Guidance

[Anastacia42]

Excellent awareness!

Truth. when you realize there is no "self" is the opposite.

Try this:

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,

[Norm]

Good morning Stacy! I'm not sure I fully get it but I'll try:


The apple can be experienced by being held, smelt, tasted, its color seen... these aren't thoughts but actual experience(s) in the moment

An 'apple' can only be known as a thought? 'Apple' is just a label, just another thought.. ?

Taste labeled ‘apple’ is known

but there's only taste... 'apple' is a thought/label

Color labeled ‘apple’ is known

but there's only the color that is seen when looking....'apple' is a thought/label

Sensation labeled ‘apple’ is known (when apple is touched)

but there's only the felt sensation when holding the apple....'apple' is a thought/label

etc.



Thanks
Norm

[Anastacia42]

Sorry. I didn't get a notification.

Your answers are good.

Here's the next pointer:

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,

[Norm]

Hi Staci, good to hear back.

How is the movement controlled?

It stars and after a while it doesn't seem controlled but that it's just happening.

Does a thought control it?

It doesn't feel that way. Again it's just like it's happening. I see the up and down movement but what thought? Where's the thought? I don't know.

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

I don't think so. What controller? Who's in control of this movement? For the most part it's just the happening of the hand movement.

How is the decision made to turn the hand over?

There doesn't seem to be any decision-making happening. It happens then it stops. A part of me wants to think well surely there's something telling me to stop or to start but I don't *know* how that decision is made.

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

It just happened to be right and then without thinking or without realising it was my left hand.

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

I can't but at the same time a part of me feels like something inside me is controlling the choosing. Yet that's not direct experience so I know that's not relevant.


Thanks,
Norm

[Anastacia42]

can't but at the same time a part of me feels like something inside me is controlling the choosing. Yet that's not direct experience so I know that's not relevant.

Not real, you mean. Just another thought.

Feels like? Or thinks?

Please check. If there's a Sensation. is it tight? The feeling?

Loving ,

[Norm]

Feels like? Or thinks?

It was just another thought... thinking that something might or must be in control. So just another thought.
At the moment there was no feeling other than the movement of my hand

[Anastacia42]

Yes. Like this:

Thus you should see that
indeed there is no thing here;
this, Bahiya, is how you should train yourself.
Since, Bahiya, there is for you
in the seen, only the seen,
in the heard, only the heard,
in the sensed, only the sensed,
in the cognized, only the cognized,
and you see that there is no thing here,
you will therefore see that
indeed there is no thing there.
As you see that there is no thing there,
you will see that
you are therefore located neither in the world of this,
nor in the world of that,
nor in any place
betwixt the two.
This alone is the end of suffering.

So. here's another pointer:

ButtChair

Please LOOK for any place where your butt ends & the chair begins.

Is there any clear dividing line between them? Or only the Sensation with no clear division?


It is simple direct & nonverbal. Just LOOK.

Then write what is true.

I did only this and nothing else for 3 months and then saw. It crept up on me while I was sitting at a stoplight. Seeing often happens when we are simply relaxed and looking. I should say, it ONLY happens when we are relaxed and LOOKING.

Loving