I am reporting from experience......keeping the focus on experience is definetely changing how life is .
As I go through my day I practice identifying all 6 ways to experience but thought is still the most dominating one
Yes... can we try a different approach. Instead of 'trying' and 'practicing', could you see that SEEING and LOOKING and Experiencing is just happening without any thing, any one, any effort?
And Yes, thoughts can be persistent. You can just gently notice that they are thoughts and let yourself Experience.
It seems you are really fighting (It could be my perception). Are you running from anything? What if I were to tell you that this isn't possible for you to see... that you will NEVER Awaken? What comes up? If there is some feeling or pain that needs your attention... give it that Loving-Kindess... give it that Attention. This DOES NOT mean get in to THOUGHT-STORIES... it just means to Allow, to Feel, to Let. No engagement, but full Attention.
the question comes up " who is watching the experience?" Its good the word "being "is not used here....this word has been overused in all my spiritual pursuits.
"Being, presence, awareness, consciousness" sometimes refers to that sense of Aliveness or "I am". This is not to be identified or made in to something special. It's just a part of Experience. Sometimes people use a model of 7 streams and add "Presence or Intuition" or whatever as a 7th. It doesn't matter. Either way, it isn't personal, and it isn't a 'me, self, i'.
What often happens is, we take Experience, and we divide it. This might be of some help to you and will give you something to focus on:
We can explore how we divide and conceptualize Experience:
So take the 'mind'. This is usually taken as some sensations and thoughts. usually sensations around the 'head' and 'thoughts. Some say, well my mind is in my 'head' and 'it's full of thoughts and imagination'. They also speak of this thing that think is real called 'the brain' (lol... i cannot find it right now... can you?) :-)
So take 'body'. We refer to certain sensations, primarily tactile, kinesthetic and hot/cold/pressure/etc. From a young age we are taught how to label these sensations in to a 'body' and then also further taught to label 'body parts' such as 'leg, hand, head, foot, tongue, finger'. We further assume that the body is a 'center' where the sense streams are 'received' and 'perceived'.
So take 'external world'. We usually take whatever is left over from the first 2 labels, and say that is the outside world of objects, things, people, places, planets, galaxies, tooth fairies and smurfs.
So now take 'myself'. We usually take the first 2 of these labels (body + mind), and add feelings, and a sense of aliveness/being, and then we refer to this as 'myself', a myself which is separate from the 'external world'.
So just CHECK and LOOK in your direct Experience how these are constructed in the moment. Deconstruction is a useful process as well... and we can deconstruct any 'object'.
Then CHECK and LOOK to see if there is any actual and real separation between all of this. Is the 'body' separate from the 'external world'? Is 'myself' separate from 'what is seen'? Could it be that it is only separate in THOUGHT? Could it be that there is a seamless Experiencing just happening?
Its not in the experience,can't be experienced...its is an abstract,thought created entity
Yeah, Good... "i, me, Janna, myself, self, separate self, you" are basically just LABELS/THOUGHTS that we put on Experience... right? Check this for yourself. It's very useful for communication and navigating the world. But when we define Reality... then there is Suffering. Check this for yourself.
But the moments come and go....the mind relentlesly comes back with another story about"Janna" the feeling of loss and sadness with the illusion lived for lifetime,mind wants to hold on and will not let go
Yes Janna... Good. But keep checking. Is there a thinker of thoughts? Are these thoughts arising to anyone? Is there a feeler of these feelings? Are these feelings arising to anyone? You have these basic angles of CHECKING which we have discussed... use them and take your investigation in to the present moment, in to direct Simple Experiencing.
there is an experience of the body experiencing world and than thoughts that paint very convincing picture of who she is......over and over.....
I understand, but is this Real or is this another STORY which combines some intense feelings, sensations and other thoughts?
When these THOUGHTS and STORIES arise.....
ASK...
"IS IT True ???"
But how I stop the thoughts of "me' or just watch the thoughts without giving them validity...
This seem to drain my energy ...its easier when I am alone and no people to reflect"me"
FROM WHAT i HEAR ON LU THE PROCESS SEEM SO EASY.......NOT MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR
WHO is going to stop thoughts? When thoughts and stories are energized/believed/struggled-against, they gain momentum and they will keep going and going and going.....
Is it possible for you to
SURRENDER Janna? Completely? Could you accept that this war with THOUGHTS can NEVER be Won? What comes up?
Perhaps you should just let yourself be completely be beaten by these thoughts, feelings... just give up, open your arms and say "Do your worst!!!!!! I'm done fighting, I'm done". Then... see how much power these thoughts have. If there is in fact noone there, then who is being affected... who can be affected? Is it perhaps there is just a seamless Experience that is constantly conceptualized, and reinforced by affective emotions and cognitive reactivity?
Comparing your STORY about an Experience to another STORY (about "Liberation Unleashed"... whoever and whatever that is) is not skillful. Do you see how you are creating Expectations? Do you see how you are resisting What-Is?
Please contemplate these two words FULLY, and continue with the inquiries I have given you above.
Expectations.
SURRENDER.
Look forward to your next response.