What am I really?

[Brooklyn]

Hi Stacy

I’ve done this multiple times and find no difference in sensations whether the thought is a lie or true. There are sensations, clenching, relaxing, the movement of the breath, digestion.

[Anastacia42]

clenching, relaxing

THAT'S IT!

The gut clenches at a lie & relaxes with a truth.

You even found this the first time!

Did you notice any differences in the body?
Yes, the body is more relaxed and transparent in the second way of looking

.

You even found it before I ever asked.

Now what comes up when reading that there is no separate self, never has been and never will be? It was all a story.
A contraction in the body.

You may be holding more than a single thought or moving too quickly from a lie to a truth. Or thinking about how you feel about the pointer. That could be confusing.

Just stay as aware as possible. This is important.

Let's move on. You've got this.


Here is an exercise that makes it clear that labels are not the things they refer to. They are merely the content of thought that we made up.

Label-Reality Correlation

There is a belief that labels have a one-to-one correspondence with something called "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 red color "experienced" or is color green "experienced" as the label suggests?

Do the labels have a one-to-one correspondence with "reality?"

Or do the labels suggest something else other than what is here now (red color)?

Is green-ness an inherent attribute of the "experience" of the red color; or is green just a word label on the experience of the red color?

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 effect whatsoever on ‘reality’?


Let me know.

Loving,

[Brooklyn]

Hi Stacy

Thanks for your reply.

I have experimented with placing attention on the gut and noticing clenching and releasing but it doesn't seem to be related to anything the mind has to say or whether it is true or false. In my case because I have been dissociated from the body, so the simple act of placing attention on the gut is a new experience and comes with some fear hence the initial clenching.

I have a neurodivergent brain so I am slightly overwhelmed by all the questions in one so it will take me a bit of time to revert... Bear with me please.

[Anastacia42]

Thank you. I hear you.

Just keep me posted every day or two please, even if you can't answer questions.

Much love

[Brooklyn]

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

Red is experienced

Is the red color "experienced" or is color green "experienced" as the label suggests?

Red is experienced

Do the labels have a one-to-one correspondence with "reality?"

I'm not entirely sure I understand the question but my answer is no

Or do the labels suggest something else other than what is here now (red color)?

I'm not entirely sure I understand the question, but m answer is no, the colour red is experienced

Is green-ness an inherent attribute of the "experience" of the red color; or is green just a word label on the experience of the red color?

I don't understand the first part of the question. Green is the word written in the colour red

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

No the red colour remains irrespective of the word

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

Redness does not become good or bad. The label doesn't effect reality

[Anastacia42]

You're understanding the questions fine.

Are you LOOKING or thinking to find the answers? It appears you're thinking.

Remember this?
This is how to LOOK for no self in the exercises - we call them "pointers' - that we will be doing here:

Colored Socks

There is a big difference between knowing that there is nothing to give up and seeing that there is nothing to give up.

Here is an example to illustrate the difference:

If I ask you what color socks you are wearing right now you have two ways to come up with an answer:

• You can think about it, you can think back to this morning and try to remember putting your socks on, and you can probably tell me what color you think they are.

• Alternatively, you can take a quick look at your socks and tell me what color they actually are!

Hopefully you would agree that you can only be 100% certain by looking.

For the purpose of seeing this "no self" idea, it is very important that you are clear about this difference.

Knowing is about knowledge which is all in the mind and we are not interested in that

We are only interested in looking at and seeing what is actually going on in your present moment-to-moment experience. We are only interested in your Direct Experience in the moment..

Direct or Actual Experience is

Seeing
Hearing
Feeling (Sensation, not emotion. Emotion is Sensation plus made-up thoughts & labels)
Tasting
Smelling
Thoughts Arising (but not their content)

Loving,

[Brooklyn]

Hi Stacy

The experience of looking at what you are calling the 'word label' GREEN is indescribable without using concepts. The most direct I can get is that I see lines/shapes in a colour that we call red.

Do the labels have a one-to-one correspondence with "reality?"

No

Or do the labels suggest something else other than what is here now (red color)?

Yes

Is green-ness an inherent attribute of the "experience" of the red color; or is green just a word label on the experience of the red color?

No, green-ness is not an inherent attribute of the experience of the red colour. Again, I don't understand this second part the question, sorry.

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

No the red colour remains the same

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

Redness does not become good or bad. The label doesn't effect reality.

[Anastacia42]

Yes. We use words to communicate. Don't worry about that. Just keep answering the questions.

is green just a word label on the experience of the red color?

Is this the part you are saying you don't understand? How can I help?

Loving,

[Brooklyn]

Is this the part you are saying you don't understand? How can I help?

Yes. The phrase 'word label' doesn't make sense to me in the case of the word green. It's just a word written in red. So I've played with changing the word to something that is not another colour e.g. house . The meaning of the word is irrelevant to the seeing of red lines/shapes. Yes?

[Anastacia42]

Yes.

All words are labels

[Anastacia42]

To take it a little farther all words are labels and we made them up. They have no reality. They are not the things themselves.

[Brooklyn]

Yes, I've got that.

[Anastacia42]

Hmm, then I would think that question would make sense.

You seem to have the idea, so let's move on.

This one brings these ideas together. It is very much like the spoon scene in The Matrix if you have seen that movie.

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

[Anastacia42]

Are you still there?

[Brooklyn]

Hi Stacy

I have got what you’re pointing to. I only experience shape, colour and thought when I look at an apple.