Seeing freedom

[forgetmenot]

Hey Anna,

Fantastic looking, Anna - thank you :)

If you ignore sounds and other ‘external’ input, have another look and notice if you can see where they are coming from and going to.

They seem to come out of nothingness and go back into it.

Yes, they just seem to arise and subside.

Is there a ‘real’ cup or just an image of a cup?
Is there an appearing mental image?
Is the content of the mental image (the cup) ‘real’?

I can't physically grasp the cup. There is only a mental image of the cup and as the cup is the content of the mental image it is not 'real' and can't be found in actual experience.

Lovely! And all thoughts about a cup and what a cup is and what it is made from and its purpose etc are all contents of thought. So the content of thought is simply more thought.

Over the course of the next day or so, I'd like you to notice the content of thoughts. Whenever there is an arising thought or mental image, check whether its content (what it’s about) is REALLY happening, or the content is just pure imagination. Let me know how it goes.

Often I can predict something is going to happen - an example thought, 'I heard the car five minutes ago so Alex is probably walking down by the storeroom and might come into the kitchen any moment'. Even if Alex was walking by the storeroom as I had the thought, it is not really happening. Until she actually walks into the kitchen and I see image labelled 'Alex' or sound labelled 'door opening', the only actual experience is of thought not of Alex arriving.

YES! Exactly! Nice, Anna….really nice looking. Also the idea of predicting what is going to happen is based on memory which is based on time. We will look at these concepts a little further on.

Feeling the warmth of the sun on my face there is the thought 'this is very pleasant'. The thought of 'pleasant' is not actual experience of the suns warmth. I am wondering if that doesn't mean there isn't a real pleasant experience but just that the thought about it is removed from the direct experience of it.

If thought says that “feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, yesterday was very pleasant”…then that is just a story appearing now, as it is not your current experience.
However, if the sensation labelled “warmth of the sun” is experience as you presently find it, it is not just a story as thought is pointing to AE as you presently find it ie the AE of sensation which thought is labelling as “warmth of the sun”.
Is this clear?

If you look at that thought, what is the AE of “sun” and what is the AE of “face”?

It has nothing to do with whether the sensation is further labelled as pleasant or unpleasant.

Does the sensation itself suggest in any way that it is pleasant or unpleasant?

With love, Kay

[SeeingFreely]

Hi Kay

If thought says that “feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, yesterday was very pleasant”…then that is just a story appearing now, as it is not your current experience.
However, if the sensation labelled “warmth of the sun” is experience as you presently find it, it is not just a story as thought is pointing to AE as you presently find it ie the AE of sensation which thought is labelling as “warmth of the sun”.
Is this clear?

Yes.

If you look at that thought, what is the AE of “sun” and what is the AE of “face”?

The actual experience of sun is sensation labelled warmth and colour (through closed eyes) labelled sunlight. The actual experience of face is sensation labelled warmth.

Does the sensation itself suggest in any way that it is pleasant or unpleasant?

I am not sure. I can't say that the sensation suggests that it is pleasant or unpleasant. Yet it feels that pleasant and unpleasant (especially if unpleasant is pain are 'real'. It makes me ask are they just labels and if so are they a different type of label to hot or cold?

Love, Anna

[forgetmenot]

Hi Anna,

If you look at that thought, what is the AE of “sun” and what is the AE of “face”?

The actual experience of sun is sensation labelled warmth and colour (through closed eyes) labelled sunlight. The actual experience of face is sensation labelled warmth.

The actual experience of sun and face is thought.

Sensation labelled ‘warmth’ isn’t story, but story can say that the “sun felt warm against my face”. So thought ‘points’ to the sensation labelled ‘warmth’ and then says that the ‘warmth is from the sun’

Thought points to colour and labels it ‘face’.
How is it known that ‘you’ have a face?

I would like you to point a finger to where others see your face.
What do you see? You are now looking inwards – turning the direction of your attention round 180˚ from the objects out there to you the Subject, to the place you are looking out of. Do you see your face? Do you see anything at all there - any colour or shape, any movement?

Does the sensation itself suggest in any way that it is pleasant or unpleasant?

I am not sure. I can't say that the sensation suggests that it is pleasant or unpleasant. Yet it feels that pleasant and unpleasant (especially if unpleasant is pain are 'real'. It makes me ask are they just labels and if so are they a different type of label to hot or cold?

How is it known exactly, that sensation is pleasant or unpleasant, hot or cold, intense of gentle?

Put some rather warm water into a bowl.

Place a hand in the ‘warm’ water and just notice the sensation.
If you don’t think about it, do you know that this sensation is something called ‘warm’? Is there any inherent warmth in the sensation itself?


Remove your hand from the bowl.

Now go to the sensation at the soles of the feet. Would you label that sensation ‘warm’? Or is it just a neutral, undefined 'tingling' sensation?

Put your hand back into the bowl of water.

Now compare the sensation of the soles of the feet – which is just neutral sensation – and the sensation of the hand (labelled ‘warm’)…what is the difference between them?
Thought may say one is a little more ‘intense’, but apart from that – any difference?

With love, Kay

[SeeingFreely]

Hi Kay

Sorry I have not been replying as frequently as I would like. To use the old excuse - 'the dog ate my homework', or in this case my arm. I've just left the place I've been living a few days ago and am traveling and staying places without power/reception...and being bitten by large dogs! I will do my best to keep posting everyday or at least every other day.

Thought points to colour and labels it ‘face’.
How is it known that ‘you’ have a face?
[/quote
It is not known. Both 'I' and 'face' are the contents of thought.

I would like you to point a finger to where others see your face.
What do you see? You are now looking inwards – turning the direction of your attention round 180˚ from the objects out there to you the Subject, to the place you are looking out of. Do you see your face? Do you see anything at all there - any colour or shape, any movement?

No, there is no colour, shape or movement. I am aware of sensations that thought labels face.

How is it known exactly, that sensation is pleasant or unpleasant, hot or cold, intense of gentle?

It is not known in actual experience. Pleasant and unpleasant are labels and the contents of thought.

Place a hand in the ‘warm’ water and just notice the sensation. If you don’t think about it, do you know that this sensation is something called ‘warm’? Is there any inherent warmth in the sensation itself?

No. There is only sensation. But is very quickly followed by the thought 'this water is warm'!

Now go to the sensation at the soles of the feet. Would you label that sensation ‘warm’? Or is it just a neutral, undefined 'tingling' sensation?

If I think about it I could say that there is warmth but also neutral and tingling. Would these all be labels and therefore the content of thought?

Put your hand back into the bowl of water.

Now compare the sensation of the soles of the feet – which is just neutral sensation – and the sensation of the hand (labelled ‘warm’)…what is the difference between them?
Thought may say one is a little more ‘intense’, but apart from that – any difference?

There is not much difference, one is more intense. Is to compare the sensations and say there is not much difference a thought story - so there is no actual experience of difference?

Love, Anna

[forgetmenot]

Hey Anna,

Sorry I have not been replying as frequently as I would like. To use the old excuse - 'the dog ate my homework', or in this case my arm. I've just left the place I've been living a few days ago and am traveling and staying places without power/reception...and being bitten by large dogs! I will do my best to keep posting everyday or at least every other day.

Thank you for letting me know! Been bitten by large dogs…I hope not too seriously!

There is not much difference, one is more intense. Is to compare the sensations and say there is not much difference a thought story - so there is no actual experience of difference?

What is the AE of ‘intense’? What does ‘intense’ actually point to?
Without thought how is it known that sensation is ‘hot’, ‘cold’, ‘pleasant’ etc and without thought how could it possibly be known that sensations are intense or different?

“This sensation is pleasant" , or “this feels hot” is the thought. The ensuing thoughts of what that means is the content ie thoughts about thoughts.

The following link is a 7 minute clip of a soccer game. If you prefer another sport…please feel free to find one to do this exercise with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy5pL-myDzw

1. Watch one minute with the sound turned OFF, watching ‘people’ messing about with a round thing on a field, up and down, up and down. Let it sink in, the whole experience.

2. Once the first minute is completed, now watch another whole minute with the commentary turned ON.

Notice the differences. Notice how the commentator (aka thought) offers lots of know-how, even advice, seems to feel as though they can influence somehow what is going on, as though one outcome is much preferred to the opposite outcome, the commentary may seem to heighten any supporter feelings which are there, and call for an identification with one team or other, and with the importance of the game itself.

3. Now turn the volume OFF AGAIN and just watch the action with NO audible commentary, the shapes moving around on the screen etc. Again notice all the differences in what is appearing as experience.

4. Now turn the volume ON again and ignore what you think you know thought is talking about, and just notice it as sound.

Let me know what you notice when you turn the sound on and off, and without thought, what is actually appearing/happening etc?

Is the commentary on the football game a necessity for the play to happen?

And in the same way: Is the inner narration of thought a necessity for the play of life to happen?

With love, Kay

[SeeingFreely]

Hi Kay

I am well enough thanks - have some stitches and antibiotics and thankfully no pain!

What is the AE of ‘intense’? What does ‘intense’ actually point to?

Intense is the content of thought and not actual experience.

Without thought how is it known that sensation is ‘hot’, ‘cold’, ‘pleasant’ etc and without thought how could it possibly be known that sensations are intense or different?

Difference is also the content of thought not actual experience. I have a niggling concern however, that this is saying that all sensation is the same. Surely there must be different qualities to different sensations that can be discerned not necessarily by thought but physiologically - how else would one drop something burning hot instinctively?

Let me know what you notice when you turn the sound on and off, and without thought, what is actually appearing/happening etc?

Without thought there is just colour moving.

Is the commentary on the football game a necessity for the play to happen?

No it is not necessary.

And in the same way: Is the inner narration of thought a necessity for the play of life to happen?

No, it isn't. Though I am unsure whether or not thought can influence the play of life or can only arise out of it.

Love, Anna

[forgetmenot]

Hello Anna,

I am well enough thanks - have some stitches and antibiotics and thankfully no pain

Good to hear! :)

Without thought how is it known that sensation is ‘hot’, ‘cold’, ‘pleasant’ etc and without thought how could it possibly be known that sensations are intense or different?

Difference is also the content of thought not actual experience. I have a niggling concern however, that this is saying that all sensation is the same. Surely there must be different qualities to different sensations that can be discerned not necessarily by thought but physiologically - how else would one drop something burning hot instinctively?

What exactly is it that is discerning this?

We are not denying that there SEEMS to be differences in sensations…what we are denying is that sensation is something other than experience itself. A sensation isn't known because of how it feels, it is known because it is experience itself showing up as a sensation. Soundtastecoloursensationthoughtsmell and experience are one and the same thing. Whatever appears in the story is just that...an appearance with a thought story appearing about it which doesn’t mean it is happening to a someone. This exploration is about seeing what actually IS as opposed to what thought says IS...that doesn't mean that a dropping of something that is "burning hot" will stop or that sensations will be stop being identified at hot, cold etc! However the idea of cause and effect not only points to time but it points to a subject/object split, which points to separation. We will be looking at the subject/object split, time and the body a little later on.

This is a great lead in to the idea of choice/decision/control!

1. Hold a hand in front of you; palm turned down.
2. Now turn the palm up. And down...and up and so on.

Watch like a hawk.

Don't go to thoughts, examine the actual experience. Do this as many times as you like, and each time inquire…

How is the movement controlled?
Does a thought control it?
Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?
How is the decision made to turn the hand over? Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over and the hand turns over immediately.
Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

Is the commentary on the football game a necessity for the play to happen?

No it is not necessary.

Exactly! So dropping something that thought describes as “burning hot” just happens. Without thought how could it possibly be known it was burning hot? Dry ice…which is “freezing cold” also feels like its “burning hot”!

Have a look at the sensation labelled ‘fear’. Think of a thought that SEEMS to create the sensation ‘fear’ and notice the sensation. Then go busy yourself with something else for 5 minutes or so, so that the sensation is no longer there. Now think of something that is exciting, that SEEMS to create the sensation labelled ‘excitement’. Tell me what the difference is in the sensations?

And in the same way: Is the inner narration of thought a necessity for the play of life to happen?

No, it isn't. Though I am unsure whether or not thought can influence the play of life or can only arise out of it.

We will investigate this further as well :)

With love, Kay

[SeeingFreely]

Hey Kay

Without thought how is it known that sensation is ‘hot’, ‘cold’, ‘pleasant’ etc and without thought how could it possibly be known that sensations are intense or different?

Difference is also the content of thought not actual experience. I have a niggling concern however, that this is saying that all sensation is the same. Surely there must be different qualities to different sensations that can be discerned not necessarily by thought but physiologically - how else would one drop something burning hot instinctively?
What exactly is it that is discerning this?

It is still thought discerning this and any discernment the content of thought.

This exploration is about seeing what actually IS as opposed to what thought says IS...that doesn't mean that a dropping of something that is "burning hot" will stop or that sensations will be stop being identified at hot, cold etc!

Ahh, ok!

1. Hold a hand in front of you; palm turned down.
2. Now turn the palm up. And down...and up and so on.

How is the movement controlled?

I don't know...it's quite mysterious! Colour moves, sensations arise and thoughts come about moving the hand. There is no AE of controlling the movement.

Does a thought control it?

No.

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

No.

How is the decision made to turn the hand over? Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over and the hand turns over immediately.

There is no decision made. There are thoughts that say 'turn hand over' and thoughts that say 'a decision was made'.

Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

No I can't find one!

Have a look at the sensation labelled ‘fear’. Think of a thought that SEEMS to create the sensation ‘fear’ and notice the sensation. Then go busy yourself with something else for 5 minutes or so, so that the sensation is no longer there. Now think of something that is exciting, that SEEMS to create the sensation labelled ‘excitement’. Tell me what the difference is in the sensations?

So funny you ask this as just yesterday I was talking with a friend about this difference...I can't find a difference in the sensations associated by thought with fear and excitement.

With love

Anna

[forgetmenot]

Hello Anna,

Lovely looking :)

Difference is also the content of thought not actual experience. I have a niggling concern however, that this is saying that all sensation is the same. Surely there must be different qualities to different sensations that can be discerned not necessarily by thought but physiologically - how else would one drop something burning hot instinctively?

What exactly is it that is discerning this?

It is still thought discerning this and any discernment the content of thought.

Yes, exactly the discernment is in the content of thought, which is simply more thought.

This exploration is about seeing what actually IS as opposed to what thought says IS...that doesn't mean that a dropping of something that is "burning hot" will stop or that sensations will be stop being identified at hot, cold etc!

Ahh, ok!

After doing the palm exercise…is there a ‘you’ needed to drop something that is burning hot, or the dropping just happens?

How is the movement controlled?

I don't know...it's quite mysterious! Colour moves, sensations arise and thoughts come about moving the hand. There is no AE of controlling the movement.

Lovely! Let’s throw a little more mystery into it all! ;) :)

Normally we believe that sensation is coming from sight - the object seen - in this example, the object being the ‘hand’.

1. Close the eyes and hold up one hand and wave the hand. Pay attention only to the felt sensation ‘of the hand’.
2. Open the eyes, and now observe the hand waving by looking only.
3. While looking at the hand, pay attention to the felt sensations.

Repeat 1 to 3 as many times as needed and investigate…

Is there any link between the sensation and the sight, meaning that the sensation is ‘coming from’ the sight (labelled as ‘hand’) or only thought and mental constructs link them?

How is the decision made to turn the hand over? Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over and the hand turns over immediately.

There is no decision made. There are thoughts that say 'turn hand over' and thoughts that say 'a decision was made'.

Yes!

Have a look at the sensation labelled ‘fear’. Think of a thought that SEEMS to create the sensation ‘fear’ and notice the sensation. Then go busy yourself with something else for 5 minutes or so, so that the sensation is no longer there. Now think of something that is exciting, that SEEMS to create the sensation labelled ‘excitement’. Tell me what the difference is in the sensations?

So funny you ask this as just yesterday I was talking with a friend about this difference...I can't find a difference in the sensations associated by thought with fear and excitement.

Terrific! Are there many different thoughts?

With love, Kay

[SeeingFreely]

Hi Kay

After doing the palm exercise…is there a ‘you’ needed to drop something that is burning hot, or the dropping just happens?

The dropping just happens.

Is there any link between the sensation and the sight, meaning that the sensation is ‘coming from’ the sight (labelled as ‘hand’) or only thought and mental constructs link them?

With eyes closed there is sensation labelled 'hand' and amongst other thoughts about thought 'hand moving'. With eyes open the is colour labelled 'hand' and thought 'hand moving'. The only link between sensation and sight is thought.

So funny you ask this as just yesterday I was talking with a friend about this difference...I can't find a difference in the sensations associated by thought with fear and excitement.

Terrific! Are there many different thoughts?

Yes! There are thoughts about heart beating faster and tension that are with both. With fear there are thoughts that label these sensations 'this is bad', 'I must avoid this' or 'make it go away' and a current theme 'I don't like dogs'! With excitement there are thoughts such as 'this is fun', 'I want this to continue' etc.


With love

Anna

[forgetmenot]

Hey Anna,

Is there any link between the sensation and the sight, meaning that the sensation is ‘coming from’ the sight (labelled as ‘hand’) or only thought and mental constructs link them?

With eyes closed there is sensation labelled 'hand' and amongst other thoughts about thought 'hand moving'. With eyes open the is colour labelled 'hand' and thought 'hand moving'. The only link between sensation and sight is thought.

Yes. When eyes are closed there is only sensation with a ‘mental’ image of a hand appearing. With eyes open there is colour which thought labels as ‘hand’ and thought says that the sensation is coming from the sight of the hand. If this was the case, then would be no sensation felt when the eyes were closed…right?

Terrific! Are there many different thoughts?

Yes! There are thoughts about heart beating faster and tension that are with both. With fear there are thoughts that label these sensations 'this is bad', 'I must avoid this' or 'make it go away' and a current theme 'I don't like dogs'! With excitement there are thoughts such as 'this is fun', 'I want this to continue' etc.

Have another look at this. How is it known that there are many different thoughts?

When doing the turning of the palm you saw that there was no controller or decider to when the palm turned or didn’t turn….let’s continue with the idea of choice.

The aim of the following exercise is to discover whether the function of choice can really be found or confirmed in actual experience. The idea of making ‘choices‘ is a very clear example of a function that we wrongly identify as the basis of our identity.

Here's what’s needed - A chair, a table and two different drinks. Any two drinks you like are okay for this: coffee, tea, milk, water, juices, smoothies, beer, wine, etc.

Preparation - Place the two drinks side by side on the table in front of you, sit comfortably on the chair and mentally label them as drink A and drink B.

Experiment - Finding the function of choice

Sit for a few moments, take a few relaxed breaths and let the dust settle. When you feel ready:

1. Look at drink A and at drink B. Think about their respective qualities, the things you like about them, compare and weigh the pros and cons of each. See if a preference is manifesting for one or the other.
2. Count to 5.
3. Choose one of the drinks. Pick it up and take a sip.

Questions:
Remember that we’re looking for some kind of function, a something, an ‘I’ which is doing the ‘choosing’.

In step 1 when thinking about their respective qualities, did you ‘choose’ the qualities? Or did they kind of appear by themselves? If some preferences manifested, did you ‘choose’ these preferences? Or did they just pop up by themselves?

In step 2 when you counted to 5, if the preferences took the back seat while the numbers took the front seat, did you ‘choose’ this sequence of event? Did you ‘choose’ to shut down the preferences to give way to the counting? Did you directly experience a mental function or faculty doing the ‘choosing’? Have you seen this function in action?

In step 3 where you made a choice, did you actually witness or directly experience a mental function or faculty doing the ‘choosing’? Did anything arise that announced, ‘I am the chooser’? If so, what does this function look like?

Sometimes we describe this sense of choosing as a ‘feeling’: It feels like ‘I’ did the ‘choosing’. But the question is, can a feeling ‘choose’? Is it in the nature of a feeling to ‘choose’?

With love, Kay

[SeeingFreely]

Hi Kay

Yes. When eyes are closed there is only sensation with a ‘mental’ image of a hand appearing. With eyes open there is colour which thought labels as ‘hand’ and thought says that the sensation is coming from the sight of the hand. If this was the case, then would be no sensation felt when the eyes were closed…right?

Yes. So they cannot be dependent on each other as there is still sensation without sight and thought. Thought says that sensation is coming from the sight of the hand or when eyes are closed from the thought that connects the sensation with the thought/memory of the idea of 'hand'.

Have another look at this. How is it known that there are many different thoughts?

It is another thought that there are many different thoughts. Not AE.

In step 1 when thinking about their respective qualities, did you ‘choose’ the qualities? Or did they kind of appear by themselves? If some preferences manifested, did you ‘choose’ these preferences? Or did they just pop up by themselves?

They pop up all by themselves! I did not choose. There can only be thought of an 'I' making a choice.

In step 2 when you counted to 5, if the preferences took the back seat while the numbers took the front seat, did you ‘choose’ this sequence of event? Did you ‘choose’ to shut down the preferences to give way to the counting? Did you directly experience a mental function or faculty doing the ‘choosing’? Have you seen this function in action?

It did not seem that I chose how this took place. It just happened.

In step 3 where you made a choice, did you actually witness or directly experience a mental function or faculty doing the ‘choosing’? Did anything arise that announced, ‘I am the chooser’? If so, what does this function look like?

I did not. A choice was made, one drink over the other, but without there being an apparent chooser.

Sometimes we describe this sense of choosing as a ‘feeling’: It feels like ‘I’ did the ‘choosing’. But the question is, can a feeling ‘choose’? Is it in the nature of a feeling to ‘choose’?

In this case I didn't feel 'I' did the 'choosing'. If anything it felt as though the decision had been made for me and there was thought about how that decision was influenced not by me in that moment but by all sort of external conditions and old thoughts. Is it the nature of feeling to choose? Wouldn't that be the content of thought to make such a link?


With love

Anna

[forgetmenot]

Hey Anna,

Have another look at this. How is it known that there are many different thoughts?

It is another thought that there are many different thoughts. Not AE.

Lovely, yes! The actual experience of thought isn't any different just because the content of the thought is different.

Sometimes we describe this sense of choosing as a ‘feeling’: It feels like ‘I’ did the ‘choosing’. But the question is, can a feeling ‘choose’? Is it in the nature of a feeling to ‘choose’?

In this case I didn't feel 'I' did the 'choosing'. If anything it felt as though the decision had been made for me and there was thought about how that decision was influenced not by me in that moment but by all sort of external conditions and old thoughts. Is it the nature of feeling to choose? Wouldn't that be the content of thought to make such a link?

Yes exactly. The question was for you to look and see that it is only a thought that points the idea of that it is a “feeling” that makes the choice. If it isn’t an actual sensation then it is simply another idea.

Here is an interesting video about decisions.

https://vimeo.com/90101368

Can you find anyone/anything that is choosing, deciding, controlling or thinking? Or are there thoughts ABOUT a someone who is choosing, deciding, controlling, thinking?


Let’s have a look at doership. It has to do with the sense of seeing.

Take a few relaxed breaths to let the dust settle for a while, and then:
Look on your right.
Then look on your left.
Finally, bring your head back to centre, close your eyes and look in front.

Okay, so when you look on the right, the view on the right is seen (whatever that is).
When you look on the left, the view on the left is seen (whatever that is).
And then, when you look in front of you with eyes closed, the view in front is seen (ie ‘black space’).

So, when the view on the right is seen, do you have the ‘choice’ not to see? I’m not asking can you ‘choose’ to see something else like another view or ‘black space’ if you close your eyes. The question is, can you turn seeing off? Can you NOT see what is seen?

Same thing with the view on the left, can you NOT see the view on the left?

Same thing with the view in front with closed eyes, can you NOT see the ‘black space’?

Can you turn off seeing?

What did the 'chooser' choose? Did a 'self' choose something?

If you can't choose what you're aware of, then what else is there to choose?

With love, Kay

[SeeingFreely]

Hi Kay

Here is an interesting video about decisions.

https://vimeo.com/90101368

Can you find anyone/anything that is choosing, deciding, controlling or thinking? Or are there thoughts ABOUT a someone who is choosing, deciding, controlling, thinking?

There are only thoughts about a someone who is choosing etc.

So, when the view on the right is seen, do you have the ‘choice’ not to see? I’m not asking can you ‘choose’ to see something else like another view or ‘black space’ if you close your eyes. The question is, can you turn seeing off? Can you NOT see what is seen?

No, I do not have the choice not to see. I can't turn seeing off or not see what is seen.

Same thing with the view on the left, can you NOT see the view on the left?

Nope.

Same thing with the view in front with closed eyes, can you NOT see the ‘black space’?

No.

Can you turn off seeing?

I cannot.

What did the 'chooser' choose? Did a 'self' choose something?

There are thoughts about a chooser choosing to look right then left but there is no chooser or self that can be found in AE.

If you can't choose what you're aware of, then what else is there to choose?

Oh gosh, this one makes my head spin! Nothing! There are still thoughts protesting that if I can't choose being aware (of whatever's in front of me) I can still choose to look away or move somewhere else...although it won't mean control of whatever new comes up.


With love

Anna

[forgetmenot]

Hey Anna,

Thank you for being so diligent in looking. It is such a pleasure to read your posts.

Can you find anyone/anything that is choosing, deciding, controlling or thinking? Or are there thoughts ABOUT a someone who is choosing, deciding, controlling, thinking?

There are only thoughts about a someone who is choosing etc.

Yes, lovely!

So, when the view on the right is seen, do you have the ‘choice’ not to see? I’m not asking can you ‘choose’ to see something else like another view or ‘black space’ if you close your eyes. The question is, can you turn seeing off? Can you NOT see what is seen?

No, I do not have the choice not to see. I can't turn seeing off or not see what is seen.

Exactly! Is there a choice to what sounds, thoughts, smells, tastes or sensations appear or when they appear?

What did the 'chooser' choose? Did a 'self' choose something?

There are thoughts about a chooser choosing to look right then left but there is no chooser or self that can be found in AE

Lovely. So now, I want you to close your eyes and then slowly turn your head to the left and to the right. Do that several times. IGNORE all thoughts and images about a head turning left and right and what is the actual experience?

If you can't choose what you're aware of, then what else is there to choose?

Oh gosh, this one makes my head spin! Nothing! There are still thoughts protesting that if I can't choose being aware (of whatever's in front of me) I can still choose to look away or move somewhere else...although it won't mean control of whatever new comes up.

And is there a chooser who is choosing to look away or move somewhere else or does it just simply happen?
If there is no thinker of thought or chooser of thoughts, then is there a 'you' that is responsible for anything?

With love, Kay