simply: sound
Thinking about what to cook tonight, simply: thought
The scent of the soap, simply: smell

Have a good day
Arya

[Anastacia42]

Excellent! Those are exactly right. Here's the next step:



Mind Labeling Experience

Here is an exercise which examines the way in which the mind labels experience - it takes about 20 minutes and you will need a pen a paper.

This exercise is broken into 10 minute lots. For each 10 minute period pay attention to any bodily sensation i.e. is there any tightening, or any relaxing?

For the first ten minutes write down what you are experiencing right now using the word “I”.

For example:

I am sitting on a chair,
I am hearing a clock ticking,
I am looking at a computer screen,
I am feeling hungry.

Get right to the point, no past or future fantasy, just a plain description of your experience right here and now.

Then for the next ten minutes continue writing down what you are experiencing but this time without using the word “I”. Just describe the experience as it is happening using verbs.

For example:

Sitting on a chair,
typing,
breathing,
blinking,
hearing the clock.

(Again, watch what is happening in the body.)

At the end of the twenty minutes compare the two ways in which the experience was labelled and answer the following four questions:

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one?

2. What is here without labels?

3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?

4. Did you notice any differences in the body?

Loving

[Blu]

Hello Stacy,

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one?

Habit would say with I, but I feel that there is more truth in the other

2. What is here without labels?

there's actually no way to know

3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?

they only describe it but when they are not observed as such they seem able to influence it

4. Did you notice any differences in the body?

I noticed some differences when I started writing the list without "I". It relaxed me... my belly. I don't know how to describe it... a sort of abandonment.
Wow.. I didn't realize how much I live in a constant state of tension on a physical level

Arya

[Anastacia42]

Hi Arya,

Very good.

2. What is here without labels?
there's actually no way to know

Yes, there is. With your 5 senses. Remember "Colored Socks?"

4. Did you notice any differences in the body?
I noticed some differences when I started writing the list without "I". It relaxed me... my belly. I don't know how to describe it... a sort of abandonment.

Good! That is exactly what we want to notice - the relaxation.

There are 2 follow-ups to this. Let's do this one first:


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,

[Anastacia42]

Do you still want to be guided here?

[Anastacia42]

Please don't ghost the thread.

Please let me know if you're quitting,

Thank you,