eyes wide shut? lets open them

[MerlinC]

do people create the self?
do you create the self?

[sophie1]

do you have to skip anything to perceive?

what do you have in mind? I don't know what I have to skip

when you're not facing reality are things not real?

the mind assumes that things are real when I am not facing reality. However, immediate experience seems to be more real than something that mind assumes

do you create the self?

Again, mind assumes that there is an entity "self", however, there is no self in immediate experience.

[MerlinC]

is there ever a time when you don't face reality?
is thinking anymore or less real than anything else when it happens?
who invests in thought and emotions?
It may feel like you're breaking through some thought barrer to see reality that doesn't have content to it
then you get sucked back into thinking but thats only because for that moment you stopped listening to silence and began to hear thoughts again in which you're always aware of when they happen and is only a notion in the mind that you can't always be aware. Thats why they call it the awakening process because the notion of "ME" is no more than a day dream that you wake up from. People confuse themselves to be a "ME" because if you have to be someone in this world you'll pick being the content of the mind first because its "Something" in contrast to awareness that nobody talks about which isnt a thing at all. This can be scary but again you were never not awareness in this life, you just didnt see it before like countless others on a spiritual path or off one.

[sophie1]

is there ever a time when you don't face reality?

no, there is no time I don't face reality

is thinking anymore or less real than anything else when it happens?

Thinking itself is real, it happens, but the constructs it creates may be not. For example, thinking creates a picture of the future in the present moment. Creating a picture is real, but picture itself is not.

who invests in thought and emotions?

It's an illusion that someone invests in thought and emotion. Thoughts happen, emotions follow, emotions reinforce thoughts, thoughts reinforce emotions. It feels like it is about "me". But if one cannot find "me", it's about nothing. Thoughts happen on their own, emotions too.

[MerlinC]

Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there
ever?

[sophie1]

Not found. However, when thoughts are loud and feelings are strong, identification with them still can happen.

[MerlinC]

I see so can thoughts make or do thinking?

[sophie1]

No, they can't. May be identification is not with thoughts or emotions but with one's story unfolding especially if there is a crisis situation or a major shift happening.

[MerlinC]

There is no one to identify with thought or emotion to begin with anything remaining is story, then again it was always a story of you but the story just like santa claus has never been real although it has been told as if it were something real or substantial. Just mental projections of reality that of which are disconnected from true reality. The shift is to truth. Ego is reactive and quick to judge things as guilty of being like this or that when things just are. Just be and rest as awareness and the habit of finding yourself in thoughts will dissipate in time because life is still there silently listening allowing these things to occur wither thoughts are active or not.

[MerlinC]

Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from
your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

[sophie1]

Illusion of separate self starts in childhood when a child is taught that there is "I", "me" that owns his/ her body, thoughts and feelings. "I" is a character in the story of child's life unfolding.
A child starts to relate and attach all experiences to the concept "I": I think, I feel, I perceive.
Genetics and environment makes him or her behave, think and perceive in unique ways. A child attributes those ways to himself as his character traits. The society teaches a child which character traits are desirable. He or she starts to separate and compare himself and herself to others making judgements. The results of the comparison may be positive or negative causing child to feel different emotions. Lack of acceptance and desire of changes start. Certain actions follow desire for change. They are attributed to "self" and it is seen as initiator of those actions. A concept of free will appears. Now everything is perceived through the "self" lens.

[MerlinC]

is that how it works in your experience?

[sophie1]

In "my" experience? Those just thoughts that came in response to your question. :)
I will try to answer in another way. Illusion of separate self is believing that there is Sophie that experiences thoughts, emotions and sensations. It starts when those experiences are being owned by Sophie, words like "my" and "mine" signify that. How it works?
There is a belief that self is a centre that holds all those experiences together and a belief that self actually experiences it.

[sophie1]

I am going to travel abroad for three weeks. While I will still have Internet access, I may not be able to write regularly. I will continue to write when I can.

[MerlinC]

can you see that the center is nothing but smoke and mirrors? can the thoughts hold onto anything and not be a story about holding?
only right back when your bored don't ruin your nice outing