Keen to have a good hard look

[Anastacia42]

Great. All true except #3. Labels have no effect. We'll do a couple of pointers on that, but first...

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.

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 or Direct Experience), 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.

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." (refers to an exercise I gave before this one)

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 the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

Loving,

[GaryBee]

Hi Stacy,
Thanks for the correction.

Then scan your body for any Sensation (DE or Direct Experience), particularly in the gut or maybe the heart. Check very closely.

What is found?

I found this quite difficult, perhaps as I wasn’t lying to anyone. I made up lies about eating meat (I am a vegetarian). There is a heaviness and contraction just below the heart area. There might have been something in my belly, but I have aches there which probably cover it up. I will try and practise this more tomorrow.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

Yes, I think so. It would be the presence of certain body sensations/thoughts that would be interpreted as peaceful. Perhaps as well the absence of “bad”, sensations, but presumably labelling sensations and good, bad or neutral is also an interpretation.

Metta, Gary.

[Anastacia42]

Good. You're getting it.

Now as to whether or not labels affect experience...

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,

[GaryBee]

Hi,

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

The direct experience is a lines and curves that have a colour

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

Red is experienced. Green comes in after as imagination caused by the label green, but the direct experience is red.

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)?

Green does not have a one-to-one correspondence with reality. There is no direct experience of green, just the concept of green.

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?

It is just a label that is processed separately from the direct reality.

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

No. It doesn’t matter what the label is, it doesn’t affect the reality of red.

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

No the redness is not good or bad. The labels are separate.

Let me know what is SEEN.

Reality is one “thing”, labels are a separate thing that are a mental representation of reality, not the reality itself.

Metta, Gary.

[Anastacia42]

It doesn’t matter what the label is, it doesn’t affect the reality

Good, Gary, so labels do not affect Direct Experience at all.


Here is another that is similar:

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,

[GaryBee]

Hi Stacy,

Is there a difference in these thoughts?

Both have images, sounds, feeling or lack of, knowledge or lack of.

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

If the content is not included then the thoughts have the same quality and “feel”. I fail to find good words for the experience of thought without using the 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?

This caused a few minutes of confusion and a kind of mental blankness, but it soon passed. The thoughts without content are the same.

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

Let me know what is found.

The content is different. I cannot feel others pain directly. I am looking “out”, and “at”, others, I am the only one who needs a mirror to do that. I cannot hear other peoples thoughts. There is a sense that “me”, thoughts are special and different, but when I try and pin that down as a direct experience it disappears like a mist. It seems this special quality is hard to pin down, yet I am unique in looking from here.

Meta, Gary

[Anastacia42]

Yes, there's no difference in Direct Experience & we don't care about the made-up content of thoughts.

Also, don't confuse the absolute with the relative. There is no "self" to die, but if we step out in front of the bus we die.

We have to learn to live with paradox.

Let's get you out of your head and into your body some here. Try this & report how it FEELS & any other DE.A

https://youtu.be/sdwBPPfuo50

Loving,

[GaryBee]

Hi Stacy,

Thanks. I have been reconciling the subjective and objective, or rather allowing opposites to be true at the same time without too much friction. It’s taken a while.

Try this & report how it FEELS & any other DE.A

I have done the headless way previously, and attended some of Richard’s Zoom meetings last year. I have repeated some of the experiments now. The pointing inward to the aware space always creates a little shudder and energy, and some kind of recognition. I often practise face to no face when meeting new people. It’s so much easier for me to relate to people if “I” am not there. The direct experience is one of space and openness. It is also more outward facing and things seem more vivid and real.

Metta Gary.

[Anastacia42]

Watch these, please:

https://youtu.be/vJQcD588g2w

and

https://youtu.be/PUDzrCLlrj4

Can you find any "self" anywhere?

Loving,

[GaryBee]

Can you find any "self" anywhere?

If I rest as awareness, just being, then there is no obvious self. The body comes to the fore, as well as sounds, sights, stillness, openness and transparency. The self is noticed the most at work, under stress or feeling guilty about something I need to do. Those thoughts seems to be about, and aimed at, a self. Responsibilities feel owned by someone.

Thanks, Gary

[Anastacia42]

Responsibilities feel owned by someone.

Do they? Or is that just the content of your thinking?

Okay, let's look at choice & control.




Palm Flipping Exercise

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 your direct 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.

Who or what chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

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

Loving,

[GaryBee]

Responsibilities feel owned by someone.
Do they? Or is that just the content of your thinking?

The content is “I should…”, “I must…”, “If I don’t…”. If I ignore the content of thought, I come up blank (pun not intended). The concept of ownership of anything goes away. Of course work is the domain of mind for me and it’s hard to take that position in the midst of things.

How is the movement controlled?

I have no idea, it just happens. The only cause I can think of is you, as part of the wider universe, caused it.

Does a thought control it?

There were no thoughts with words during parts of the exercise, so a thought couldn’t have been doing it.

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

There was a thought, “I turned my hand over”, but it didn’t seem to have anything to do with the hand turning over. It came afterwards.

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.

Without thought I can’t find a decision point. It’s kind of spooky, like it’s not my hand.

Who or what chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

It was natural to use my left hand as where I am sitting the table isn’t in the way of that one. I don’t remember choosing.

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

No the hand turns itself.

Thanks, Gary.

[Anastacia42]

Perfect!

How does it FEEL to SEE that there's no one doing it, no one there who even could flip the hand?

Loving,

[GaryBee]

Hi Stacy,

Really grateful for the help with all this. I hope you are having a great day.

How does it FEEL to SEE that there's no one doing it, no one there who even could flip the hand?

Conflicting emotions really. When I am doing enquiry and in “spiritual mode”, with less thoughts, then there is energy and excitement and it also feels easy and obvious. When my mind comes back in and I drop down into “Day to day mode”, thoughts whisper, “I did that”, and “Don’t be silly of course I exist”. Then the emotion is more around resistance and I think fear. I feel like a ping pong ball bouncing around.

Metta,

Gary.

[Anastacia42]

Okay, Gary,

Then the emotion is more around resistance and I think fear. I feel like a ping pong ball bouncing around.

What would it take to put all the fear & "resistance" to rest?

Loving,