Life is but a Dream

[poppyseed]

Hi Allyn

B is the more accurate description.
The experience is that when I touch the can, a sensation is first noticed at the fingers, then it's a whole body sensation, then the mind labels the sensation "cold".

Being aware of sensations, seeing, hearing, smells, thoughts, etc. happening within a seemingly localized experience.
The physical experience is that the body is able to travel through the space around it and interact with other bodies and forms.

Close your eyes and pinpoint the sensation “fingers”. Without thought, does it have a location? Or the location is a label?
Does experience have a location? If it does, where, exactly, is it located?

For example: Image of hammer hitting thumb, sensation of pain, thought saying, ""Ouch!!".

Where exactly did all of that happen?
Where was experience located?
Was experience of pain located in the thumb?
Was experience of images located at the thumb and hammer?
Or is experience always "closer" than even the word "here" can convey?
Does anything actually have a location?
How would you know?
What would count as evidence of actual location?

What does the word/label ‘body’ ACTUALLY refer to?

The direct sensory experience of this mass of seemingly physical matter.

The “body” is actually a label/thought describing certain seeing (colours), smelling (smells) :), and feeling (sensations). Like in the "apple" example.

No. In direct experience there is no actual boundary or distinction experienced between "inside" or "outside".
The wall being seen and the grumbling stomach sensation being felt are both being experienced in the same space of awareness and they are only perceived as "separate parts" of what makes up the whole experience in this moment when the mind adds labels and distinctions about seeing a wall "out there" and feeling the stomach "in here".

What is this “space of awareness”? Is awareness a container for sensations? Can the awareness of sensations be separated from sensations? Where is the border/line that shows where one starts and the other one ends? Can there be an object of awareness without an awareness? Can there be awareness without an object?

I'm not sure about this one.
It appears that "doing" can be happening and that the body can be used for this "doing". But it seems more like the doing is happening through the body and not that the body itself is the doer of it.

Can a label/thought do anything? Can a thought see, hear, smell…? Can a sensation do anything – hear, see…?

This is A body being experienced in a very close and intimate way.

What would be not close and not intimate way of experiencing sensations? Give an example. Is experience private and personal? If it’s intimate doesn’t this suppose a feel-er?
Focus on the feeling of am-ness/being, aliveness.
Can you tell if there is a being or just being?
Is life happening to a being or as being?
Is that “aliveness” any kind of object or subject? Is it even a human?
Is it what you've taken as "you"?


Love
Rali

[Allyn]

Hi Rali
These are all a lot of questions that really seem to be pointing to the same answers.
I'm having resistance to answering them come up in the experience of feeling like this is becoming a very mental exercise.
I can only do my best to describe the experience that is happening here.
The simplest description is that there is an awareness here that is noticing and experiencing everything that is arising to be perceived within it.
There is seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting and there are thoughts that arise.
All of this experience happens in this same space where being aware of what is happening is occurring.
There is no real distance or distinction to any of the "parts" that make up this whole experience.
Everything is simply happening here and being noticed here in the same location or space.
Even the mental tendency to label or create distinctions and then believe that they are true is simply happening and being noticed.
There isn't A being, there is being happening.
It is happening as it is and it is happening TO no one.
Being is happening, being is simply being.

[poppyseed]

Hi Allyn

These are all a lot of questions that really seem to be pointing to the same answers.
I'm having resistance to answering them come up in the experience of feeling like this is becoming a very mental exercise.

All questions point to the same “thing” – THIS/What IS :). I can assure you none of these questions demands mental activity, just plain simple looking. There are provoked from your answers, where some beliefs are surfacing that need to be examined.
The most important thing here is the resistance that is appearing. Resistance (sensation + thought) usually shows an unexplored areas (beliefs, expectations), that need to be examined. Without accepting resistance as a valid experience, we cannot move forward. Resistance is a friend: it’s showing the way into what else needs to be accepted. Look, what is coming up - something that wants to scream and make you turn away? Something that says this is not working? Resistance is usually there to protect the “self” from harm. So look, what is there that needs protection? What identifies with the thoughts coming along? Believes them, defends them or opposes everything that threatens them? Conformation bias saves time and energy with discarding new ideas that do not fit with the rest. DE, though, checks with the senses what truly is happening. It might seem that it involves effort but is there anybody that is exercising this effort or is it just happening on its own – effortless effort.

When beliefs start falling, when certainty is no longer there, it may be scary and painful, but all of this is part of the cleaning-up process. Bring attention to the here and now, notice what is happening, rest in being, and, at the same time, question all beliefs— one by one.
I can spot some impatience here, which boils down to expectations. Why are you here - to honestly look or to get the “badge”. To whom is this important? It's up to you if you want to continue or not, but it will be pity if you give up as I can feel you are very close.
Love
Rali

[Allyn]

Yes I was hoping that my message wouldn't come across as contrary.
Here's the resistance coming up:
This type of communication with copying and pasting and quoting and typing out my answers is what feels challenging.
I can do the plain looking and I can get to the simple direct awareness or experience but I'm finding it challenging to then describe my experience here by typing it out.
So that's the resistance to answering the questions.
I could probably answer the questions better verbally.
However there is other resistance here that should be addressed.
The primary resistance that has come up in the last few days is that the body has been extremely fatigued and this morning I woke up with stomach and abdominal pain.
I spent the whole first half of the day in bed just being with the sensations.
Stories tried to come up about feeling guilty that I was just laying in bed and not doing anything, and stories about why I was feeling so bad.
I did my best to just be with the thoughts and stories and let them pass.
I did a body mapping trauma release meditation because I could tell that there was a tendency to identify with the unpleasant sensations in the body.
After I did the body meditation I felt lighter and more present.
I went outside in the warm sun and laid on a blanket in the grass and just stared at the sky for awhile.
By placing only the sky in my field of vision I was able to experience feeling dissolved into the endless openness of it.
I was able to experience no boundary and no distance between sky "up there" and body "down here".
I am able to see and know and experience that there are no "fingers" feeling "cold" and there is no actual "inside" or "outside" of experience, however I am still feeling challenged by "knowing" these things but that not really consistently impacting my level of identification with it.

[poppyseed]

Hi Allyn

This type of communication with copying and pasting and quoting and typing out my answers is what feels challenging.
I can do the plain looking and I can get to the simple direct awareness or experience but I'm finding it challenging to then describe my experience here by typing it out.

Unfortunately, this is how communication works. Words/labels have different meaning with different people and at different times. What I say, goes through the filters of your conditioned understanding, and not necessarily carries the initial intent. So what we’re trying here is to use specific labels that more or less have the same meaning to both of us. Also, that is why guides select who they want to guide – to ensure that we speak more or less the same “language”. I could put a word on the guides forum that you would prefer a verbal guiding if you want. I personally don’t do that, but there are other guides who do. Please let me know if you would like that.
In the meantime, it would be more productive if we stick to question-answer as this will assist us in having a clear dialogue … Answering all questions and in their initially intended order is imperative as this is part of the pointing process. This is not a test of your “abilities” but more like a way to force you to look in a certain way. The resistance coming along with this is springing from the unusualness of that new way of looking (not what you are used to/attached to) – it boils down to attachment and rejection. Sticking to old patterns and not dealing with the resistance head on (exploring it) is one way to keep the illusion as a delusion.

The primary resistance that has come up in the last few days is that the body has been extremely fatigued and this morning I woke up with stomach and abdominal pain.

Pain gives an opportunity for exploring. When pain appears ('unpleasant" experience), there are usually thoughts how things should be different and the pain should not be here. But these are just thoughts. When you say that there was “a tendency to identify with the unpleasant sensations”, how is this experienced in DE? Do you see an entity attached to them? What makes them a "me"? Is it the fear that is protecting a "me"? Is it the intensity of the pain? Next time instead of concentrating on exploring the desire for the pain to go away (practices designed to help with that), try staying with the pain, welcoming it. Also, “pain” is a label for “unpleasant”/ “dangerous” sensations. But does the actual raw sensation know anything about “unpleasantness” or “danger”? Sit with it and explore the raw sensations (provided that it’s not life threatening of course ;)). There are people that actually experience pleasure from “painful” sensations.
Once it’s clearly seen that there is no actual me, there is no place for the story to stick (to form an identity). Whatever happens feels okay. Even pain :)

I was able to experience no boundary and no distance between sky "up there" and body "down here".
I am able to see and know and experience that there are no "fingers" feeling "cold" and there is no actual "inside" or "outside" of experience, however I am still feeling challenged by "knowing" these things but that not really consistently impacting my level of identification with it.

Very good!

I was able to experience no boundary and no distance between sky "up there" and body "down here".

What is the previously perceived distance made of? You can explore this for all of the senses – hearing, seeing…The perception doesn’t change with just seeing it once. It’s a long established habit/conditioning to perceive certain “things” in a certain way so it makes sense that it will take some time to “unsee” it.
Here is an idea how to approach this…

When looking at this picture, thought automatically divides and labels colour into many different colours, then further names those colours into specific objects.

IGNORE ALL object labels and colour labels:-
Are there many colourS? Or is there simply colour/seeing?
Is there an actual gap between the ‘trees’? Or is the gap actually colour/seeing?
Where does colour begin and end? In other words, can an actual dividing line be found between where one colour ends and another begins, or is that just a mental construct?
You can approach hearing, sensations, smells... in a similar way

Love
Rali

[Allyn]

The resistance coming along with this is springing from the unusualness of that new way of looking (not what you are used to/attached to) – it boils down to attachment and rejection. Sticking to old patterns and not dealing with the resistance head on (exploring it) is one way to keep the illusion as a delusion.

Yes! You are so right so I think it would be more beneficial to stick with your guiding and answering the questions in this way because this is where the resistance is rather than trying to ease the resistance by looking for an "easier" way to do this.

When you say that there was “a tendency to identify with the unpleasant sensations”, how is this experienced in DE?

I am able to see or know that the body and sensations are not me.
However the identification comes in when it's noticed that I cannot "get away" from the sensations.
If I touch a hot stove, the hand can be removed from the stove, I can tend to the burn if needed, and then move on with my life.
But when the "hot stove" is the body, I feel stuck to that experience with no choice but to accept it and do my best to ride it out until it changes.

Do you see an entity attached to them?

I do not "see" an entity.
But it "feels" like the body is being attacked.

What makes them a "me"?

That I can't get away from them.

Is it the fear that is protecting a "me"? Is it the intensity of the pain?

Yes I think it's a fear that "I" am in danger because of the sensations and a fear that "I" have no control over them.

[poppyseed]

Hi Allyn
You didn’t answer all my questions from my previous reply. Please do, they are there for a reason! You can answer them first and then start with the new questions…

Yes! You are so right so I think it would be more beneficial to stick with your guiding and answering the questions in this way because this is where the resistance is rather than trying to ease the resistance by looking for an "easier" way to do this.

Great! Let’s move on then and see how it goes. At any point if you change your mind I can try and arrange it for you

I am able to see or know that the body and sensations are not me.
However the identification comes in when it's noticed that I cannot "get away" from the sensations.
If I touch a hot stove, the hand can be removed from the stove, I can tend to the burn if needed, and then move on with my life.
But when the "hot stove" is the body, I feel stuck to that experience with no choice but to accept it and do my best to ride it out until it changes.

Could it be that this “I cannot get away” is just a thought interpretation of a “long lasting” sensation? What identifies with the sensation, feels stuck with it, rides it out? What does that entity look like? Is it possible that these are just thoughts (a story) about someone who is stuck in pain and rides it out?

Yes I think it's a fear that "I" am in danger because of the sensations and a fear that "I" have no control over them.

So LOOK! Where is this “I” that needs protection? Is this protection necessary? Is there anything in the sensation itself that suggests “danger” or the “danger” is added to it as a label/thought? You say that there is no entity, then what is this sense of "I" that is not an entity but somehow is still present?
Let’s say that you have lost your keys and you swear that you left them in your coat. You go to look and check all the pockets - the keys are not there. You swear they must be as that was the last place you remember them. You have a vivid memory of putting them there after you left the house. But when you check they are not there. At this point you can keep believing that the keys are in your pocket, or you can admit you were mistaken.
This is just like that. You may see clearly that the self is an illusion but still feel a sense of self - just like the keys. But feeling something to be true and seeing that it is or is not is different.

Now, I’d like to ask you to explore this SENSE of self very-very thoroughly. Not by thinking about it, but by FEELING it. Keep the focus of attention on the sense of self and inquire:

Does the sense of self have a location?
Does the sense of self have a shape or a size?
Does the sense of self say or communicate anything?
If the answer is yes, how does the sense do this exactly?
Does the sense of self have any characteristics or attributes?
What is the sense of self ‘made of’? An image? Sound? Taste? Smell? Sensation? Thought?
What is found?

I do not "see" an entity.
But it "feels" like the body is being attacked.

Seems like/feels like = thought content
Nothing in DE is “seems like” or “feels like” – it’s either here or not.

So “body” is a label/description for sensations and colours. Can sensations be attacked or they are simply experienced?

Love
Rali

[Allyn]

Oh whoops! I didn't scroll down far enough to include those ,questions.

But does the actual raw sensation know anything about “unpleasantness” or “danger”?

No. The only reason the sensations are "known" as unpleasant, dangerous, painful, etc. is because this mind has been conditioned to label them that way.
And then those "labels or words" are conditioned to mean something distinct from the sensation of "pleasure or safety".

What is the previously perceived distance made of?

Well the first simple answer that comes up is "space" or "air".
But then I realize that the sky is made out of exactly the same thing as space or air. It isn't different at all.
So the sky is actually all around us all the time!

Are there many colourS? Or is there simply colour/seeing?

This is interesting.
Without all the physiological components that make up the eyes and how they see, there are no color distinctions.
So isn't even "color" a labjel or description of "seeing" and not an actual direct experience?

Is there an actual gap between the ‘trees’? Or is the gap actually colour/seeing

?
Well experientially I can "sense" the gap not just through color/seeing but also through sensation, smell, etc.
I can feel the sensation of the tree vs the space where there is no tree.
I can smell the tree at the tree but not where the tree is not.
This one is hard to contemplate because in DE, it does seem like there are multiple distinctions between tree and not tree.

Where does colour begin and end? In other words, can an actual dividing line be found between where one colour ends and another begins, or is that just a mental construct?

Hmm. So "color" is a mental construct however there is a distinction in the appearance of one color vs another color that can be seen. But perhaps this is only so in the physiological components of how the eyes see?

[Allyn]

Hey Rali
Just wanted to let you know that I'm working on answering the last set of questions you sent me!
I'll need to spend more time with them into tomorrow before I send the answers.
Thanks!

[poppyseed]

Hi Allyn
Thank you for letting me know. I will reply to these together with the other ones otherwise we will be going backwards and forwards between them.

Have a nice day

Love
Rali

[Allyn]

Could it be that this “I cannot get away” is just a thought interpretation of a “long lasting” sensation?

Yep it definitely is. I recognize this. But I also recognize that this thought interpretation is a very deeply rooted and lifetime one and that the underlying beliefs or the root cause is very unconscious.
It is noticed that there is a very strong resistance and very low acceptance tolerance to any situation where the mind says, "I cannot get away" or "I am being restricted".
It's not wanting to get away from pain or unpleasant sensations, it's more of an unconscious story running in the background about feeling trapped by them.

What identifies with the sensation, feels stuck with it, rides it out? What does that entity look like? Is it possible that these are just thoughts (a story) about someone who is stuck in pain and rides it out?

Yes. It's the story of a child who grew up with a mother who made her feel trapped and controlled. Then the story of an adult who kept that story alive by making poor choices that put herself in situations where she felt trapped and controlled, such as psych hospitals and jail. And now the story of the even older adult who perpetuates the story by feeling trapped and controlled by her own body and was told that accepting it and riding it out will free you from it so she's trying that now.
What identifies with it is not an entity. It is beliefs. The belief that it is intolerable and completely unacceptable to feel trapped, and the belief that being trapped is possible.
This feeling has been so bad at times that I wanted to die rather than experience it.

Where is this “I” that needs protection? Is this protection necessary?

She's not here.
For a long time I imagined her as a little child living inside of me, inside my abdomen like I was pregnant with her.
That's the location in the body where I've always felt this "I".
I guess that's why this is the same location as the pain that's experienced.
But there's no little girl or even a grown woman here.
Just thoughts that have been thought for a very long time and the body's conditioned responses to them.
These thoughts don't need protection.

Is there anything in the sensation itself that suggests “danger” or the “danger” is added to it as a label/thought?

There actually is something in the sensation that suggests danger. The painful sensation suggests there is something physiologically harmful to the health of the body.
However I can't know that because I don't have direct evidence that there is anything wrong like an illness or disease.
So although there COULD be danger, I can't KNOW that there is.
So "danger" is only a thought.

You say that there is no entity, then what is this sense of "I" that is not an entity but somehow is still present?

It's the thoughts and the sensations that combined form this sense of I.
The thoughts I can see through, but the body seems to solidify this experience and cause me to doubt my doubt in my thoughts. It's like the body rebels very strongly when there is a disidentification with thoughts.

Does the sense of self have a location?

The abdomen mostly.

Does the sense of self have a shape or a size?

No.

Does the sense of self say or communicate anything?
If the answer is yes, how does the sense do this exactly?

The thoughts are that the self is communicating feeling trapped and restricted from doing things.
The sense does this through a body sensation of fear and anger.
It's like the nervous system is stuck in fight or flight mode.

Does the sense of self have any characteristics or attributes?

Afraid, mistrusting, and frustrated.

What is the sense of self ‘made of’? An image? Sound? Taste? Smell? Sensation? Thought?
What is found?

Sensation and thoughts.
It is either thoughts then sensations that confirm the thoughts or sensations then thoughts that come in to try to manage the sensations.

[poppyseed]

Hi Allyn
Very good!

What is the previously perceived distance made of?
Well the first simple answer that comes up is "space" or "air".
But then I realize that the sky is made out of exactly the same thing as space or air. It isn't different at all.
So the sky is actually all around us all the time!

Now look! What are “sky” and “air”? Think of the “apple” example. What are these labels pointing to?

Without all the physiological components that make up the eyes and how they see, there are no color distinctions.
So isn't even "color" a labjel or description of "seeing" and not an actual direct experience?

Yes!! Without all the story, there is only seeing :)

Well experientially I can "sense" the gap not just through color/seeing but also through sensation, smell, etc.

The experiment was just about the picture, where there is only seeing. But yeah in reality you can explore this gap in all senses. Different colours in seeing create the illusion of things but all that is there is seeing. Different levels of sounds create the illusion of a song but all that is there is hearing. Can you see that? What is the pause between the song lines made of? What is silence? Silence is still hearing, right? It’s part of how thought describes reality – in absence and presence. This is from Alan Watts in that respect:
“This wave phenomenon is happening on ever so many scales—the fast wave of light, the slower waves of sound—and there are all sorts of other wave processes, such as the beat of the heart; the rhythm of breath, waking, sleeping; the movement of human life from birth to maturity to death. And the slower the wave goes, the more difficult it is to see that the crest and trough are inseparable, and this is how we become persuaded in the game of hide-and-seek. So we see the trough go down, down, down and think it keeps going forever—that it will never rise back up again into a crest. We forget that trough implies crest, and crest implies trough. There is no such thing as pure sound—sound is sound/silence. Light is light/darkness. Light is pulsation—between every light pulse there is the dark pulse.”― Alan W. Watts, Out of Your Mind: Tricksters, Interdependence, and the Cosmic Game of Hide and Seek

Hmm. So "color" is a mental construct however there is a distinction in the appearance of one color vs another color that can be seen. But perhaps this is only so in the physiological components of how the eyes see?

Yes, colour is a concept. Even neuroscientist agree to that. But does the eye see? Do you see the eyes seeing or you deduct that? If you see them seeing then what is actually doing the seeing? How is this actually experienced? Close your eyes. Even with your eyes closed you can still see stuff. At first there is only darkness, but see what happens in a minute...

Yep it definitely is. I recognize this. But I also recognize that this thought interpretation is a very deeply rooted and lifetime one and that the underlying beliefs or the root cause is very unconscious.
It is noticed that there is a very strong resistance and very low acceptance tolerance to any situation where the mind says, "I cannot get away" or "I am being restricted".
It's not wanting to get away from pain or unpleasant sensations, it's more of an unconscious story running in the background about feeling trapped by them.

Well, this is all conditioning that needs to be checked. We are all conditioned to avoid “unpleasant” experiences and look for “pleasant” ones. But what happens when you examine the actual label “pleasant/unpleasant”. Allow yourself to sit with the “unpleasant” ones even for a second and acceptance starts unfolding. Right now it may be impossible to believe that resistance and fear are your friends, but if you start noticing them, you will see where they lead. Resistance itself is not meant to be resisted, otherwise it locks into self-strengthening, repeating loops. Some say there is a path of least resistance, and when resistance melts, all that is left is surrender. This is the path of saying yes to whatever feeling, emotion, or sensation shows up. Surrendering is what is left when resistance to what is ends. Listening closely and noticing sensations in the body are key to releasing stuckness.

There actually is something in the sensation that suggests danger. The painful sensation suggests there is something physiologically harmful to the health of the body.
However I can't know that because I don't have direct evidence that there is anything wrong like an illness or disease.
So although there COULD be danger, I can't KNOW that there is.
So "danger" is only a thought.

Yes!! It’s only thought that gives the story of danger. Sensation on its own is just sensing without the “explanation”. Some stories come closer to reality than others but still very much an approximation. I suppose the analogy with the icons on your computer desktop comes handy. They are used as a visual representation of what is actually a binary code – zeros and ones - so you can make use of them. But is the icon of email really a box with mail in it?

It's the thoughts and the sensations that combined form this sense of I.
The thoughts I can see through, but the body seems to solidify this experience and cause me to doubt my doubt in my thoughts. It's like the body rebels very strongly when there is a disidentification with thoughts.

The abdomen mostly.

Yes you are correct that is a sensations + thoughts. How do sensations solidify the experience without the interpretation? Sensations are just sensing, vibrating or whatever words you want to use to describe them. They are just happening.
Where is “abdomen”? Again do sensations have a location or the location is their label? So yes sensations are happening but is there something in them that suggest a “me” without the thought?

It's like the nervous system is stuck in fight or flight mode.

Perfect example of a story – scientific or spiritual, doesn’t matter – still a story.

Does the sense of self have any characteristics or attributes?

Afraid, mistrusting, and frustrated.

Emotion = thought + sensation
These are thoughts that you are reporting. Attributes here are in terms of seeing, hearing, …. (DE) So that would mean sensations?

Sensation and thoughts.
It is either thoughts then sensations that confirm the thoughts or sensations then thoughts that come in to try to manage the sensations.

Very good observation!! How does that make you feel?

Yes. It's the story of a child who grew up with a mother who made her feel trapped and controlled. Then the story of an adult who kept that story alive by making poor choices that put herself in situations where she felt trapped and controlled, such as psych hospitals and jail. And now the story of the even older adult who perpetuates the story by feeling trapped and controlled by her own body and was told that accepting it and riding it out will free you from it so she's trying that now.
What identifies with it is not an entity. It is beliefs. The belief that it is intolerable and completely unacceptable to feel trapped, and the belief that being trapped is possible.
This feeling has been so bad at times that I wanted to die rather than experience it.

Well trauma is also a story, right? It's one of these self-strengthening, repeating loops. Is there anyone that does the believing or is there just thinking about believing? Is there anyone that is stuck in believing or just stories about someone who is stuck into believing, into memories of traumatic experiences?

Just thoughts that have been thought for a very long time and the body's conditioned responses to them.

Ok, so “body” is just a label describing sensations as we’ve already seen. But can thoughts do anything but describing what is already happening? Do senses depend on each other to happen? How is this observed without a story?
1. Sit comfortably on a chair. Close your eyes. Lift your leg and pay attention to the sensation of “leg lifted”
2. Open your eyes and now pay attention to the sight of the leg only.
3. While looking at the leg, pay attention to the sensation of the leg.
Do sight and sensation appear simultaneously? Do they appear separately? Do they depend on each other? Is there a link between them? What does the link look like?

Love
Rali

[Allyn]

Hi Rali
Just wanted to let you know that I am still working on these last questions you sent.
Didn't want you to think I gave up!

[poppyseed]

Hi Allyn

Thank you for letting me know!
Love
Rali

[Allyn]

What are “sky” and “air”? Think of the “apple” example. What are these labels pointing to?

"Sky" and "air" are labels for the sensory DE.
Seeing ("color" or "non-color"), sensation ("feeling" the "air/wind"), etc.

Different levels of sounds create the illusion of a song but all that is there is hearing. Can you see that? What is the pause between the song lines made of? What is silence? Silence is still hearing, right?

Well I can't "see" that but I can "hear" it LOL
Yes, it can be experienced that the only direct experience that is constant in the "different" sounds that are heard, as well as in the silence (which I'm not sure I've ever directly experienced absolute silence), is the hearing of all of it.
The hearing never changes, never stops.
All of the sounds or silence heard are just one whole experience of hearing.
They aren't "bird" or "car" or "silence" or "close" or "distant".

But does the eye see? Do you see the eyes seeing or you deduct that? If you see them seeing then what is actually doing the seeing? How is this actually experienced?

I don't see the eyes seeing.
There is seeing happening.
When I close my eyelids there's still seeing and I realize that I can't really locate or specify what is seeing.

But is the icon of email really a box with mail in it?

It's just a symbol.
But what it symbolizes is just a label, mail or email.

How do sensations solidify the experience without the interpretation?

They do not without interpretation.
Sensations happen and the only reason it can still sometimes seem that they solidify an experience of "I" is because the thoughts or interpretations are so conditioned and automatic that they seem to rise at the same time as the sensations so it's always felt like they were the same thing and this combo of thoughts/sensations have always been a very convincing sense of "ME".
But the more I sit with it, I realize that the sensations remain even when thoughts or labels are dropped so the sensations are not caused by and do not cause thoughts.
The two experiences can happen at the same time but they can also happen independently.
This recognition of the two as independent experiences makes it much easier to disidentify with them as "ME".

Where is “abdomen”? Again do sensations have a location or the location is their label? So yes sensations are happening but is there something in them that suggest a “me” without the thought?

The only actual location of the sensations is in the awareness or experiencing of them and that isn't even an actual location.
There's nothing within the sensations themselves that suggest a "me", only the thoughts suggest that.