The Gate

Ok, there no I, I can't point to an I, but there's a body and mind that together is leveled labeled I".

Exercise about the body : close your eyes and write down what is going on.
What is called a body outside of thought ?
Does it have limits outside of thought ?
Does it have a size, a weight ?
Does it have a location, outside of thought ?

When I close my eyes, the only way I know there a body is a sensation of some part of the body.
There are felt limits of the body as the sensations are limited and create a sense of limited space that it inhabits.
I don't think it has a size or weight
Outside of the sensation, no location.

OK. When you say "sensations are limited and create a sense of limited space that it inhabits" is there a frontier between the space of sensations and the space in general (I understand from what you say that there are two spaces). Is there a frontier between the sensations and knowing of them?

After answering to the above questions, I recommend this exercise for you : observe your thoughts during 5 mn and put thoughts whith I, me, mine, ... personal thoughts in the first column and all other thoughts in a second column

What is the percentage of the personal thoughts ?

Is there a you making thoughts arise ?

Can you control thoughts ?

Can you stop a thought in the middle ?

That's a really difficult question to answer. I'm not sure how to respond.

I want to say yes I do because there a very strong belief, but I don't know. If I could control them, they would all be amazing thoughts, so I guess not then

You have to look at direct experience : seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching. Is there a frontier between sensations and the knowing ?

You have a doubt about controlling thoughts even you said that you cannot stop a thought in a middle. Look again at your thoughts and say if there is you controlling them, making them arise. Is there a controller of whatever is happening ?

Or maybe the line between the two is when the mind catches the sensation to label it "itchy leg" or something similar. Does that answer your question?

My gut wants to say no, but the mind wants ownership over those decisions to think thoughts. There are thoughts that just show up from nowhere and there are thoughts that I take ownership over as mine or by that I thought them. I don't know if I'm getting this

Hi Brendo

Do you see a line or is it only an imagined one ? There is a difference between an existing line and an image of a line.

It's imagined

Look at this : if you are choosing certain thoughts, you will know them before they arise, is it the case?

That's true, yes

Something happened last night. There was a realization talking to a friend of mine. I was going through the similar process and questions with him. And it clicked. It was very subtle but today there is a different hue to the world. Peaceful. Things are just happening. "me" didn't exist in reality only in thought and nobody is doing the thinking, thinking happens as that's what the mind and body do on their own. I don't exist. There's also a very subtle thought popping up that says "Is it real or an "I" just pretebnding". So that brings doubt or just that thought which gets labeled as doubt.

Can you help "me" clarify?

Great. There is no "I" to pretend something. A doubt is a thought as you said it.

Now, you go for a walk and let sink this recognition. Look at the trees, other people, clouds, nature and tell me if there is a you, a separate self in any shape or form ?

Is there a controller making choices ?

Is there an experiencer of what is going on ?

best wishes

Warissem

We'll look at this illusion of a separate self from other angles.

How about decision ? Is there a decision maker ? Give examples

Is there a you having intention ? Elaborate on that

Good. Would you speak about free will ? How does it work ?

Are you responsible for something ?

Are you existing in time ?