The Gate

Yes, take as long as you need. You're close.....

Hi, Ben!

I'm still in this "exercise". The "thoughlessly" part is hard.

I'll be back soon.

Thanks!

Can you be found in a sensation?


And you be found in a thought?

LOOK!

Hi, Ben!

Can you be found in a sensation?


And you be found in a thought?

LOOK!

It is just a sensation. It is just a thought. Like all others. This feeling is something of the same nature of a pain, for example. They're different, they're "labelled" differently, but I can recognize that they are of the same "nature".

But, it looks like if this sensation and thought labelled as "I" are removed, nothing is left. So, that's why I feel this "thought + sensation" as "me". Being honest here.

I'm intrigued by that question of yours:

“Is there anything within this sensation that could contain a me?”

The verb "to contain"... It is intriguing to think that this "confinement" is just one way to see things...

I think I'm confused... I was lying in my bed, focused on the sensation in my chest and I literally lost my breath! :)

Already waiting your answer!

Thanks!

Remember, things are simple. The only thing that can confuse you are the contents of your thoughts, which are fantasy, stories.

Remove all thought labels and stories from experience. The world can only be colour, sensation, sound, smell, taste and thought. Nothing else exists. Verify this for yourself as much as possible.

Notice that thought actually exists, however the content of it does not. These are the stories.

What simple, direct experience has the “story of you” attached itself to?


Good luck!

Ben

Hi, Ben!

I'm sorry about the delay in my posting, but work is really demanding these days. But in a couple of days I will be on vacation. :)

Let's continue...

What simple, direct experience has the “story of you” attached itself to?

I have to say thought. In fact, memories, but these are thought too.

I act and behave following that image I made up for myself. So the "I am a happy person" will reflect in "happy" acts, "happy" behaves. The opposite is true, about a "sad person".

Does it make any sense?

I understand about the "story of you" being a thought. But what about the body that presents "marks of the story"? For example scars, aging, etc?

I know I should not ask, but I couldn't help... :)

Thanks!

Hi Curupira

Answering these questions are just going to add more confusion to the mix. More stories for you to attach to. Remember - the content of thought will only distract you from what you really need to do, which is LOOK and see things as they actually are.

So I’ll ask the same question again, pay close attention to the word “simple” and “direct experience”. Then look at your direct experience and see for yourself.

What simple, direct experience has the “story of you” attached itself to?

Good luck

Ben

Hi, Ben.

You're right. Sometimes is not easy to separate thought from the content of thoughts.

So, back to the simple. The "story of me" is content of thoughts. But content of thoughts is not direct experience, it is not something that falls into the "simple" category, nor into "direct experience".

So, reducing the scope to smell, taste, colour, sound, sensations and thoughts, I can't find "my story" anywhere...

It is not easy to realize that...

Thanks

Just adding something more: maybe colour, sound, smell, taste are just sensations too... But recognized differently.

Maybe even thoughts?

Thanks!

Excellent looking Curupira

Now let’s try another exercise.

Sit quietly for a few minutes and observe your thoughts. Just watch them impassively, like you’re the audience and the thoughts are the movie. When you’re done, try answering a few questions:

Can you predict your next thought?
What are thoughts made out of?
Can a thought actually do anything?
Is there a “you” contained anywhere within a thought?

Good luck!

Ben

Hi, Ben!

Can you predict your next thought?

No. If I think something like "my next thought would be an elephant", I'm already thinking about the elephant. Well, but I also could say that this proves that I could predict it. So my next thought is the current thought.

But, as you always say, looking for the simple, in a normal situation, in which I'm not trying to predict my next thought, I must say no, I can't predict it.

What are thoughts made out of?

Nothing. They are just electric pulses interpreted by my brain. Maybe I could say they are energy. But, again, if I think about something, like the elephant, I can see the elephant, but it is not a real elephant.

Can a thought actually do anything?

No. The simple looking to thoughts can verify that they cannot do anything. They can trigger an action, but the thought alone can do nothing.

Is there a “you” contained anywhere within a thought?

I would say that no, the "me" that contains the thoughts. I know we are here to see that there is no "me", no "I", but right now, I still see that there is a "me", or an "I" in which the thoughts are contained.

Thanks

Don't give up on me... :(

Hi Curupira

You said you still see a ME contained inside a thought.

The thought that contains the YOU, what is the thought exactly? Describe it to me as best you can.

Is it pictures or words?
What are the pictures or words exactly?

LOOK at the thought closely and let me know what you find.

There is no YOU for me to give up on. What would I be giving up on exactly? Scan everything you can find in your experience and tell me what it would be. Really see if you can actually find it.
Pretend you’re a secret agent, trying to find the secrets of the universe. The only way that you’ll find them is if you LOOK and SEE them for yourself. But it’ll take some effort and energy to push yourself to not get lost in thought and to just LOOK at your experience and see it for yourself.
So, what could I possibly give up on? Would it be a thought? A sensation? A colour? Something else?

Good luck!

Ben

Hi, Ben!

I don't think there is a "me" contained in any thought, but, right now, my direct experience indicates me that there are thoughts contained in me. There are thougths that happen to me. That it is this "me" that registers them.

When I said about giving up on me, this "me" may be described as this "body-mind" entity that writes from this side. The one that already has some level of "freedom" from the ilusion, but still see himself as a "self", a person who goes through life and not that he IS life. In a intelectually level, even using logic, he can conclude that this is not the real case (being a person), but, being totally honest, he have not SEE yet. He does not suffer anymore as he suffered before, but the curiosity and the real feelling that he wants to cross the last gate is strong.

And, yes, this one is still "me"...

Thanks

Hi Curupira

How much are you looking?

I’m hearing more thought explainations on why the self exists, rather than things being broken down into direct experience. Are you still practicing looking at things as colour/sound/sensation/thought/taste? Or are you just looking for thought answers to your questions?

You say there are thoughts contained inside a you and that this is your direct experience. You’ve already seen the that direct experience can only be simply colour/sound/sensation/thought/smell/taste. I want you to find the “inside you” that you’ve assumed exists by looking closely in direct experience, the following exercise will help.

Close your eyes. Pay attention only to the pure sensations, without relying on thoughts or mental images. Answer each of these questions one at a time, from direct experience only:

1: Can it be known how tall the body is?
2: Does the body have a weight or volume?
3: In direct experience does the body have a shape or a form?
4: Is there a boundary between the body and the clothing?
5: Is there a boundary between the body and the chair?
6: Is there an inside or an outside?
7: If there is an inside - inside of what exactly?
8: If there is an outside, the outside of what exactly?
9: What does the word/label ‘body’ ACTUALLY refer to?
10: What is the ACTUAL experience of the body?

Look very carefully, especially with the last question. Take your time, don’t rush. You can look several times during the day while doing other things (like washing hands, showering, having a short break from work, walking, etc.) before replying.

Good luck!


Ben

Hi, Ben!

I'll take some time with this... I'll be back soon.

Thanks!