That is a description of a sensation directly experienced. Is "I" a body sensation?It is a sensation in my head (brow/eyes) and chest area. If I had to describe it, it is a slight tension that separates it from surrounding areas.
I don't think "I" is a body sensation. The sensations I described are the feelings that accompany the "I" thought. But it doesn't seem right to say "I" is a body sensation.That is a description of a sensation directly experienced. Is "I" a body sensation?
Only what is directly experienced is real. Look directly at the body sensation: how does it get labeled "I?"I don't think "I" is a body sensation.
That's fun!You know how if you repeat a word long enough, it loses all meaning? That is what is starting to happen to the word "I."
That's quite all right - it was a weekend after all. I'm sure even guides need a break.Sorry for the delay.
The sensation arises in response to "tell me what you find when you look for I." Due to the cause/effect nature, I label it "I."Only what is directly experienced is real. Look directly at the body sensation: how does it get labeled "I?"
Thanks for the exoneration. ☺️That's quite all right - it was a weekend after all. I'm sure even guides need a break.
Good catch on the labeling. Put another way, it's a story, which is thought content.The sensation arises in response to "tell me what you find when you look for I." Due to the cause/effect nature, I label it "I." Ah, but since I'm labeling it "I," it is not really "I," is it? It's just a sensation.
Where's this "I" that's doing this labeling? Let's look at whether "you" have any control over thoughts.I label it "I." Ah, but since I'm labeling it "I," it is not really "I," is it? It's just a sensation.
LOL! If there were, it would have been proven long ago and we wouldn't be having this conversation.if a separate I did indeed exist, how could one prove it in direct experience? Would I have to cut my head open and pull out a little homunculus?
They come from nowhere and go back from whence they came.Here is a thought exercise. Sit quietly for about 30 minutes and notice the arising thoughts. Just let them appear as they appear. Try your best to COMPLETELY ignore what they are saying and just notice how they appear without you doing anything at all.
Where are they coming from and going to?
No, not at that exact moment.Could you have done anything to make a different thought appear at that exact moment instead?
No, I can't. Even if I have the intention to think of something specific, in the next instance, a completely different thought may arise, e.g., "I will think of a giraffe" is followed by "I'm hungry, can't wait to eat lunch" is followed by "wait, what was I supposed to think of next, oh yes, a giraffe, right?"Can you predict your next thought?
No, I can't. If I could, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation.Can you select from a range of thoughts to have only pleasant thoughts?
No.Can you choose not to have painful, negative or fearful thoughts?
This is a tricky one. It seems like I can have an intention to think a kind of thought (see giraffe example above) but when I look at it, the thought to think of a giraffe appeared, not really by choice. It could have picked a hippopotamus.Can you pick and choose any kind of thought?
No. Even if I try to prevent a thought from appearing by distracting myself, e.g. telling myself to think about something else, a thought will still appear, unbidden.Is it possible to prevent a thought from appearing?
There is no logically ordered sequence. Occasionally there looks like there is a thread of association that causes one to follow another but that is simply another thought.It seems that thought has some logical ordered appearance, but look carefully and just notice if there is an organised sequence? Or is that just another thought that says ‘these thoughts are in sequence’ or “they take content from previous thought”, or that ‘one thought follows another thought’?
👏(mind blown)
It's all as you discover in DE.Is thought really that random?
Recall looking for "I." None to be found, correct?If I'm not causing my arm to move, what is?
This question arose in thought. This is a process to reveal reality which is found by looking into direct experience.Is there a cause?
Beautiful!There was the thought to do the experiment and move my arm up and down. My arm did indeed move up and down, but when I looked for an "I" that was responsible for the movement, I couldn't find one.
"You" are doing great!The "how am I doing" thought comes up a lot.
No "I" to be found. I think what causes a moth to build a cocoon is the same thing that causes my heart to beat.Recall looking for "I." None to be found, correct?
What causes a moth to build a cocoon?
Can't stop now, it's starting to get good ;)Cliff, at this point, it could be a good idea to take a day or two to let all this settle. However, here's the next exercise, which it's fine to do right away or in a day or two.
There is the sensation labeled 'pressure' and a thought about a head. Not quite a story but I might be splitting hairs.Press a finger down onto the top of the ‘head’.
Notice what is actually present.
Is it a head, or is it just a sensation labelled ‘pressure’ and a story ABOUT a head?
Again, there are sensations and thought labels. And amusement.Do the same with a finger on each side of the head.
Is a head actually found, or are there just sensations again?
Haha! Yes, thoughts, now a story, "there isn't anything between my fingers," and "but wait, this can't be," and "is this what Douglas Harding meant about having no head," etc.And is there anything between the pressure points, or is it just a thought that says there must be something between them?
Nice!No "I" to be found.
😊Can't stop now, it's starting to get good ;)
Yes!There is the sensation labeled 'pressure' and a thought about a head.
Great!Again, there are sensations and thought labels.
Just kidding, right? But just to be sure, what does amusement consist of in DE?And amusement.
Entertianing but watch out for reverting back to the thought assumption that there is an "I" in our dialogue.Again, I'm finding it very interesting that I've read about similar thought experiments in the past but they didn't have the same effect that these seem to be having
Amusement is a label I give to a thought and a sensation.Just kidding, right? But just to be sure, what does amusement consist of in DE?
"Now" is this moment but the moment is eternal. It's always now. It's never not now.But is there an experience of the ’now’ moving along the line of time?
One moment doesn't give way to the next. It's all the same moment. There is a sequence but that sequence is a thought of a sequence. (I just re-read that and it doesn't make any sense but it's my story and I'm sticking to it)Any experience of one ‘moment’ giving way to the next?
In direct experience there is only the moment. An event has to have a beginning and end, doesn't it? But how that be if there is only the moment? Now the whole idea of an 'event' seems like a thought or a label.Is there any actual or direct experience of one event following another?
The thought of speed in this context eludes me for some reason, like asking "what color is the present moment?" Because neither fast nor slow seem to be an appropriate answer. Speed indicates the time it take to get from one point in space to another. That seems immaterial to me. Perhaps I don't quite understand the question.How fast is the ‘present moment’ actually moving?
"This moment" has always been. It had already began even before the thought to look at it occurred.Just look at 'this moment', can you find a point where it began?
Forever. It is always "now."How long does the ‘now’ last?
I can't find a start nor an end, so I don't know how to answer that one.Where does the ‘now’ start, and where does it end?
The "now" never becomes the past. But thoughts of now are always in the past because there is no thought now. Thought happens after the fact. When I look at the moment, there is no thought. Thought happens but it seems to happen outside of the moment. Sorry, I'm not quite explaining this right. There is a timelessness in the moment that is independent of thought. The past only exists in thought.When does the ‘now’ exactly become the 'past'?
Time is a thought. In actual experience there is only now, only the moment.So is there actual experience of ‘time’ or thoughts about ‘time’?
Thank you for your kindness.Sure thing, rest up!
Good! Curious - what sensation?Amusement is a label I give to a thought and a sensation.
There's a subtle glitch here -- is it eternal or is it now? Hint: does 'eternal' exist in DE?"Now" is this moment but the moment is eternal. It's always now. It's never not now.
Yes to this part.that sequence is a thought of a sequence
Best not to include thought content.There is a sequence
Lovely how you got through this!An event has to have a beginning and end, doesn't it? But how that be if there is only the moment? Now the whole idea of an 'event' seems like a thought or a label.
Is this known in DE or a thought story?"This moment" has always been. It had already began even before the thought to look at it occurred.
You understood it. "Neither fast nor slow" is correct. ;-)The thought of speed in this context eludes me for some reason, like asking "what color is the present moment?" Because neither fast nor slow seem to be an appropriate answer. Speed indicates the time it take to get from one point in space to another. That seems immaterial to me. Perhaps I don't quite understand the question.
Given that it's always now, is there any such thing as forever?Forever. It is always "now."
Exactly!In actual experience there is only now, only the moment.
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