The Gate

Cup, Spain, Batman.
A cup is a tangible, physical object, as far as I can tell, it exists.
Spain is a concept that represents a physical, geographical area. "Spain" does not exist, what it represents does.
Batman, if I am not very mistaken, does not exist, except as a concept, to be believed in or not.

Good work differentiating between labels!

Like you say, cup is a label that points to a real object, Spain is a label that is used for communication but can't be found as a object and Batman points to something that isn't real.

If you look now to the I (if the I is real there must be a way to experience it...), would you say that I is a label like cup, like Spain or like Batman? And why?

Hi Sandra.
Just going back to the three aspects of experience. Maybe there is a fourth, maybe it is part of the others.
An internal energy is detected, "prana", that can be felt, the level goes down when hungry of tired, or changes when I take caffeine ( I just had the first coffee in a week, and was noting the effect). Maybe it is a bridge between the others. Just trying to be thorough!
Throughout the day, when I look, it seems apparent that no separate self exists, but I find myself thinking and acting as if it does.
I feel keen to discover more, awaiting your guidance with gratitude.

Oh, I missed your last post.

Looking now to the I, like cup, Spain, Batman?
Body is like cup. "My" body?
"I" Seems to be more like Batman, than Spain.
Why?
If it was like "Spain" it would be a conglomorate of things: Body, thoughts energy, sense of presence. Called "i"
Let me reflect on this for a while.
Im having internet connection issues!

"I', like "Spain" is a concept that represents body, energy, thoughts, sense of presence. When I look from my terrace I don't see "spain", I see land, trees, plants etc, these are in "Spain".
When I look for "I" there is my senses reporting, my breath, some thoughts, an understanding that I am here. Nothing more.
There is not a feeling of total clarity about this. Why? I will carry on looking.

There is a big, fat expectation that when I truly "see", something will go POP! and everything will be fantastic. Ha, ha.
Still looking.

Forget expectations for the moment and just look - don't let expectations shut seeing.

Can the "I" only exist as a label, like Batman?

When I look for "I" there is my senses reporting, my breath, some thoughts, an understanding that I am here. Nothing more.

What is real? Is there a separate "I", or is there just an experience that thought divides as "I" + "what is experienced"?

Can you see an "I" looking for "I" or looking just happens?

Is it "my breath" or "breathing happens"?

"I think" or "thought happens"?

"An understanding that I am here" or an unmistakable sense of Aliveness that is not personal?

When I look from my terrace I don't see "spain", I see land, trees, plants etc,

Look for the answers to these questions the same way you look from the terrace... With seeing, not with thinking.

When looked for, no I can be found.
Breathing is happening.
There is a constant sense of presence.
Thought happens.

When attention moves from presence to thought, the "I" seems to exist.
When attention is directed to looking at direct experience "I" is seen as no-existant.
What is attention?

Some insight: When there is a thought, ie about the future or the past, the thought exists, within my perception, but the subject does not exist.

What is attention?

What do you mean with this question?

When looked for, no I can be found.
Breathing is happening.
There is a constant sense of presence.
Thought happens.

You're really looking! Good work, Shannon :)

When attention moves from presence to thought, the "I" seems to exist.

There is a story about the character Shannon going on as thoughts. Outside thought, can this character be found?

When there is a thought, ie about the future or the past,

These thoughts about the future or the past can only happen now.

See if you can find ANYTHING that exists outside this moment! Anything at all...

If the I is more than a story, shouldn't it be here, now, available to be experienced?

There is thoughts arising, sensations, the feeling of being alive and an awareness of all this - all that can be seen, experienced - and where is the I, what is the I?

In this moment, does life need an I to happen?

What is attention?
What do I mean by this question?

Attention appears to be something with the power to alter my experience.
If the attention is on the subject of thought, (which does not exist), I am less aware of what actually does exist. The question is sincere; what is attention?

I will look into the other questions you have asked.

Hi Sandra.
Yes, to some extent there is a story about the character "Shannon".
This character does not,can not, exist outside of thoughts.

"These thoughts about past and future can only happen now."
This is clear, when looked at. The thought is now, the content is about not now. If the thought is seen for what it is, there is no movement out of the now, if the content is identified with, direct experience appears to be lost.

When looked for, I can't find anything that exists outside of this moment.

If the attention is on direct experience, the story is not here, not available to be experienced.

"There are thoughts arising,sensations, the feeling of being alive and an awareness of all this- all that can be seen, experienced - and where is the I, what is the I?"

Seen in this context, the I is not here, it is not real.

"in this moment, does life need an I to happen?"
No, the "i" that is seen to be not real, clearly is not needed for life to happen.

Attention appears to be something with the power to alter my experience.
If the attention is on the subject of thought, (which does not exist), I am less aware of what actually does exist. The question is sincere; what is attention?

Can you please describe what you mean with attention? Are you talking about the awareness of what is going on?

When awareness focus in the content of thoughts, in the story, that is also what is. Nothing wrong with thoughts when we know how to see the diference between what's real in direct experience and what's a story/illusion.

Is attention/awareness personal, can you see an you doing/controlling it?

Does attention really has the power to alter experience? Or is attention just happening and a thought says "Attention appears to be something with the power to alter my experience."?

Yes, to some extent there is a story about the character "Shannon".
This character does not,can not, exist outside of thoughts.

"These thoughts about past and future can only happen now."
This is clear, when looked at. The thought is now, the content is about not now. If the thought is seen for what it is, there is no movement out of the now, if the content is identified with, direct experience appears to be lost.

When looked for, I can't find anything that exists outside of this moment.

If the attention is on direct experience, the story is not here, not available to be experienced.

"There are thoughts arising,sensations, the feeling of being alive and an awareness of all this- all that can be seen, experienced - and where is the I, what is the I?"

Seen in this context, the I is not here, it is not real.

"in this moment, does life need an I to happen?"
No, the "i" that is seen to be not real, clearly is not needed for life to happen.

Wonderful, Shannon :)

So, is the separated I an illusion? If not where can we look next?

What can "you" be? The controller, the body, the thinker, the chooser, the experiencer, the attention?

Is an "you" doing anything?

Maybe attention is focus of awareness.

I'm trying to go through this thoroughly, I don't want to just agree with you.

Where is the person?
Three modes of experience; sensations, thoughts, presence.
Take these away, but leave the body functioning. What do you have?
Body in a coma?
Where is the person? Where was the person with all the modes of experience?

Mind is going a bit mad at times;
Have I got it?
Is this it?
No, because there is a me to get it/not get it.

Sense of peace and a clear awareness of what is actually happening/being, along with the moments of intense questioning.