A curious practitioner

[Anastacia42]

Great. Now you've got it.

Now this:

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,

[Armastus]

What is found?

Lying to employer to go to a job interview as an example- scanning my body for direct experience, sensing tension/heavyness in the heart region, tightness in belly area.

Do you see that?

I do see that

[Anastacia42]

Excellent.

Now try this one:


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.

Loving,

[Armastus]

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

The content of thoughts describe more thoughts. A thought apple appears, then another thought appears about the thought and this process is continued.

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

There is not really an "apple" here, just a thought about an "apple"

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

Apple is a noun and cannot be found in actual experience

However, is an apple actually known?

Apple actually is not know, it does not have inherent substance on its own.

[Anastacia42]

Excellent. Good. Yes.

"Apple" is just like "self." Try this:


Explore ‘Sense of Self’

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. This is why we may find ourselves coming back to your expectations at the start and at the end.

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?

You don't have to do them again, but LOOK. What do they point to? [/color]

Loving,

[Armastus]

Does the sense of self have a location?

No, sense of self does not have a location.

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

Sense of self does not have a shape or size.

Does the sense of self say or communicate anything?

Sense of self does not say or communicate anything.

Does the sense of self have any characteristics or attributes?

Sense of self does not have characteristics or attributes.

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

Sense of self is formed based on the information that comes from all the sense organs that is woven together through thought. Like an overlay or an echo that carries or prolongs this sense of self from frame to frame like a movie

What is found?

Sense of self is an overlay/echo.

[Anastacia42]

Right. Sense of Self is only a thought story.

How does it FEEL to see this?

Loving,

[Armastus]

How does it FEEL to see this?

It feels light, expansive

[Anastacia42]

Yes. And we learned that's the truth feeling, right?



So, now let's look at something else:


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,

[Armastus]

Yes. And we learned that's the truth feeling, right?

Yes

How is the movement controlled?

The movement is not controlled

Does a thought control it?

A thought does not control it

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

No, a "controller" can not 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.

The decision just happens, there is no point where a thought decides the movement

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

The choosing happens spontaneously, depending on conditions

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

No, I cant find a separate individual or anything that is choosing

[Anastacia42]

Again, how does it FEEL to see this?

Loving,

[Armastus]

Again, how does it FEEL to see this?

It feels loose, relaxed

[Anastacia42]

Yes, because it's true.

Can you find any separate "self" anywhere in Direct Experience?

Much love,

[Armastus]

Can you find any separate "self" anywhere in Direct Experience?

No I can not find separate "self" anywhere in DE

[Anastacia42]

Lovely. We have some traditional "final" questions. Really this is just the beginning of reevaluating everything you *thought* you knew.

Are you ready to answer those questions?

Loving