The Gate

Lots of clarity here, its great.

"The feeling of "I" was there, but I didn’t actually see any self or choice being made."

It's great you notice that you didn't see a self or a choice. What is this "feeling of I"? A sensation? A thought? Where is it? Investigate it in direct experience and describe it as clear as possible.

"I don't think that feelings do the choosing but how can I observe this?"

How can you observe that the sofa is not controlling your brain? How can you observe that there is not always a blue unicorn behind you, that doesn't show in mirrors, and we are all hiding it from you?

You can't. We can't PROOVE the non-existence or non-connection of things. We can pay attention to what actually is sensed and experienced directly, and this can change our "view" in ways beyond what thoughts could describe.

Great Geza, this is a good development. Keep looking if there is a self anywhere or anyone controlling choices and actions.

Don't get lost in concepts like "the gap" or anything else. Just ask the basic questions and pay attention to your own experience.

Share your experience plain and simple, just describing what is seen without trying to make it into something or make it serve or achieve something.

Do this exercise:

Mind labelling 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 ie 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?

Hi Geza, good work

All good re tomorrow, thanks for the heads up.

During the day just keep an eye from time to time on: what controls the tings that conventionally are considered me? (thoughts, movement, etc).

Remember keep it simple, don't try to achieve or understand anything. Just see what is and when you write, share what is observed, plain and simple.

Hi Geza, okay!

Now let that sink in!

""I" have no control over anything, "I" don't exist"

Intone it many times during the day. How does it feel? What reactions come up.

Remember: Leave aside everything you have learned from books or apps or others including me - fuck that. Really just look. And report simple and sincere what is seen, from the heart.

Say more. Is the illusion seen through? Is it clear? Say more about what is seen, what is going on. Strict honesty.

Yes, looking to "what you should be experiencing" keeps happening. Is that a choice or not a choice that it is happening, rather then focusing fully on your own direct experience?


Do this exercise:

Direct Experience - Labelling Daily Activities

Here's an exercise that I would like you to try as many times throughout the day as you can. Label daily activities simply colour/image, sound, smell, taste, sensation, thought. So for example, when having breakfast, become aware of:-

Seeing a cup, simply= image/colour
Smelling coffee, simply = smell
Feeling the warmth of the coffee cup, simply = sensation
Tasting the coffee, simply = taste
Hearing the spoon stirring the coffee, simply = sound
Thought about drinking the coffee, simply = thought

Write me 5 minutes in real time that way, in that structure, I.e.:

thinking what to write,simply= thought
hearing car, simply= sound
feeling foot against wall, simply= sensation

Just break down daily activities into these categories (which are all actual/direct experience) as you go through the day. When you do it "paa farten" (Danish expression), just say to yourself:

sound
sight
sensation
sensation
sound
sensation
sight
thought
sight
etc



Report back after a day what was seen/experienced.

Ps. It's not image its sight.

Image implies more interpretation. Don't think about that - I know you could, but you have better things to do ;)

Just write/say sight instead for now.