Dear Eloratea,
Is there a 'me', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?
Me is found in thoughts as a word referring to a concept of separate being experiencing and acting in "his" life. Upon observation, such being can't be found anywhere. It never existed.
Is there experiencer of the experience? What is experience?
No experiencer can be found in direct experience. Experience is all what is, experienced by no one.
Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is and how it works.
The illusion is that of an belief in an entity, a me, someone, inside the body, that experience a separate world through the world, think, make decisions, act, own things, etc.. It is created probably very early in life, it is said that until 2 yo, children do not see their mother as separate from themselves, so maybe around this time. The illusion is created and maintained by thoughts constantly referring to this "me" and interpreting perception according to this belief. It is further maintained by identification through various objects (body, thoughts, beliefs) that are used as a temporary host for this "me" illusion.
How does it feel to wake up from the dream of self?
In my experience there is no "awakening" feeling, and it doesn't seem I was dreaming. What happened is just a sublte shift in perception. It's more like remembering something. A different point of view. More detachment from emotions and situations. Life seem more simple somehow.
Was there something particular that made this seeing without see-er to happen? Was there some most useful pointer?
The process progressed stepwise. The first radical change began before LU, maybe a year ago, with an interesting exercise by Greg Goode where you were supposed to progressively locate the "me" feeling in the body. Usually you perceive it in the head, between the eyes. You focus very intensely where you think "you" are. Then he asks: if you are there, who is perceiving it? It was a big shock, I was unable to think anything for several minutes.
Then I realizted that not only I was not my thoughts, but that is it impossible to choose or modify them. They flow independantly. No one can think. Just perceived thoughts.
Then I saw the impossibility to find borders between thoughts and the rest of the experience, all a big whole perception. And then, the fact that "I" can't be anything perceived. So only experiencing is left.
These are my current answers.
Love
Leo
