Greetings!

[Blanca]

Hi Rali - Responses below:

Is there anything outside of what is happening?
Is there a center, a reference point, something “in here” vs “out there”?
Or just whatever is happening?
Is there any separation at all between what is happening and what you are?

There isn't anything outside of what is happening and no separation between what is happening and what I am. Blanca is an illusion. A bundle of thoughts.

[poppyseed]

Hey Blanca

Wonderful!!!
We have some checkpoint questions. Would you like to answer these?
Love
Rali

[Blanca]

Hi Rali - Apologies for the delay. Yes, I can answer the questions.

[poppyseed]

Hi Blanca

Wonderful!!!
Here are the questions. Please answer all questions in full, when you are ready. Please answer what's true for you rather than any sort of 'ideal' answer
1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

3) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?

5) Describe decision & give examples from experience.

Describe intention & give examples from experience.

Describe free will & give examples from experience.

Describe choice & give examples from experience.

Describe control & give examples from experience.

What makes things happen? How does it work?

What are you responsible for? Give examples from experience.

6) Anything to add?

Have fun looking :))

Love
Rali

[Blanca]

Hi Rali - I apologize for the delay (again). This week has gotten away from me and I didn't want to start the questions until I could give them my full attention. My responses are below:

1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

No, there is no separate entity anywhere, only the illusion of one. Nor has there ever been.

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

Thoughts create the illusion of a continuous, separate self that exists independent of the world. These thoughts label our experience: the sensations and emotions we feel as "ours" and these same objects as being internal to us. Contained within the body, which stops at the outer skin. I believe this pattern emerges when we're very young, perhaps when we start experiencing the world as separate from our caregivers. I don't actually know when it began for me, but I do know it is an automatic thought pattern that pops up frequently throughout the day. The frequency with which it emerges gives the appearance of a continuous state, though it isn't. When absorbed in a task, the thought pattern labeling as "mine" or "me" does not appear.

3) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

It doesn't feel like anything to see this. It just is. I would say before I started this dialogue, the "me" thought pattern ran far more frequently and forcefully.

4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?

I don't know that anything "made me look. You asked if there was any separation at all between what is happening and what I am, and I responded.

5) Describe decision & give examples from experience.

Decisions are as much an illusion as the separate Blanca is an illusion. There are simply actions happening all the time, which a thought then labels as a "decision" with a "rationale." But it is always done after the fact, and is itself a thought. As an example, today, I seemed to make the decision to write a response at the end of my work day. However, there was no decider and no single causative element that led to this typing. It just happened.

Describe intention & give examples from experience.

Intention is another illusion. There is a sensation, perhaps a need to move or complete an action, which the mind labels as "intention" after the fact. The illusion is that it happens before, and not after. And the illusion is that it involves a single causal entity. For example, I appeared to have the intention to write this response, but there was only a thought "i will write a response" and an action (writing the response).

Describe free will & give examples from experience.

Free will is most definitely a trick of the mind. Free will doesn't really exist. I may have a thought that I have the freedom to do something, but an action is really the result of innumerable causes and conditions. We have no way of controlling, and in many instances, even influencing all of the factors involved in a given action. For example, my fingers are typing right now, but I'm not consciously controlling the neurons, tendons, muscles, and skeletal shifts that need to happen in order for typing to happen.

Describe choice & give examples from experience.

Like free will and decisions, "choice" is an illusion. There is no way to account for the innumerable factors that go into an action. It is only a thought applied after the fact. For example, I may think I chose the shirt I'm wearing now, but it is just an action that happened. I can't say why or how the "choice" was made. When I look, there is no one at the wheel directing the experience. There was just the experience and a thought that labeled it after.

Describe control & give examples from experience.

Like free will, decision, and choice, control is a concept. It's an illusion created by thought.

What makes things happen? How does it work?

Nothing really makes things happen. They just happen as a result of causes and conditions that precede them.

What are you responsible for? Give examples from experience.

There isn't a me to be responsible for anything. Things will happen whether or not I have a thought to label it after. My home, my husband, my children, my job... these are actions that simply occurred. Simply ARE.

6) Anything to add?

No. Other than thank you for your patient, dedicated guidance.

B

[poppyseed]

Hi Blanca
Welcome home!

It appears that the Gateless Gate has been crossed, but as you know there is no Gate, no one to cross it, and no end to the journey. It has been such a pleasure to walk beside you! Your openness and willingness to look were simply awesome and made guiding you a joy. Of course it is not necessarily the end of our conversation.

There have been no more questions for you, which means that you will receive an email notifying you of a PM from the forum, inviting you to join LU's Facebook groups. It also has other information that might be of interest to you. I will inbox you my contact details if you want to stay in touch. If you have any questions, just ask, or you can drop a line on your thread here and I will respond.

Your username will change from green to blue. This thread will be moved to the ‘Archive’ section of the forum, but you will be able to access it.

Please don’t forget that this is just the beginning of exploring. It’s the beginning of cleaning up of all sorts of old beliefs. Emotions and feelings can show up to be seen and felt, so don’t stop looking! Please feel free to contact me, so we can have a look together, if you like.

You can also consider being a guide, if you’re willing to explore it, when you feel ready. It can be very rewarding and it help you deepen your understanding.

We have a couple of support groups that are meeting via teleconference, which you will be able to access once your name has turned blue, join in any group discussions on FB, or make use of LU online support groups run by senior guides free of charge.

There a couple of those, and they meet on Zoom – do contact the organisers for extra info, links and schedules:
1) Vince runs one on Wednesdays and weekends. Contact: vinceschubert@gmail.com
2) Ilona holds a monthly meeting. Contact: admin@ilonaciunaite.com

viewforum.php?f=49

You can also explore the ten Fetters, which is a structured way of approaching beliefs:
Kevin Shinilac has instructions on his site https://www.simplytheseen.com/

Pernille Damore and Todd Lent https://www.youtube.com/@TheAwakeningCurriculum

Love
Rali