No-self

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy, is this the sort of thing you mean?

Sweetness of the easter egg- taste
Thinking about going to get some cake- thought
Tingling in my cheeks- sensation
Attributing the tingling to consuming too much chocolate- thought
Seeing the plant in the garden- image
Aching in my legs- sensation
Attributing the aching to standing too straight- thought
Belly ache- sensation
Attributing the belly to consumption of easter egg- thought
Smell of the food in food court at shopping mall- smell
Smell of thai chicken- thought

Thanks,
Chris

[Anastacia42]

Okay, now this:


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? There IS Sensation. LOOK for it.

Loving,

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy, I did the exercise but I didn’t understand all of the questions. I tried my best.

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

I have a feeling that the right answer is that the ones without the word ‘I’ in them are supposed to be truer but honestly neither felt truer to me than the other.

2.

What is here without labels?

Everything is here whether I label it or not.

3.

Do labels affect the experience or just describe it

?

Labels do nothing to change the experience. They only describe it.

4.

Did you notice any differences in the body? There IS Sensation. LOOK for it.

I don’t understand this question. What is supposed to be different from what? There are sensations in my body, yes.

Thanks,
Chris

[Chrisisit]

Hi again Stacy, I tried the exercise again and got the same results. I feel no difference in body at all from one exercise to the other. What am I supposed to be feeling?

Chris

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy, is everything ok? I haven’t heard from you in a couple of days. Just wanted to know you’re alright.

Chris

[Anastacia42]

Hi,

Yes, the site wasn't sending notifications & it has been down some.

Here is a pointer & a video to help.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n6RnrkOD7 ... uBphAoK764

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,

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy

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?

I lied to my co worker about why it took so long for me to ask her out. It was a big fat lie. I’ve never noticed it before, but when I think about it there’s a contraction in my chest.

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)

I still don’t think I noticed any sensations in exercise.

"

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

Do you see that?

I’m not sure what you mean by this. I’ve been learning to let go in meditation- to be a peace with everything even of there is great tension in the body. Is this what you mean?

Thanks,
Chris

[Anastacia42]

there’s a contraction in my chest.

Good, yes. That's the lie feeling. Truth will be the opposite.

I still don’t think I noticed any sensations in exercise.

Yes, you did. The contraction above.

Peaceful is a thought, a label, added on to the Sensation.

Let's do the next one.


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,

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy

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

Well I don’t experience the colour green, it’s even hard to think of green as I look at it. I just see red.

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

Just 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)?

The label suggests something that isn’t here in reality.

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?

The label ‘green’ has nothing to do with the red I am seeing. It doesn’t change it in any way.

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

No, the redness is just the same. There’s no question of good or bad, it’s just the colour red. You could write anything in red, the colour would be the same.

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

The labels have nothing to do with the red that I see. There are labels and there is redness.

Let me know what is SEEN

The experience of the colour red, and labels that do not affect that experience whatsoever.

Thanks
Chris

[Anastacia42]

Good. Yes.

Now. let's bring this together.

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,

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy

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

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

Colour and shape is experienced, and shading and reflection. I know it is an object I would describe as an apple, I recognise it as such. But the label ‘apple’ is not intrinsic to the object. I find nothing in the experience that resembles the label.

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

No, there is an object and a thought ‘apple’.

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

No, only as the content of a thought.

However, is an apple actually known?

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

No, ‘apple’ is just a thought. I’ll keep doing this with other objects throughout the day. It’s interesting.

Thanks
Chris

[Anastacia42]

There's no need to do it with other objects. Just "self. "

Try this :

Palm Flipping Exercise

1. Hold a hand in front of you; palm turned down.

2. Now turn the palm up. And down...and up and so on.

Watch like a hawk.

Don't go to thoughts – examine your direct 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’ of any description 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 and the hand turns over immediately.

Who or what ​ chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

Loving,

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy

How is the movement controlled?

I have no idea, I can’t find the ‘thing’ that’s deciding to move and when , with what speed etc.

Does a thought control it?

No, the movement is happening completely independently of any thoughts.

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

None.

How is the decision made to turn the hand over?

I don’t know, when I try to look it’s like it has a mind of its own. This is very weird.

Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over and the hand turns over immediately.

Who or what chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

I was holding my phone with my right hand, so I naturally chose my left. I always hold my phone with my right hand, this is a mindless habit. There is no one or thing that makes this decision in my experience.

Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

No, the longer I look, the more it just seems random.

Thanks
Chris

[Anastacia42]

Excellent.

Yes. it is random.

How does it FEEL to see this?

Loving

[Chrisisit]

Hi Stacy

How does it FEEL to see this?

I feel like there should be something there to find. I know intellectually that there isn’t going to be anything- that’s why we’re here, but part of me still thinks there’s something there just round the corner waiting to be found.

Do you mean more sensations in the body? I can’t say I notice anything if so.

Thanks
Chris