Trackless Bird

[s-p-a-c-e]

If Skye is a fiction, can it breathe?

No, it is lifeless. Life breathes the body without Skye. Skye borrows life from Life.

Good work.

Now, with the right hand rested by you on a table, chair or thigh.

Whilst breathing is beyond Skye, can such a Skye lift that hand even an inch upwards?

Explore, and share any discoveries.

Best wishes,
John

[Periwinkle]

Whilst breathing is beyond Skye, can such a Skye lift that hand even an inch upwards?

Ha.

No.

Then who or what is lifting that hand, making decisions, driving a car, following a recipe? I don't know. There seems to be just the doing of them if Skye is a fiction, yet with some intention coming from somewhere.

Getting that WTF feeling again. Like I no longer have a stake in what happens.

[s-p-a-c-e]

Hey Skye,

Whilst breathing is beyond Skye, can such a Skye lift that hand even an inch upwards?

Ha.

No.

Then who or what is lifting that hand, making decisions, driving a car, following a recipe? I don't know. There seems to be just the doing of them if Skye is a fiction, yet with some intention coming from somewhere.

Getting that WTF feeling again. Like I no longer have a stake in what happens.

Let's break it down. The WTF comes from holding a particular perception/assumption about how it is, with Skye as fiction. And that assumption - itself a fiction - leaves you with the perception of no ground.

Clue: With Skye as fiction, what kind of replacement would be nice? :)

Sketch out, the ideal situation, post-Skye.

Best wishes,
John

[Periwinkle]

The WTF comes from holding a particular perception/assumption about how it is, with Skye as fiction. And that assumption - itself a fiction - leaves you with the perception of no ground.

You hit the nail on the head. Especially that the assumption itself is a fiction! Thanks for that.

Clue: With Skye as fiction, what kind of replacement would be nice? :)

Sketch out, the ideal situation, post-Skye.

Here is where my previous training sort of gets in the way. I want to give the "right" answer, based on my dharma knowledge, which I know doesn't necessarily help me. I'll try to forget that and speak from the gut.

I am truly so tired of running the show that it would be SO nice to let that go and allow Skye's replacement to take over. What a relief it would be. And if the replacement were wise, playful and loving, that should about cover it. Also would be nice to feel like I could trust it completely.

Is this what you're asking for, John?

[s-p-a-c-e]

You hit the nail on the head. Especially that the assumption itself is a fiction! Thanks for that.

:) It loosens things up.

Clue: With Skye as fiction, what kind of replacement would be nice? :)
Sketch out, the ideal situation, post-Skye.

Here is where my previous training sort of gets in the way. I want to give the "right" answer, based on my dharma knowledge, which I know doesn't necessarily help me. I'll try to forget that and speak from the gut.

I am truly so tired of running the show that it would be SO nice to let that go and allow Skye's replacement to take over. What a relief it would be. And if the replacement were wise, playful and loving, that should about cover it. Also would be nice to feel like I could trust it completely.

Am glad you speak from the gut, as I'm not looking for an answer, but to open opportunities for you to uncover and recognise held assumptions/perceptions.

Thank you for the sketch!

And if the ideal you is not observable?

What then?

Best wishes,
John

[Periwinkle]

And if the ideal you is not observable?

What then?

Stuck. Maybe sleep will open something. Talk to you tomorrow, John.

And thanks.

[Periwinkle]

And if the ideal you is not observable?

What then?

I can't quite put words around it. There is sort of a falling back, with nothing to catch me, yet there's a fullness there.

Spontaneous tears here, balling really, but it's not sadness. Relief? Not sure. Maybe like getting a glimpse of home, but if there's no one to to experience an unobservable home, then...?

I don't know. I think "I'm not clear what I'm experiencing." But then think, "there's no Skye to be clear or unclear."

Need some help here. I feel like I'm trying to "get" a formula by applying all the correct rules of non-dualism. That I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be.

Going for a walk.

[s-p-a-c-e]

Going for a walk.

Nothing better than a walk!

Share whatever is the sense of being when you return.

Much love,
John

[Periwinkle]

Nothing better than a walk!

Share whatever is the sense of being when you return.

Nothing to report. After my walk I had to jump into family and work stuff, which always seems to shift everything back "normal." It takes me being alone to be able to think and focus. I'll have more time this weekend to reflect.

Thanks, man. Talk soon.

[Periwinkle]

And if the ideal you is not observable?

I'm not coming up with anything.

On waking this morning one of my first thoughts was that I'm trying to effort myself there, I'm straining to see, but as Skye. Getting frustrated.

My fear is that, in the same way that there are manifestations of people with various personalities and destinies, that this manifestation of me is simply one of a lifetime of thwarted seeing.

[s-p-a-c-e]

On waking this morning one of my first thoughts was that I'm trying to effort myself there, I'm straining to see, but as Skye. Getting frustrated.

My fear is that, in the same way that there are manifestations of people with various personalities and destinies, that this manifestation of me is simply one of a lifetime of thwarted seeing.

All good stuff to notice. One way of thinking about perceptions is to imagine them in a frame. So, imagine "there are manifestations of people with various personalities and destinies, that this manifestation of me is simply one of a lifetime of thwarted seeing" in a frame tightly held with both hands right there in front of you, such that you are forced to see life THROUGH this frame.

Needless to say, this would significantly shape and constrain the possibilities for what may be perceived.
We don't need to ditch the frame, just set it aside for a minute and notice what its like being more open and frame-free.

Ok, your next activity is to wait for the next thought.
(I don't know what 'thought' means for you.)
But when something shows up that you would call a thought...inquire:

Q/ Did you know what the thought content would be before it came?
Q/ Did you know the precise moment when it would come?
Q/ Were you in any sense behind the thought, its instigator?

With best wishes,
John

[Periwinkle]

One way of thinking about perceptions is to imagine them in a frame. So, imagine "there are manifestations of people with various personalities and destinies, that this manifestation of me is simply one of a lifetime of thwarted seeing" in a frame tightly held with both hands right there in front of you, such that you are forced to see life THROUGH this frame.

Very helpful. Thanks.

(I don't know what 'thought' means for you.)

Interesting question. For me, thought usually means an idea "said" to myself with words I sort of hear, or sense internally.

Q/ Did you know what the thought content would be before it came?
Q/ Did you know the precise moment when it would come?
Q/ Were you in any sense behind the thought, its instigator?

No, to all. Thoughts just come, unasked, unexpected. I can't control when or if they come.

One thing I notice are the groupings that thoughts sometimes appear in, depending on what has lately had my attention.

[s-p-a-c-e]

(I don't know what 'thought' means for you.)

Interesting question. For me, thought usually means an idea "said" to myself with words I sort of hear, or sense internally.

Ok, good description.

No, to all. Thoughts just come, unasked, unexpected. I can't control when or if they come.

One thing I notice are the groupings that thoughts sometimes appear in, depending on what has lately had my attention.

This plays into the inquiry because our lived assumption tends to be that this voiced-thought (or group of voiced-thoughts) is me listening to me speaking to myself. :) So, a lot of me in there.

Going back to our perception frame, we can put "me listening to me speaking to myself" into a frame and experience voiced-thoughts THROUGH this frame again, in which we get our usual experience and impression.

We can also explore setting that frame aside, as best we can, and observe what happens as cleanly as we can. As if, this was a new phenomenon of which we know nothing.

Explore this, and share what's different about the experience of such thoughts without the usual frame.

With best wishes,
John

[Periwinkle]

We can also explore setting that frame aside, as best we can, and observe what happens as cleanly as we can. As if, this was a new phenomenon of which we know nothing.

Explore this, and share what's different about the experience of such thoughts without the usual frame.

When the frame is set aside, the thoughts that normally would have a huge charge to them become more neutral, like when you hear someone complain about something and you aren't swept into the drama they are experiencing, because it isn't your drama. You're outside of it. Also, the unasked-for thoughts that torment the non-existent Skye aren't compounded by additional analysis and trying to figure out solutions. You're OK with letting things play out and not trying to control the outcome. Yet there's still some curiosity about how the story will end.

And, there something or someone who is watching these thoughts happen that is not Skye.

I'll play with this some more, and get back to you.

Thank you, John.

[s-p-a-c-e]

When the frame is set aside, the thoughts that normally would have a huge charge to them become more neutral, like when you hear someone complain about something and you aren't swept into the drama they are experiencing, because it isn't your drama. You're outside of it. Also, the unasked-for thoughts that torment the non-existent Skye aren't compounded by additional analysis and trying to figure out solutions. You're OK with letting things play out and not trying to control the outcome. Yet there's still some curiosity about how the story will end.

Great. Just to say the intention is not to push thoughts way, or to say they have no value. We're working with perceptions to see that what appeared to a true - i.e. a lived assumption - is more a product of a particular habitual perception.

As you say, the relationship shifts, so that attending to thoughts is akin to attending to a sudden breeze.

And, there something or someone who is watching these thoughts happen that is not Skye.

Well, we'll look at this characterisation of 'something or someone watching these thoughts'. Yet another perception frame.
It is rather astonishing what happens when such frames are set aside for a moment, and there is observing without an 'observer', a 'something or someone'.

I'll play with this some more, and get back to you.

Cool.

Best wishes,
John