The Gate

Post several of your own observations in a list *exactly* like the one above, please.

Cat on lap
Seeing a cat, simply=image/color
Feeling the cat, simply =sensation
Tasting the cat, no taste involved
Hearing the cat purring, simply=hearing sound
Thought about the cat = thought
Smelling the air, simply=smelling

Cat bites hand
Seeing the cat bite, simply = image/color
Feeling the cat bite, simply = sensation
Tasting the cat, no taste involved
Hearing the cat purring, simply=hearing sound
Thought about the cat, simply = thought
Smelling the air, simply=smelling

Riding my bike
Seeing the environment, simply = image/color
Feeling the bike/wind, simply = sensation
Tasting the inside of my mouth, simply = taste
Hearing my audiobook, simply = hearing
Thought about the environment, simply=thought
Smelling the environment, simply=smelling

Folding Laundry
Seeing the laundry, simply = image/color
Feeling the laundry, simply = sensation
Tasting the inside of my mouth, simply = tasting
Hearing the cat, simply = hearing
Thought about the laundry, simply = laundry
Smelling laundry, simply = smelling

Drinking coffee
Seeing the coffee, simply=image/color
Feeling the mug, simply = sensation
Tasting the coffee, simply = taste
Hearing the whitenoise (earbuds), simply = hearing
Thought about the coffee, simply = coffee
Smelling coffee, simply=smelling

I wasn't sure if you wanted these individually or as one list.

This exercize was very gounding!

Thank you,
Guy

Very good. Sorry the cat bit you. :)

So, here's the next step:

Mind Labeling 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 i.e. 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?

Loving,

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one.

The unlabeled version was clearly truer. It's getting to the point where I'm not believing the "I" when I say it.

One thing that did come up was at one point I said "I'm sitting on the bed. It's me sitting here. I'm not sure why I added that last part but I'm glad I did. There was a clear intense constriction around "me". I spent a couple hours focusing inquiry into this. Things like "this is a me, is that true?" And "yes that constricted sensation was there, but what makes it a sensation of a "me"?" Several of those types of questions. At this moment it feels about like the "I" statements. We'll see about tomorrow.

Back to the original question, yes, the unlabeled definitely felt truer.

It's interesting that "me" was such a trigger. Especially given that neither of them can exist in direct experience. That's striking.

2. What is here without labels?

Without any labels, only direct experience. Clarity.

3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?

Lables can't affect the experience, they can describe it. There's something else here ... If I'm focused on the direct experience and not the labels, then the experience seems direct, obvious, clear. If "I" attach to the lables, or get lost in the thought, then noticing the direct experience becomes muddy.

4. Did you notice any differences in the body?

I did. Initially, the body constricted, tensed up, the most around "me" statements, much less, but some around "I" statements, and I didn't notice any tightening sensations around the simple statements of action.


Thanks for the condolences about my cat biting me :) I should know by now that requests for belly rubs are always a trick!

Gratefully,

Guy

I've had trouble getting on to the site all day. At some point it did let me on, and I just left that tab open to this page, which seems to work. When I tried another browser it was still giving an error.

I don't know how long it goes down for at a time, but if it's down for a while, I'd be fine doing this through email and then posting those conversations to LU when it's back up. If you're inclined. Also fine just waiting, as needed.

Gratefully ,

Guy

Hi,

How long the site is down varies. Thank you for continuing to try. It's usually because of a bot attack and our tech guy does something and they can't get in.

I have never guided in person but it occurs we could meet at Cafe Luna if we wanted to. :)

You know you can put all of your answers in one reply right? Anyway, next pointer.

Here is how to distinguish truth from lies.

We often lie every day & don't realize it.

For example, the grocery clerk asks, "How are you?" You reply, "I'm fine." While, yes. there is a sense in which we are always fine, even in the middle of suffering, at that moment, you were grieving the death of your dog, you had a slight sore throat & you had a headache, but you didn't feel like sharing all of that with the grocery clerk, so you lied, "I'm fine."

Also, it matters none at all how "distant" the remembered lie is. Besides the fact that time itself is fictional, a kind if lie, as we recall the lie it becomes present in this moment, as if it were happening now. This brings the body Sensation that accompanies lying.

Lies can be intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious, even so automatic that we ourselves are fooled.

The story of a separate "self" is a lie.

This is the lie you came here to see through. Therefore, it is helpful to notice the body Sensation of lying as one of the tools for finding the truth of no self.

You want to be in touch with body Sensations & able to clearly express them in words. This will help.

Lies are usually felt in the heart or solar plexus as a contraction that we may label as tight, heavy or tense.

In contrast, truth is usually expansive. We may call it loose, light or relaxed.

First, can you remember a time when you lied to someone you loved?

Here we count anything, lies we think of as "big" or "small" that "matter" or don't "matter."

How are you? I'm fine. No, your knee hurts, but you don't feel like discussing it with the grocery clerk.

It's a lie. A seemingly "bigger" one will work better for this exercise.

Find the lie. I don't need the whole story, just a few key words to refer to it.

Then scan your body for any Sensation (DE or Direct Experience), particularly in the gut or maybe the heart. Check very closely.

What is found?

If you think the memory you used wasn't clear enough, find another one or lie to yourself right now, make something up.

1 + 1 = 14 is a lie.

I love eating worms is (probably) a lie.

Or call up a video of a lying politician & notice what Sensations arise as you listen.

I will give you a clue: it is not that peaceful Sensation you felt before when you omitted "I." (refers to an exercise I gave before this one)

Please report back with what body Sensations (not interpretations) you feel. Bodies can feel hot or cold, heavy or light, contraction or expansion, etc.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

Loving,

Morning!
Interesting about the site. I noticed there were a couple bots wandering around and was curious what their function was and if they were supposed to be there.

I had an idea that each question should be a separate response. Now, I'm pretty sure I just made that up. I'll start sending them together unless you request otherwise!

Cafe Luna would be great. It might be more of a periodic check-in. I'm not sure what it would be like to be guided in person, but I'm open. It seems like a big part of my process is to sit, explore internally, do some written inquiry, etc.

I don't know if you can see my email address, but I'll DM you my contact info (if the site lets me go into DMs).


This activity is interesting.

***
What is found?
***

When I think about the lying politician I can feel a clear constriction in my chest. When I think about lying to a previous partner - telling her my day at work was fine, because I really didn't want to process it with her at that moment - I have a subtile sense of it. It's more pronounced when I think about a lie I told as a kid to stay out of trouble.

I'll keep working on it!

***
Peaceful is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?
***

I do! And I'm trying to catch myself using any kind of overlay, especially internally, when looking at direct experience. Will you highlight it if you see me reporting back with those kind of interpertations? It will help me be more aware. It seems like the words "sticky" and "constricting" are also interpertations. If I don't use those I'm not sure what to use when I'm describing the experience. What are your thoughts on that?


Thank you,

Guy

Hi,

Replies should still use the quote function. They can go in one window though. Like this;:

Quoted question

Reply

Quoted question

Reply

Etc. Got it?

Got it?

Ah, yes! Now I do!

Would you like me to resend that last one?

What is found?

When I think about the lying politician I can feel a clear constriction in my chest. When I think about lying to a previous partner - telling her my day at work was fine, because I really didn't want to process it with her at that moment - I have a subtile sense of it. It's more pronounced when I think about a lie I told as a kid to stay out of trouble.

I'll keep working on it!

***
Peaceful is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

***

I do! And I'm trying to catch myself using any kind of overlay, especially internally, when looking at direct experience. Will you highlight it if you see me reporting back with those kind of interpertations? It will help me be more aware. It seems like the words "sticky" and "constricting" are also interpertations. If I don't use those I'm not sure what to use when I'm describing the experience. What are your thoughts on that?


Thank you,

Guy

Okay...

It seems like a big part of my process is to sit, explore internally, do some written inquiry, etc.

Yes. It is an individual activity. We can hold off on anything in person.

What are your thoughts on that?

Thoughts are garbage. See sig quote. :)

It seems like the words "sticky" and "constricting" are also interpertations. If I don't use those I'm not sure what to use when I'm describing the experience.

We did the first 2 pointers on Direct Experience. Yes all words are interpretation and none of them are completely true, but we have to use something so we stick as closely as possible to direct things like heaviness, tightness, color, loud sound, soft sound, that sort of thing.

When you experience the shift in perception of seeing there's no "self," it is likely to feel expansive & spacious - like truth.

Here's your next pointer:


Label-Reality Correlation

There is a belief that labels have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’. But there isn’t. Just like it is a generally accepted belief that labels like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are inherent characteristics of ‘things’. But actually, they are not.

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests?

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

Let me know what is SEEN.

Loving,

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

I see red but think green.
So direct experience = see a color and notice a thought.

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

The color red is experienced.

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

The direct experience is red and the lable is Green. So the lable is a lie, but the direct experience of color/red is 'real'

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

Green overlays the actual experience of red.
Green is just a label.

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests?

No! The redness doesn't change in any way. The lable doesn't matter! (Ahh ... That -feels- like truth)

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

The labels have on affect on reality.

Let me know what is SEEN.

What is seen is the red - direct experience of reality. Labels are meaningless.

And I see that the "I", "self" and "me" must be labels.

With Gratitude,

Guy

And I see that the "I", "self" and "me" must be labels.

Yes! You're quick!

They are only made up thoughts usually accompanied with the tension of a lie feeling.

Okay, you've already got this, but...

Actual/Direct Experience - Apple

Have a look at an apple (or any fruit you like.) If you have a ‘real’ apple, you can use it for this exercise. Google for a picture of an apple.



When looking at an apple, there's color; a thought saying ‘apple’; and maybe a thought saying, "I'm looking at an apple."

What is known for sure? Color is known and thoughts are known.

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

Actual experience does not refer to thoughts ABOUT something…because that is only just more thought.

Actual experience is sound, thought, color, smell, taste, sensation and the fact of thought arising, but not its content.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

While these thoughts are known, what they talk ABOUT can't be found in actual experience.

This is what is meant by "looking in actual experience." What you know for sure, and, is always here.

Taste labeled ‘apple’ is known
Color labeled ‘apple’ is known
Sensation labeled ‘apple’ is known (when apple is touched)
Smell labeled ‘apple’ is known
Thought about/of an ‘apple’ is known

However, is an apple actually known?

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

Loving,