The Gate

OK, and as you have just seen ( by looking) thoughts are automatic, there is no self doing them... and so...?

Take a closer look at the thought loop, what is the "I" that the thoughts are referring to?

The "I" that thoughts are referring to are more thoughts.

Lets take a look at doership.

Raise your right arm.

Now, how did you do that?

I don't know. There was the thought to raise my right arm and up it went.

Take a closer look at thoughts again. There is thought followed by thought followed by thought. Some thoughts claim that thoughts are caused to arise by other thoughts. Is it true? Take a look.

There are spaces or gaps between thoughts but no evidence that a thought causes another thought.

Hmmmm

I am guessing you have read gateless gatecrashers, or maybe a few threads on the forum?

You are giving "correct" answers but I get the impression that you are very under whelmed by what you are looking at right now.

Are you expecting fireworks, choruses of angels and instant bliss?


What we are looking at is really simple. All through our lives we have believed that there is an entity, a self, that does things, thinks things, is actively involved in everything. But when you look, you see its not so.

That is all we are doing. Comparing our preconceived ideas with reality.

So where are you at right now? Are things any clearer? What is the sticking point, if anything?

I've read a few pages of gateless gatecrashers and a few posts on the forums.

I'm just telling you what I'm experiencing and like I said earlier I'm not really expecting anything.

Right now the idea that there is no self is playing on a loop in my mind and is pointing me to observe my experience to see if there really is no self. Actually this is probably one of the best and most practical pointers I've gotten into the inquiry of the existence of self. I'm not sure where to go from here, though. I do like the fact that I can inquire into my direct experience at any time and do not have to be sitting in formal meditation practice, so thank you!

Right now the idea that there is no self is playing on a loop in my mind and is pointing me to observe my experience to see if there really is no self. Actually this is probably one of the best and most practical pointers I've gotten into the inquiry of the existence of self. I'm not sure where to go from here, though.

Where you go from here is looking. Every time you remember, at everything you believe about the self. Is it true? Look for a self throughout the day. Look for periods where the self seems strong. Look for periods where the self seems less strong, or not there. Look at thoughts, feelings, actions. Look at trees, animals, other people. Can you find a self of any kind, anywhere?

Where you go from here is looking. Every time you remember, at everything you believe about the self. Is it true? Look for a self throughout the day. Look for periods where the self seems strong. Look for periods where the self seems less strong, or not there. Look at thoughts, feelings, actions. Look at trees, animals, other people. Can you find a self of any kind, anywhere?

Thank you Neil.

Where you go from here is looking. Every time you remember, at everything you believe about the self. Is it true? Look for a self throughout the day. Look for periods where the self seems strong. Look for periods where the self seems less strong, or not there. Look at thoughts, feelings, actions. Look at trees, animals, other people. Can you find a self of any kind, anywhere?

Thank you Neil.

Keep reporting back here every day/

Keep reporting back here every day/

Okay I will. Are there any other pointers you know of? Do we continue until I "pass through the gate"? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again Neil.

Hi Neil,

I just wanted to post about my experience now. It's really interesting because now that I have the inquiry into no self playing in the back of my mind I find that after I perform an action I ask "where was the self during that process?" It's like a slight jolt into the belief in a self. It's kind of disorienting but I've never experienced this before. The belief in a self and the attachment to the belief is still strong but I feel like the foundations of that belief have been shaken.

Are there any other pointers you know of?

Well, they are all kind of related, the main pointer is "LOOK!!!!!"

so as well as looking at thought and actions, you look at senses

Close your eyes, listen to a sound. Is there a sound over there, and a self or me over here hearing the sound. Can you find the hearer of the sound? Is there a sound, an experience of the sound, and an experiencer of the sound?

How much effort do you have to put into hearing a sound? Isnt it effortless, you dont have to actually do anything?

The same for vision, touch, smell etc.

Do we continue until I "pass through the gate"?

Thats up to you. Youre the one who has to do the work, do the looking

Hi Neil,

I just wanted to post about my experience now. It's really interesting because now that I have the inquiry into no self playing in the back of my mind I find that after I perform an action I ask "where was the self during that process?"

Yes, that is a good question to ask. But remember, you still need to look to find the answer.

It might also be interesting to actually look at the thoughts that are playing in the back of your mind about the inquiry. Are these also automatic, arise and fade on their own?

It's like a slight jolt into the belief in a self. It's kind of disorienting but I've never experienced this before. The belief in a self and the attachment to the belief is still strong but I feel like the foundations of that belief have been shaken.

Who is it who has a belief in a self?

All we are doing is seeing that self is just a belief, a thought. If there is no self, then there is no self that just stops believing. The belief may still carry on for a while, because the belief is also automatic, habitual. The important thing is to see that it is just a belief, with no real entity behind it, and to keep noticing every instance where that belief comes into play.

It might be useful, for example, to observe what happens when someone says something hurtful to you.

Do we continue until I "pass through the gate"?

I am here to guide and point you until you are done, yes

neil

Well, they are all kind of related, the main pointer is "LOOK!!!!!"

so as well as looking at thought and actions, you look at senses

Close your eyes, listen to a sound. Is there a sound over there, and a self or me over here hearing the sound. Can you find the hearer of the sound? Is there a sound, an experience of the sound, and an experiencer of the sound?

How much effort do you have to put into hearing a sound? Isnt it effortless, you dont have to actually do anything?

The same for vision, touch, smell etc.

There is just the experience of sound happening, no effort needed.

Yes, that is a good question to ask. But remember, you still need to look to find the answer.

It might also be interesting to actually look at the thoughts that are playing in the back of your mind about the inquiry. Are these also automatic, arise and fade on their own?

Yes, it's like a code inserted into a program now.

Who is it who has a belief in a self?

All we are doing is seeing that self is just a belief, a thought. If there is no self, then there is no self that just stops believing. The belief may still carry on for a while, because the belief is also automatic, habitual. The important thing is to see that it is just a belief, with no real entity behind it, and to keep noticing every instance where that belief comes into play.

It might be useful, for example, to observe what happens when someone says something hurtful to you.

I find the pointer to notice when the belief in a self comes into play very helpful. Recently I had a friend say something that was hurtful and it ruined our night out because there was this chain reaction of emotion and thoughts all revolving around the "I" that felt attacked. One example of how this belief in self causes suffering.

I find the pointer to notice when the belief in a self comes into play very helpful. Recently I had a friend say something that was hurtful and it ruined our night out because there was this chain reaction of emotion and thoughts all revolving around the "I" that felt attacked. One example of how this belief in self causes suffering.

You still need to make it clear that it IS just a belief. And to do that, you need to look. Dont take my word for it

You still need to make it clear that it IS just a belief. And to do that, you need to look. Dont take my word for it

Okay. I don't want this to be another spiritual concept in my head so I will continue to look.

Anything to report?

Hi Neil,

I've just been observing the "I" belief as it arises in my experience. When emotions arise I look to see what "I" thoughts are connected to the emotion that was triggered. Noticed that there is a lot of fear in my life connected to the self thought. Went to watch a movie alone and usually feel anxious being seen alone going to watch a movie, and I observed the anxiety connected to that.Then I was looking at other people and realized that there is no self in them as well. Things seem a little less sticky due to this inquiry. I'm actually enjoying observing the process, it's quite fascinating.