The Gate

Yes, now you've got it, Adi. Good.

Did you understand the point of the exercise, as I have explained it?

The goal was not to give one for each sense, but only to notice what arises in your awareness. Might be 6 Seeing, 2 Smelling, 4 Thinking, whatever.

Labels and the content of our thinking are stories that are made up. They are not Direct Experience. For this investigation, you must focus only on Direct Experience and ignore everything else. LOOK, don't "think." Remember Colored Socks.


Mind Labeling Experience

Here is an exercise which examines the way in which the mind labels experience - it takes about 20 minutes and you will need a pen a paper.

This exercise is broken into 10 minute lots. For each 10 minute period pay attention to any bodily sensation i.e. is there any tightening, or any relaxing?

For the first ten minutes write down what you are experiencing right now using the word “I”.

For example:

I am sitting on a chair,
I am hearing a clock ticking,
I am looking at a computer screen,
I am feeling hungry.

Get right to the point, no past or future fantasy, just a plain description of your experience right here and now.

Then for the next ten minutes continue writing down what you are experiencing but this time without using the word “I”. Just describe the experience as it is happening using verbs.

For example:

Sitting on a chair,
typing,
breathing,
blinking,
hearing the clock.

(Again, watch what is happening in the body.)

At the end of the twenty minutes compare the two ways in which the experience was labelled and answer the following four questions:

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one?

2. What is here without labels?

3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?

4. Did you notice any differences in the body? Be sure to include this!

Loving,

~ Stacy

Did you understand the point of the exercise, as I have explained it?

I think. It removes the mind filters and leaves whatever is just as it simply is.

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one?

I did not feel any difference between them. writing, seeing, hearing etc. felt the same to me, just as I am writing, seeing ,hearing etc.

2. What is here without labels?

I know logically that what is is just what is, but honestly when I examine it, now as writing this, what is without me labeling it feels alive, real/ actual.

3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?

Both, if I believe the label. In reality, experiences are not affected by labels.

4. Did you notice any differences in the body? Be sure to include this!

I am now not sure, hence probably not so much, but I will try doing it again later today.

Thank you
Adi

Good morning,

I think. It removes the mind filters and leaves whatever is just as it simply is.

Yes, we call it "Direct Experience" of ONLY the 5 senses & the fact that thoughts arise, but NOT the stories, such as "writing," or "blue" or 'Adi."

All words are lies. Every single one of them. But we've distilled it down as close as we can to something that is actually happening. The 5 senses.

Here is how to distinguish truth from lies.


We often lie every day & don't realize it.

For example, the grocery clerk asks, "How are you?" You reply, "I'm fine." While, yes. there is a sense in which we are always fine, even in the middle of suffering, at that moment, you were grieving the death of your dog, you had a slight sore throat & you had a headache, but you didn't feel like sharing all of that with the grocery clerk, so you lied, "I'm fine."

Also, it matters none at all how "distant" the remembered lie is. Besides the fact that time itself is fictional, a kind if lie, as we recall the lie it becomes present in this moment, as if it were happening now. This brings the body Sensation that accompanies lying.

Lies can be intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious, even so automatic that we ourselves are fooled.

The story of a separate "self" is a lie.

This is the lie you came here to see through. Therefore, it is helpful to notice the body Sensation of lying as one of the tools for finding the truth of no self.

You want to be in touch with body Sensations & able to clearly express them in words. This will help.

Lies are usually felt in the heart or solar plexus as a contraction that we may label as tight, heavy or tense.

In contrast, truth is usually expansive. We may call it loose, light or relaxed.
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First, can you remember a time when you lied to someone you loved?

Here we count anything, lies we think of as "big" or "small" that "matter" or don't "matter."

How are you? I'm fine. No, your knee hurts, but you don't feel like discussing it with the grocery clerk.

It's a lie. A seemingly "bigger" one will work better for this exercise.

Find the lie. I don't need the whole story, just a few key words to refer to it.

Then scan your body for any Sensation (DE), particularly in the gut or maybe the heart. Check very closely. What is found?


If you think the memory you used wasn't clear enough, find another one or lie to yourself right now, make something up.

1 + 1 = 14 is a lie.

The Sun rises in the West is a lie.

I love eating worms is (probably) a lie.

Or call up a video of a lying politician & notice what Sensations arise as you listen.

I will give you a clue: it is not that peaceful Sensation you felt before when you omitted "I."

Please report back with what body Sensations (not interpretations) you feel. Bodies can feel hot or cold, heavy or light, contraction or expansion, etc.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not a name for the Sensation itself, for example. Do you see that?


Loving,

~ Stacy

Hi Stacy,
Thanks for clarifying.

First, can you remember a time when you lied to someone you loved?

Yes. I lied to my dad yesterday, when we spoke because I wanted him to feel encouraged.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not a name for the Sensation itself, for example. Do you see that?

Yes.definitely it is a sensation of contraction and dis-ease.
My stomach is clenching when I think of making up an excuse for not meeting someone I don't feel like meeting.
or when I say something is ok when it isn't ok, I feel my heart's racing, my face blushing and my throat narrows.
Looking at someone's lying makes me want to physically not be near them or connected with them.

When they interviewed and asked Byron Katie what is true she said without any hesitation "nothing".
So, I guess it does not leave a lot to argue with.

Thanks again
Adi

Yes, Katie is correct. Nothing is true. But it's not the same hearing hers say it as discovering it for yourself. I know you know that.

So let's look at labels here.

Label-Reality Correlation

There is a belief that labels have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’. But there isn’t. Just like it is a generally accepted belief that labels like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are inherent characteristics of ‘things’. But actually, they are not.

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests?

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

Let me know what is SEEN.

Loving,

~ Stacy

Hi Stacy,

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

I see green in my mind. Physically I do not experience anything but the thought Green.

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

No. No colour is experienced. Just a content of a thought according to the label.

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

It does not correspond with reality, no. It points to the content of a thought, which is only an image of Green colour, and not an actual reality.

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

The latter.

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests? It does not, not in reality.

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

None of these labels affect reality. No.

Thank you
Adi

Hi Adi,

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?
I see green in my mind. Physically I do not experience anything but the thought Green.

That's exactly the problem.

We make things up in our minds & then believe these stories, including "green," which is not there any more than "self" is.

You completely ignored the reality of the color! It is RED and the correct answer is RED, not green.

There's no green anywhere exactly like there's no "self" anywhere.

Can you see what you did wrong?

Loving,

Stacy

Hi Stacy,

You completely ignored the reality of the color! It is RED and the correct answer is RED, not green.

Oh my god! I did ignore it! And I do see it now. At first I didn't get it, but the penny dropped eventually with the colours.
Thank you

Sorry for double posting. I did not answer that. . .

Can you see what you did wrong?

I do, I did not look at the colour, I took it for its label and not for what it actually was. RED, I ignored the actual colour that was in front of me and considered the label itself to be true.

Yes. That's it.

Here is a follow up...

Friend/Stranger

Bring up a thought about a character labeled "friend."

Then bring up a thought about a character labeled "stranger."

Compare these thoughts.

Is there a difference in these thoughts?

Is there a true difference or is it just different content?

Now, bring up a thought about a character labeled "friend."

After that, look at a thought about the character labelled "me.”

Is there a difference?

Is there anything special about thoughts with the content "me-character?"

Let me know what is found.

Labeling the day, the Sensations, etc. does nothing to reduce their beauty or joy, but can hide them from our awareness.

Loving,

~ Stacy

Hi Stacy,

Is there a difference in these thoughts?

They are different in their content.

Is there a true difference or is it just different content?

They are both thoughts so no, as thoughts they are not different from each other.

Is there a difference?

In the content yes, there is but not not a difference between thoughts, they stay thoughts.

Is there anything special about thoughts with the content "me-character?"

When I do it now, no, there isn't.

Thank you
Adi

Good! You're getting the point.

Let's bring some of this together.

Actual/Direct Experience - Apple

Have a look at an apple (or any fruit you like.) If you have a ‘real’ apple, you can use it for this exercise. Google for a picture of an apple.



When looking at an apple, there's color; a thought saying ‘apple’; and maybe a thought saying, "I'm looking at an apple."

What is known for sure? Color is known and thoughts are known.

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

Actual experience does not refer to thoughts ABOUT something…because that is only just more thought.

Actual experience is sound, thought, color, smell, taste, sensation and the fact of thought arising, but not its content.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

While these thoughts are known, what they talk ABOUT can't be found in actual experience.

This is what is meant by "looking in actual experience." What you know for sure, and, is always here.

Taste labeled ‘apple’ is known
Color labeled ‘apple’ is known
Sensation labeled ‘apple’ is known (when apple is touched)
Smell labeled ‘apple’ is known
Thought about/of an ‘apple’ is known

However, is an apple actually known?

Have fun and let me know what you find out. Really LOOK. With your eyes.

Loving,
Stacy

Hi Stacy

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

When looking at the picture, content of thoughts describe taste of the apple and smell of an apple which is based on memory.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Just a thought about apple.

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

No. only its actual attributes as found in actual reality.

However, is an apple actually known?

No. Apple is only a label.

Thanks
Adi

Good, Adi, yes.

Now look for "self"in the same way. What is found? Is there "self in Direct Experience? Or only content of thought?

LOOK. Ignore content of thought.

Loving,

Stacy

By the way, I recall that you are British. Condolences on the loss of your Queen. I've been wondering what will happen to all of those Corgies?!