Thread for Harvey

[bdhtgcr]

Hi Nettie, Thank you for the questions. I am going to sit and look deeply at these questions for a day and respond tomorrow evening.

Harvey

[bdhtgcr]

Grading finals and term papers for 130 students is going slow. I will have a response here Thursday or Friday. Meanwhile, the unfolding is amazing.

[Nettie]

Dear Harvey,
No hurry!
Have fun!
Nettie

[bdhtgcr]

1) Is there a 'me', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?
The ‘me’ is nothing more than a language reference that can be used. There have been thoughts about a ‘me’ and the thoughts about the concept can still arise. Now they are just thoughts – just like thoughts about a piece of music from the other day – or the weather this morning. There is no ‘me’ or ‘I’ or ‘self’ to be found in direct experience. The belief was like a balloon that has popped and the balloon is gone except for remnants on the ground or blowing in the wind. The belief that there is a ‘me’ popped open and the belief, i.e. the me container (thoughts) is not there except for thought remnants that…are just thoughts like clouds going by.

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works.
The sense of a self as some type of entity starts when there is identification and valuation of direct experiences as good or bad, this vs. that, as well as stories put together out of thoughts, memories, associations, reference points of valuations, judgments, previous beliefs, and hearing stories or beliefs from parents and others that form larger stories or reinforce existing stories. The energy of all of this “spins” and appears to be a separate self when it is nothing more than a conglomeration of transient and temporary thoughts, feelings, instinctual desires, and beliefs. Stories of ‘my’…or I own…create an inference of separateness and substance. The illusion feeds off more thoughts and concepts. The concepts and thoughts overlay experience and so there appears to be separation and boundaries until it is seen that those boundaries and separations are just overlays of learned patterns that have no substance. It all becomes clear when there is looking deeply; you have to see how it happens. It loses its power when you look closely. But there was a realization that the looking has to be open without an agenda. When there was an agenda or goal, it spun another story about finding something. The looking is not a doing like I need to do it. It just happens.

3) How does it feel to see this?
Everything is still here, but now there is just things happening as they happen which includes thoughts, feelings, and desires. Everything just unfolds exactly as it unfolds in a vast openness. Even what the body does is this unfolding as well. It is very hard to describe but everything is seamlessly connecting and things happen exactly the way they should. There is no external reason. Each unfolding is its own reason. So there is this peacefulness as everything unfolds in the most perfect way, because that is the only way it could be. There is no imperfect – that is just a thought. There is nothing to change and change happens when it happens at the perfect time. I cannot help smiling as I write this.

4) How would you describe it to somebody who is very interested, but has never heard about this illusion.
There is this peacefulness, freedom, and openness. It is not a specific state or a mood or a feeling. It is a movement /happening/unfolding of everything – but there is no mover or doer.

5) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?
It was seeing that the boundaries or separations were arbitrary. A student of mine in a class was talking about the entangling of atoms and electrons and how everything is fully interconnected at the particle level. I was also doing the looking at direct experience and then the seeking was seen for what it was. It was a sudden realization that there is nothing to untangle or fix. Everything is interacting with everything else in the universe and everything unfolds exactly the way it should. The seeking was so unnecessary since that was perpetuating the illusion. It is seen when there is no trying to see it. It is like relaxing backwards into it rather than trying to get to something. Hard to describe.

I can’t say there was any one thing that made it happen. It happened when it happened and yet there was the willingness to ask questions and look and the letting go of the conception of how it should be. It was like everything came together in understanding without effort.

Oh yes, and there is the noticing…noticing…without direction.

[Nettie]

Dear Harvey,
It has been confirmed that you have SEEn.
Are you interested in guiding?
Here is more:

http://liberationunleashed.com/nation/v ... ?f=6&t=696

I'll add you to some other groups.

It has been an honor!
Nettie

[bdhtgcr]

Dear Nettie,

Thank you for everything that you have done to facilitate. i not only wish to express my deep gratitude and appreciation, but also for everything that you post elsewhere.

I will look at the topic at guiding, although it may need wait until later in the summer as I have a rather intense teaching schedule at my college plus working with some groups of college students outside of the school schedule.

There is a deep urge to serve others and I will continue to be in touch with you in so many ways.