Ready to let go. Requesting a guide.

[Gomi]

So at the moment there is an 'I' that has no control over 'my' thoughts.

Write down where this I' is, in detail. Where is it located? LOOK. Go thru body, emotions, etc. Other than sensations appearing, where is this ''I' you speak so much about?! REALLY LOOK.

Prove it already!

Where is it?!!! Keep LOOKING with Direct Experience until you find it. Reread Neil's description on Direct Experience. (Use DE, NOT THE MIND)

Get tough with illusory story that claims to be running this show.

Love,
Gomi

[Gomi]

Benny, this is not about control, it is about SEEing. SEEing that you have been sucked in to acting out the thought, as if it was real. Conditioning has this process occurring automatically.

There is no control over thoughts. 'I' have no control over 'my' thoughts - which shows there is still identification somewhere. Like I say, it is like a constant stream of self referencing thoughts - sometimes these are recognized as thoughts, most of the time they are identified with

Now hear this!; The moment that you SEE it happening (or SEE that it happened), it stops. It canNOT continue, once SEEn.

How is the chuckling exercise going ? This is what will accelerate the brain rewiring, the de-conditioning. Identification is only occurring while you are lost in the thought content. Awareness kills identification.

How many years of conditioning to get to this point ? Do the chuckling exercise with gusto. Everytime you Recognise that you have been acting out thought content, Celebrate that Recognition with a hearty chuckle that contracts your stomach muscles. This can undo 50 years of conditioning in 50 days.

Focus on this for the next 24 hours, then report your Experiencing.

Love,
Gomi

[Tao]

Hi Gomi.

Write down where this I' is, in detail. Where is it located? LOOK. Go thru body, emotions, etc. Other than sensations appearing, where is this ''I' you speak so much about?! REALLY LOOK.

The 'I' can only be found in self referencing thoughts. There is also a sense of felt presence, although self referencing thoughts make this felt presence about 'me'

Benny, this is not about control, it is about SEEing. SEEing that you have been sucked in to acting out the thought, as if it was real.

But to SEE requires a lot of focus, else the thoughts are automatically believed throughout the day.

Now hear this!; The moment that you SEE it happening (or SEE that it happened), it stops. It canNOT continue, once SEEn.

By 'it', do you mean identification with thoughts? If so, then yes, as soon as it is recognized there has been identification with thought, identification with thought immediately stops.

Awareness kills identification.

YES!

How is the chuckling exercise going ? This is what will accelerate the brain rewiring, the de-conditioning.

The exercise is fantastic, although it can only really be done when no-one is around otherwise I may get locked up! :D

Identification is only occurring while you are lost in the thought content.

Yes, but this is most of the time, unless there is real focus.

How many years of conditioning to get to this point ? Do the chuckling exercise with gusto. Everytime you Recognise that you have been acting out thought content, Celebrate that Recognition with a hearty chuckle that contracts your stomach muscles. This can undo 50 years of conditioning in 50 days.

Wow! How many days for 30 years?

Focus on this for the next 24 hours, then report your Experiencing.

[/quote]

When it has been recognized there has been identification with thought, there is awareness. As you say, awareness kills identification.

There is either lost in thought, or there is awareness - a 'present'ness.

Thoughts, including very subtle and lightening speed self referencing thoughts are taking place all of the time, and they have been recognized as such. It has been recognized that these thoughts maintain an appearance of duality, an illusion of 'me' and 'outside of me'.

The identification rarely falls away for long enough to REALLY SEE that there is just experience, and not, experiencer and experienced. The illusion of experiencer is so persistantly maintained that it is there pretty much all of the time.

The chuckles are great. It takes so much weight out of the identification. I will keep going with it.

Benny

[Gomi]

YES! Some nice noticing going on!

The 'I' can only be found in self referencing thoughts. There is also a sense of felt presence, although self referencing thoughts make this felt presence about 'me'

Next exercise: Let's go back to the labeling process...only let it extend, (as much as absolutely possible) over the entire day.

1.You've located the "I" is in self referencing thoughts. Let's fine tune. Keep watching. For the first part of the day, welcome all self referencing thoughts. Hunt them down.Try to find the "I" in these self referencing thoughts...since this is where you claim 'I" to be. It would be an ENORMOUS help to locate where the 'I' is IN these self referencing thoughts!!! Please keep LOOKING!!! Where is it? Do not give up. These self referencing thoughts are your friends. They will point to where the self is, or isn't. What is your experience ?

2. Midday, be very conscious about labeling. When tempted to say, 'My computer is so slow', watch yourself and say 'The computer is slow'. Keep this exercise up. Whenever tempted to add a 'my' or some ownership, consciously change it to the object alone. Same thing with movement. 'My hand moving' becomes, 'Hand moving'. Instead of 'I have a headache.' change to 'Sensations in head.' 'I am tired', changes to 'Tiredness occurring in the body.' Write down the experiences. Does this seem like a helpful exercise to use frequently to break the conditioning of self referencing?

But to SEE requires a lot of focus, else the thoughts are automatically believed throughout the day.

True...for now. Conditioning is kicking in. As SEEing becomes more natural, the effort lessens, then drops away. Living simply gets lived.

Awareness kills identification.
'YES!'

Beautiful. This is where the flashlight is shining as one 'gets walked' down the pathless path.The 'eyeless eyes' ARE SEEing!

The exercise is fantastic, although it can only really be done when no-one is around otherwise I may get locked up! :D

Can you find another way to celebrate the Recognition that would work while around others? What would that be?

When it has been recognized there has been identification with thought, there is awareness. As you say, awareness kills identification.There is either lost in thought, or there is awareness - a 'present'ness.

Oh Boy! Happy feet are dancing!!!

Thoughts, including very subtle and lightening speed self referencing thoughts are taking place all of the time, and they have been recognized as such. It has been recognized that these thoughts maintain an appearance of duality, an illusion of 'me' and 'outside of me'.

Beautiful noticing that it is the self referencing thoughts that give the illusion of 'me' and 'outside of me'.

Much love,
Gomi

[Tao]

1.You've located the "I" is in self referencing thoughts. Let's fine tune. Keep watching. For the first part of the day, welcome all self referencing thoughts. Hunt them down.Try to find the "I" in these self referencing thoughts...since this is where you claim 'I" to be. It would be an ENORMOUS help to locate where the 'I' is IN these self referencing thoughts!!! Please keep LOOKING!!! Where is it? Do not give up. These self referencing thoughts are your friends. They will point to where the self is, or isn't. What is your experience ?

One quite apparent type of self reference thoughts are body identification thoughts - usually mental images of the body. These are more subtle than storyline thoughts. These are there all the time. For example, vision is often accompanied by a mental image of this body looking upon the outside world, and that body is identified with as 'me'. Body reference thoughts are just images of the body, and an assumption of 'I' that accompanies that. Or an assumption that body is 'I', and that 'I' am looking with 'my' eyes.

If I am walking and I stumble a bit, there is instantly an image of legs stumbling that appears in thought, without ever looking at legs. These legs are assumed to be my legs, part of 'me'. So where is the 'I'? The 'I' is not in the mental image, so it must be in the assumption. An assumption that the body, or the mental image is 'I'. Where does the assumption come from?

There are storyline thoughts too, and the self referencing in them is usually a story of something going on and what it means in relation to 'me'. Perhaps how it will affect this body, or the experience of the world, whether it will make story more pleasurable or less pleasurable. Storyline thoughts are like fantasies, mental proliferation.

2. Midday, be very conscious about labeling. When tempted to say, 'My computer is so slow', watch yourself and say 'The computer is slow'. Keep this exercise up. Whenever tempted to add a 'my' or some ownership, consciously change it to the object alone. Same thing with movement. 'My hand moving' becomes, 'Hand moving'. Instead of 'I have a headache.' change to 'Sensations in head.' 'I am tired', changes to 'Tiredness occurring in the body.' Write down the experiences. Does this seem like a helpful exercise to use frequently to break the conditioning of self referencing?

Yes it does seem very helpful. It could take a while to get into the habit, but I imagine the habit would help to weaken identification. It seems a little strange doing it with the body - perhaps this signifies body identification. I will stick with this exercise as much as is remembered.

True...for now. Conditioning is kicking in. As SEEing becomes more natural, the effort lessens, then drops away. Living simply gets lived.

That is inspiring. :)

Can you find another way to celebrate the Recognition that would work while around others? What would that be?

Today I was doing a double tap with left hand to left leg. This actually seems pretty effective. It can be done anywhere and, given the great volume of thoughts being noticed, it can be done quickly and easily, and performed as often as needed. Sound ok?

Benny

[Tao]

Wow, the leg tapping thing really is proving it's success! There was a direct seeing. Perceptions fell away, the now was felt. It was like a psychedelic drug trip to be honest. But there was a pulling back through fear, and a thought came in that thought 'I' was tripping out. But a great powerful joy arose with the seeing too. It's like the now just melted into a felt absorption of presence. Thoughts grew stronger again after that, grasping onto the experience and seeking to re-attain, although I continued tapping for a while. Powerful stuff. Is THAT direct experience? It's more liberating than was previously assumed!

It was seen too, that there is a constant stream of seeing not the world but a thought about the world. So there are tiny flashes of receptivity, but the looking is through a CONSTANT lens of perception. Looking is at a thought, not the NOW as it appears directly. Without that lens of perception, everything is seen for the first time, and it's much much different to the world as 'I' think it is.

[Gomi]

Hi there!
Enthusiasm seems to be popping up! Ha!

Perceptions fell away, the now was felt. It was like a psychedelic drug trip to be honest. But there was a pulling back through fear, and a thought came in that thought 'I' was tripping out. But a great powerful joy arose with the seeing too. It's like the now just melted into a felt absorption of presence.

Not fully understanding the leg/arm tapping exercises.. What is meant by' the now was felt'? WHAT was feeling the living presence? Is the 'I' present? Or just sensations occurring? Please write down what gets experienced DIRECTLY. Highs and lows are of the mind looping. The living presence just gets lived. Is life being lived or the mind swirling? Is this personal? Is experience occurring? Also, what is meant by being 'melted into a felt absorption of presence'? WHAT feels WHAT? Can presence be felt? By WHAT? Is presence experienced or living itself?? Keep LOOKing. The onion skin is being peeled away! Please write down what is being lived with these questions- doing the exercises thru DE. (Refer back to Neil's description of DE. http://www.liberationunleashed.com/Arti ... ience.html).

(It was asked if doing the tapping exercises are OK to do. This one can just point to ways to know if DE is occurring. SEE if it is DE. Check if the 'I' is present in doing this exercise. There is no 'I' that can 'trip'. :-) There is no doer. 'It" gets lived.)

The 'I' is not in the mental image, so it must be in the assumption. An assumption that the body, or the mental image is 'I'. Where does the assumption come from?

Great fine tuning!! It was gotten that it is no longer a mental image but an assumption. Fantastic. Now, this is the next exercise!!! ! Keep doing yesterday's exercises, with a slightly different shift.(Speaking about the one that was previously given, not the tapping)

In doing the first part of the exercise:
FOCUS ON WHERE DOES THE ASSUMPTION COME FROM THAT IS CLAIMING TO BE 'I'? PINPOINT IT. LOOK FOR ITS LOCATION. You are doing a fantastic job in fine tuning. KEEP LOOKING. Just where is this 'I' in assumption? Get into more detail. Leave no stone unturned.
Keep the second part of the exercise the same. Report what lives itself in detail. Let's see what occurs.

Smiling,
Gomi

[Gomi]

Ugh! There seems to be another part to the post. It's tricky for this one to read and respond to all of your posts at the same time. Double ugh! The layout is tricky for this ole geezer. Bear with me.

It was seen too, that there is a constant stream of seeing not the world but a thought about the world. So there are tiny flashes of receptivity...Without that lens of perception, everything is seen for the first time, and it's much much different to the world as 'I' think it is.

Couldn't not let the post go without saying 'WONDERFUL!' :-) Hip hip hooray!

BIG, BIG SMILES!!!
Much love, hon,
g

[Tao]

Not fully understanding the leg/arm tapping exercises..

Basically, it's the same as the chuckling one, only instead of chuckling I tap my left leg with my left arm twice. It is done anytime a thought is noticed, be it a self reference thought, story thought, whatever it is. If it is recognized at the beginning, sometime during the thought, or shortly after identification with the thought, then it has been recognized, awareness has kicked in and the tap is done. It seems to be a good easy anchor and it is really improving awareness of thoughts. So many more are noticed rather than just fallen into.

What is meant by' the now was felt'? WHAT was feeling the living presence? Is the 'I' present? Or just sensations occurring? Please write down what gets experienced DIRECTLY. Highs and lows are of the mind looping. The living presence just gets lived. Is life being lived or the mind swirling? Is this personal? Is experience occurring? Also, what is meant by being 'melted into a felt absorption of presence'? WHAT feels WHAT? Can presence be felt? By WHAT? Is presence experienced or living itself?? Keep LOOKing. The onion skin is being peeled away! Please write down what is being lived with these questions- doing the exercises thru DE. (Refer back to Neil's description of DE. http://www.liberationunleashed.com/Arti ... ience.html).

It was like all the senses were all together and there was just experience. It was seen that the 3 dimensions and spacial awareness are created by the lens of perception. Without this lens of perception then there is just experience as it is directly and things are nothing like what was previously experienced. There wasn't enough time to really look at this state before identification with thoughts began again. There was another tiny glimpse of it today but not like yesterday. It must be the thoughts later that make it 'felt', labeling the experience as relating to 'me'. But now it's just a memory of an experience, another thought.

(It was asked if doing the tapping exercises are OK to do. This one can just point to ways to know if DE is occurring. SEE if it is DE. Check if the 'I' is present in doing this exercise. There is no 'I' that can 'trip'. :-) There is no doer. 'It" gets lived.)

the 'I' that could trip was a thought that was identified with that ended the state. Most of the time when tapping, the 'I' is still there in thoughts, but it is noticed that a thought has arisen. This way, if the thought is a self reference thought, then it can be looked at in finer detail to see how the perception of self is created, or if the 'I' is there anywhere.

FOCUS ON WHERE DOES THE ASSUMPTION COME FROM THAT IS CLAIMING TO BE 'I'? PINPOINT IT. LOOK FOR ITS LOCATION. You are doing a fantastic job in fine tuning. KEEP LOOKING. Just where is this 'I' in assumption? Get into more detail. Leave no stone unturned.e same. Report what lives itself in detail. Let's see what occurs.

Where does it come from? Good question, that is elusive at the moment. There is an assumption that the body is who 'I' am, and that self reference thoughts about the body are thoughts about 'me'. Where the assumption that the body is 'me' comes from, I can't see it.

[Gomi]

Question: Outside of a thought, belief, or memory, where or what is Benny?

(The 'absence of thought' is not needed. It's not that thought should be stopped or paused. A thought will come up and there's no controlling it, so don't worry about it being there. Let it be. That's what a thought does. We'll work on seeing what thought is rather than trying to wrestle with it.)

Question: Without that self, would daily living be different than it is now?

Love,
Gomi

[Tao]

Question: Outside of a thought, belief, or memory, where or what is Benny?

There is no Benny outside of thoughts, beliefs or memories. Benny exists only within the content of those thoughts beliefs and memories.

(The 'absence of thought' is not needed. It's not that thought should be stopped or paused. A thought will come up and there's no controlling it, so don't worry about it being there. Let it be. That's what a thought does. We'll work on seeing what thought is rather than trying to wrestle with it.)

I understand that, and that there is no controlling thoughts, but there is identity with these thoughts, and that makes the 'I' appear to be real, it makes the 'I' believable. So what is identity with thoughts? Where does the 'pull' into identification come from? Why is there, what is it? These are questions that were being asked today. It seems that identity with thoughts happens, because it is assumed that the content of the thought is relevant in some way. That the content of the thought holds great importance.

Is it that the content of thought is irrelevant altogether? Then why is there such a pull into assuming the content of thought to be relevant?

Looking takes focus and there is a constant slipping into identification with thought, yet it takes nothing to be lost in thought.

Question: Without that self, would daily living be different than it is now?

I don't know. I suppose not, there would still be the body acting out volitions and thoughts etc. Would self thoughts still remain the same? Not sure.

[Gomi]

Dear One,

There is no Benny outside of thoughts, beliefs or memories.

This is IT!!! SEEing is happening! It is so easy to doubt this with this followup thought:

Benny exists only within the content of those thoughts beliefs and memories.

Important: These thoughts don't override SEEing thru the illusion of No-Self. Once you SEE thru the illusion, the illusion can't be undone... even tho there may be a 'sense' that it isn't present.There can be the recognition of No-Self EVEN AS the conditioning says 'I'm Benny." You still live in the world...yet there is Recognition that there is no Benny or Santa Claus. It still is fun waking up in the morning finding gifts under the Christmas tree, but you know Santa didn't really put them there. This doesn't mean you can't play the game, only it's SEEn for what it is...the play of life. The same thing with emotions. "I feel lonely'. It might temporarily seem that way based upon past conditioning, yet with time the unreality is SEEn and the storyline lessens.

There are no controlling thoughts

Yes! Could it be they are just the ebb and flow of life being lived?

Listen: 'Identity thoughts' are only thoughts! No more and no less. Check this out thru DE. Write down if this is true for you.You do not have to take them seriously! They are just thoughts! Can you SEE that?! All these identity thoughts have been 'stuck onto you', attached to you since you were a child. All that is needed to be done is recognize it in the moment. Are any of these attachments real? Is there anything for them to actually stick onto? As you said, "There is no Benny outside of the thoughts, beliefs, memories." It is enuf to see them as thoughts and concepts. Same thing as emotions. Can you find that the simplest recognition breaks the habitual attachment in the moment? This is where the chuckle upon the recognition comes in. Keep doing this exercise. Recognize this conditioning is just habitual. It takes a while for the habitual hold to release. Most people who have SEEn thru the illusion of self still have conditioning appear for a while. Fireworks may not go off and magically have these patterns 'puff' disappear. Going thru the gate means that you have seen the illusion of the false self, NOT that conditioning immediately goes away. There are LU's 'after care' group's that help those who have seen thru the illusion of No-Self with left over conditioning.

Is it that the content of thought is irrelevant altogether? Then why is there such a pull into assuming the content of thought to be relevant?

Yup. But only 100% of the time! Content is only thought to be relevant because of habitual acceptance of society's beliefs that you have internalized and made to be your own. Can you see this? What are your reactions to hearing that conditioning may still appear in the light of realizing that there is no Benny outside of thoughts, beliefs or thoughts.?

Without that self, would daily living be different than it is now?
I don't know. I suppose not, there would still be the body acting out volitions and thoughts etc.

Yes, we are not the doer.The body moves, talks, sees, smells, tastes, etc. Life happens. Have you ever noticed that when you do something that you really like, you get lost in it? Life-ing just wonderfully happens on it's own.The flow is seamless :-)

Love,
Gomi

[Tao]

Important: These thoughts don't override SEEing thru the illusion of No-Self. Once you SEE thru the illusion, the illusion can't be undone... even tho there may be a 'sense' that it isn't present.There can be the recognition of No-Self EVEN AS the conditioning says 'I'm Benny." You still live in the world...yet there is Recognition that there is no Benny or Santa Claus. It still is fun waking up in the morning finding gifts under the Christmas tree, but you know Santa didn't really put them there. This doesn't mean you can't play the game, only it's SEEn for what it is...the play of life. The same thing with emotions. "I feel lonely'. It might temporarily seem that way based upon past conditioning, yet with time the unreality is SEEn and the storyline lessens.

It must take a lot of weight out of life though, to SEE that it is illusion, and that there is ultimately nothing to worry about? When I was young, I was told that if I wasn't asleep, then santa claus wouldn't come. So I used to worry about not falling asleep, and ultimately made sleeping that much harder on christmas eve. It wasn't an issue anymore when I found out he wasn't real, so I didn't care if I couldn't sleep, the presents would still be there under the tree in the morning.

Listen: 'Identity thoughts' are only thoughts! No more and no less. Check this out thru DE. Write down if this is true for you

Yes they are only thoughts. They are very believable thoughts though.

You do not have to take them seriously! They are just thoughts! Can you SEE that?!

Yes I'm starting to.

All these identity thoughts have been 'stuck onto you', attached to you since you were a child. All that is needed to be done is recognize it in the moment. Are any of these attachments real? Is there anything for them to actually stick onto? As you said, "There is no Benny outside of the thoughts, beliefs, memories." It is enuf to see them as thoughts and concepts. Same thing as emotions. Can you find that the simplest recognition breaks the habitual attachment in the moment?

Yes definitely. The attachment is when one is lost in thought and cannot see that it is a thought. Once it is recognized as a thought, the attachment to it is broken, even though there may still be a sense that the thought needs to be followed up in some way. But once it is recognized, it is seen as a thought and one returns to the here and now.

This is where the chuckle upon the recognition comes in. Keep doing this exercise.

Yes I love the exercise.

Recognize this conditioning is just habitual. It takes a while for the habitual hold to release. Most people who have SEEn thru the illusion of self still have conditioning appear for a while.

Do they have moments where they still believe it, where they get lost in it and still take the conditioning to be reality?

Fireworks may not go off and magically have these patterns 'puff' disappear. Going thru the gate means that you have seen the illusion of the false self, NOT that conditioning immediately goes away. There are LU's 'after care' group's that help those who have seen thru the illusion of No-Self with left over conditioning.

That's good news.

Yup. But only 100% of the time! Content is only thought to be relevant because of habitual acceptance of society's beliefs that you have internalized and made to be your own. Can you see this?

Again, I'm starting to. Is it really that there is NOTHING to worry about? That all thought content is completely irrelevant?

What are your reactions to hearing that conditioning may still appear in the light of realizing that there is no Benny outside of thoughts, beliefs or thoughts.

Well it's no surprise, it has quite a momentum, but I wonder if the belief in the conditioning will fall away altogether. In other words, once realized there is no Benny outside of thoughts, will there will be constant knowledge that it is all illusion, or will one still slip into identification?

Have you ever noticed that when you do something that you really like, you get lost in it? Life-ing just wonderfully happens on it's own.The flow is seamless :-)

Like eating, yes :) There is no 'me' present when it is really tasty.

Benny

[Gomi]

Hi Benny,

It must take a lot of weight out of life though, to SEE that it is illusion, and that there is ultimately nothing to worry about

Is this your experience?

Ultimately nothing to worry about.

Worry is a stirred up, emotional response to a thought. Sensations in the body occur and are felt. Thoughts are real and keep showing up, but the CONTENT is not real. It's just a story attached to the thought.

Yes they are only thoughts. They are very believable thoughts though.

Yes...AND... What is believing these thoughts?

You do not have to take them seriously! They are just thoughts! Can you SEE that?!
Yes I'm starting to.

Yes, this comes from SEEing and the Recognition of conditioning. Disturbing thoughts are SEEn as thoughts that are being expressed thru emotion...but they are just thoughts. Chuckle, chuckle :-)

Yes definitely. The attachment is when one is lost in thought and cannot see that it is a thought. Once it is recognized as a thought, the attachment to it is broken, even though there may still be a sense that the thought needs to be followed up in some way. But once it is recognized, it is seen as a thought and one returns to the here and now.

Beautiful!

Once realized there is no Benny outside of thoughts, will there will be constant knowledge that it is all illusion, or will one still slip into identification?

Well, you said that there is SEEing that there is no Benny outside of thoughts. What is your experience? Language and the constant reference to an assumed identity established the habit. Once recognized as story, the story loses its strength. Brain re-wiring seems to take place gradually. After one SEEs the illusion of self, one's life doesn't have to change dramatically. There is still chopping wood and carrying water. Emotions are still there. It is ALL included in the play of life. It is a story to think life will just be blissful, peaceful and calm. EVERYTHING is included. SEEing occurs with it all. Whatever occurs in the present moment is 'what is'...and that means everything and nothing! :-)

Let these answers speak itself thru DE:
1.What lives?
2.What experiences?
3.What thinks?
4.What does?
5.What is aware?

Loving,
Gomi

[Tao]

Ultimately nothing to worry about.

Worry is a stirred up, emotional response to a thought. Sensations in the body occur and are felt. Thoughts are real and keep showing up, but the CONTENT is not real. It's just a story attached to the thought.

Then there is no need to worry about worry itself? Nothing to be done.

Well, you said that there is SEEing that there is no Benny outside of thoughts. What is your experience?

My experience is that identification continues to happen most of the time. There is some weight lifted, but whether things will still feel lighter when there is a more depressive or worrisome state, I don't know. So long as there is identification, there will be suffering. And it is the more negative states that stick more.

Let these answers speak itself thru DE:
1.What lives?

A sense of aliveness, and life expressing itself in the way that it does.

2.What experiences?

Experience is. Thoughts included.

3.What thinks?

A thought appears as an image of a brain, or a head, assumed to be my head, and is taken to be the doer of thoughts. This is just another thought though. When looked at, nothing can think, thinking happens.

4.What does?

Again, the body springs up as an image thought. 'I do'. But this is just a thought arising in the now. Doing just happens. It can feel like there is a doer. It still feels like there is a doer 99% of the time, but when looked at carefully it is seen that there is just arising.

5.What is aware?

This one brought up confusion. Surely I am that which is aware?

Asking 'what is self?' got me onto asking, 'what then, is other?'. There can only be experience, as other is just an arising thought. A birdsound is just a sound, there is no bird seen, there is no bird felt, there is no bird tasted or smelled, here is THIS experience, the only experience of that sound there is, how can it be a bird? There is just the sound, and a thought that arises to label the sound, to percieve the sound in the habitual way it does. The body as 'I' in relation to the bird sound again is just an arising thought that is believed. All there ever was, was a sound, and all of that assuming to give the sound its place in the world of Benny.

How can there be any fixed objects, other than what is here in experience, arising and falling? Thoughts included, that paint a picture where there is no picture.