inquiry

[talos]

LU is focused guiding for seeing there is no real, inherent 'self' - what do you understand by this?
I understand that the idea of an “I” or a “self” is an illusion—a story constructed in the mind, perhaps with the “help” of society, culture, etc.
Many of us believe that there is someone inside us who is in charge or in control of things. But in fact, there is no such entity. Things and life are simply happening, without a doer.
I understand that.

What are you looking for at LU?
I'm looking for guidance that will help me explore this idea of the self and move beyond this illusion—not only mentally, but in direct experience and in reality.
The process of writing seems to me to have great potential for this. As I'm writing these lines, I can already feel it.
I don't feel that I have any expectations or illusions about what it is like to be beyond the belief in a self. I just feel a great curiosity and a desire to see the truth and reality as they are.

What do you expect from a guided conversation?
I expect a guided conversation to provide an open space for exploring no-self and the beliefs I have about the “I”—to get pointers that will help me investigate and look into what is true, and to reflect on things that come up when needed.

What is your experience in terms of spiritual practices, seeking and inquiry?
For the past two years, I've been practicing meditation daily, studying and investigating through both classical Buddhism and more modern teachings. For the past year, I've also been participating in a sangha group.

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

[Elad]

Welcome :)

What would you like me to call you on this forum? Some people use their normal name, some find another.

The process of writing seems to me to have great potential for this. As I'm writing these lines, I can already feel it.

1) Tell me more about that, what are you already feeling?


2) Say out load the sentence: "there is no separate self, there is no-one separate from this, doing this".

Do it many times.
Each time, notice what happens, just notice.
Let me know what happens.

[talos]

Hey,
Thank you. You can call me Tal, or Talos, as some of my friends call me.
When you asked me what I would like to be called, it brought up a sensation that I’ve had in me for a long time: a kind of lack of attachment to my name. For years, I interpreted it as some kind of disconnection, but maybe it’s not that.

What I meant when I wrote about the process of writing is that most of the time I’m reading about inquiry, awareness, no-self, and so on. It’s very interesting and insightful, but also a bit passive. And when I start writing about it, it feels like something from all of this becomes alive in reality, rather than remaining just stories or concepts. When the writing happens, like it is now, there’s just a flow and an aliveness in the expression.

Regarding the sentence-
At first, there was curiosity, and then it was like I could feel in myself how the “I” creates separation. Later, the question arose: what is the separate self?
It feels like it’s not actually clear what the separate self is, because I don’t see or feel anything that is separate

[Elad]

Hi Tal(os) :)

Beautiful.

It feels like it’s not actually clear what the separate self is

Exactly.


1)


For the next day, as many times as possible, just be curious "what is it that seemingly is the self" ? What is it that is experienced NOW as if it is me ? What is it that seemingly is the feeling of me?

I am not asking you to give an intellectual answer (never). Just explore many many times, even for short moments, across different normal life situations. Don't try get rid of the sense of self, however vague or not vague it is. In fact, when the sense of self is more obvious, there is a better chance of waking up in really exploring what it is, how it is, where it is.

Let me know what happens


2)


Do the following exercise:


“I” labelling

Get a sheet of paper and draw a line that divides that sheet in half. Label one half 'self' and
the other side 'other'. Sit down and start a timer for 5 minutes. Every time you have a
thought make a mark on the sheet. If that thought is about the self put a mark on the self
side, if it’s about something else, mark the other side. If a thought about food occurs due to
feeling hungry, mark that on the self side. Any thought that refers back to a self should go
on the self side. (I'm bored, I'm tired, is the door locked (my safety) that video was funny (I
was amused), my back hurts, I am frightened) get it?


Let me know how you go and what you notice.

[talos]

When searching for the self/me in the now, it’s not clear where it is.
I recognized body sensations and being.
Every time I felt that I knew what the self is, it was actually a thought that was coming in to explain what it is, and then I recognized it as a thought. But still, it’s like I have this inner belief that it exists.

I-labeling
I did the exercise exactly as you wrote it, and it seems like most of the thoughts I had were about or connected to the self.

[Elad]

Good stuff!

Keep looking at this sense of self, what does it consist of? Is there a real self? If not, why is it still believed? What is being held on to?



Mind labelling 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 ie 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?


Letting you know I will be on retreat around Sep 20-26 and in that period will not be available to respond here. We can still have at least one more exchange here before, if you respond within a day or so, and I can then give instructions for that period.