Requesting a Guide

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

Good. Stay with it.

Yes. I heard about the shooting. Quite sad.

Are there any expectations blocking the seeing of this?

Is there still fear of seeing this?

Look closely.

Write what comes up.

[4connection]

Hi Hopefulness,

I've been sitting with the question of "expectations blocking the seeing" and I'm not quite sure. I did catch myself expecting certain reactions from people when I told them about the experience or when those who know where I live called to check in. Is that what you mean? There has definitely been fear and when it comes up and is recognized, I've been present with.

Yesterday was a busy day of holiday projects and I found myself forgetting the mantra more. Will pay more attention today!

Jane

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

Don't worry about the expectation thing. If you can't think of one, there probably isn't one. Just checking. But be sure and write about it if anything shows up.

I gave you the mantra for two reasons. The obvious was to keep you focused on the plain and simple apparent moment to moment awareness, which is all this is really about.

The other reasons is for you to look at something else. When you see the ring and go to the mantra, notice the contraction that takes place right at first, almost a pulling back inside a body. Look at how immediately prior to that moment of recognition, experience was just happening effortlessly with no person in it. There were things happening, thoughts and feelings coming and going, an apparent body moving around with no one in it, but none of it was happening to any person, and no person was doing any of it. Look at how it was all just one seamless happening without any person doing anything.

Write what comes up.

[4connection]

Hi Hopefulness,

I really noticed this morning while watching the light coming into the sky what you are talking about "one seamless happening without any person doing anything". Then when I used the mantra there was a distinct contraction as though the focus came back into a body! Amazing! I hadn't noticed it consciously before but have had the feeling all along that everything about this exploration has always been here and I'm just becoming aware of it! However it is coming so much more clearly now!

While watching the sunrise, I'm also aware of occasional commentary that comes in which also creates a similar contraction and distraction from the expanded awareness of just taking in the experience.

I also am catching myself right now trying to conceptually connect the two reasons for the mantra into a mental continuum to explain further how and why it works!

Jane

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

Stay with it. Is there anyone experiencing anything or are thoughts just saying that?

[4connection]

Hi Hopefulness,
What seems to be happening lately is a lot of future thinking coming in...preparations for the holidays and getting wrapped up with activity instead of staying in the mantra and keeping a focus...yes, and there is no one to be getting wrapped up in the activity and no one to be staying with the mantra...so not feeling too present and underneath the feeling of fear keeps creeping up with the pace of the holiday and...yes, there is no one to keep up with anything...

The bottom line is there seems to be frenetic moments and not so frenetic moments. There is no one experiencing anything and thoughts are flying everywhere!

Hmmmm,
Jane

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

I'm not sure when this will actually post. The board is refusing my posts, and telling me there is some kind of connection problems. I will keep trying.

As to your post. Good. There's just life happening to no one. Ordinary, in many ways. I'm going to be doing my last bit of shopping today, so take the day off, whatever that means to no one. :)

Write if you feel like it.

[4connection]

Hi Hopefulness,

More of life moving right along these days! I'm continuing to receive great benefit from the mantra which I will continue with over the holidays. Tomorrow I'm headed out of town for a couple of days to will get back in touch after that. Have a wonderful holiday and again, many thanks for all of the support you have given me!

Blessings,
Jane

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

O.K. Have a pleasant trip and a nice Christmas, and I've enjoyed working with you as well.
I'll be staying local for the holidays, so post when you get back and settled in, and we'll continue.

[4connection]

Morning Hopefulness,

Have been a bit unsettled recently and have noticed the "seeker" starting to come in a bit. The seeker is in the direction of reading more non duality though and I have been reading The Journey Home: Awakening in the Dream. I've also been drawn to the work of Gangaji. This may also be a natural "what's next?" as the new year approaches and the holiday finishes...not sure.

Jane

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

I recommended The Direct Path to help see direct experience more clearly.

Do you find a separate self in experience?

[4connection]

Hi Hopefulness,

Have reread parts of The Direct Path and have explored direct experience of the desires that are cropping up. I'm finding that desire is arising within awareness and there is no such thing as the seeker. When I follow the desire I am taken to pure awareness. There are thoughts and feelings of intention and new year's resolutions, etc all within pure awareness also.

Jane

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

Good. I am curious to see the effects of the The Direct Path. It helped me a lot. I'm going to have you repeat one of the earlier exercises. The next time you post, I want you to include an additonal section on 10 minutes of experience, written experientially, without any nouns or pronouns; just verbs. Notice how everything just happens without a doer.

I looked up the description of the book you mentioned on Amazon. I have heard this woman's videos and she seems O.K., but anytime they start writing it seems to generate more questions than answers. I don't recommend books like that for that reason. If you look at the description it seems to imply that in a moment of grace something will be given to you. I think that is a little misleading. This is not something that is "given" by a higher power although that is a comforting belief. What this is is what you already are. It also implies that something is to be "added" to a "you." That's more future thinking going on. It's all here right now. I also think it is ironic that the book states that it is all here right now, and yet the implication is that you have to read the book to get that. So there's my criticism. :) Having said all of that, it looks like an enjoyable read.

I'm still involved in a lot of holiday busy-body stuff today so this will be it for now.

Write what comes up.

[4connection]

Hi Hopefulness,

Ahhhh. I see there has been a lot of feeling of fear coming up about not being good enough or being unworthy for this to "happen to me"...definitely future thinking as you pointed out! Fear of being rejected by those that enlighten or deem others enlightened. Intellectually knowing there is no "me". To be rejected and no "other" to reject. So sitting with those feelings the last couple of days! It's like expecting lightening to strike and when it doesn't thinking there is something wrong with "me".

Have done the exercise also several times. Just a list of verbs within the quietness of my day and last night during the night. It really helps to focus in the moment. This seems like one to keep repeating.

No need to respond... only if you get the chance...I'll keep writing more in a day or so.
Happy New Year!
Jane

[Hopefulness]

Hi again,

I know you get this intellectually. The question is how to get it intuitively.

I'm going to throw you something here that is not a LU guiding technique, although I did originally pick this video up on one of the threads here.

Since you seem to want to make this a religious experience of some sort, I think it was Jesus that said "ye shall have to be as little children...", or something like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29DQ32-Kj-U

Describe the experience of the child that doesn't recognize the dot as "other."

That simple alive beingness is what you are every moment, and it is never "confused," despite what thought says.