Requesting a guide.

[IainB]

Jon

Thank you for being there to check in to.

It seems to help to keep a three way approach to looking, considering what is in the wider sense, and being alert to sensation and thought.

I notice the unchosen, completely filled and coloured in nature of environment as it appears in the snapshot of now. Again, this is too full to allow for a separate observer. It helps to know: unchosen, uninfluenceable, and all here.

I notice sensation, again unchosen but there is it. It might be said sensation changes but this must be supposition as there is no other than sensation now to compare it to. There is a story of uncomfortable sensations earlier, and how these linked to so called negative thoughts, but sensation is soft and benign as I type.

The words of thought are part of this too. It does help to notice the pause between thoughts and know the unchoseness of next thought content. Then as thought is exited this is confirmed by knowing, sure I certainly didn't choose to know that. I feel like an empty location just unsure as to why those thoughts get appeared, they come from no-where.

with gratitude

[IainB]

Jon

I feel as though I'm in an escape room, such as where participants are locked in a themed room to work systematically through clues to uncover a mystery before the time runs out.

The proposition might be "you're a secret agent who has forgotten his true nature/identity and has fallen under a spell/been hypnotised/been drugged into thinking he's in separation as the character Iain...your mission is to follow clues to ultimately be in no doubt this is illusory. While not rejecting or expecting the identify of Iain to disappear or change see this aspect of yourself as an illusion and begin a new life exploring and seeing what you are".

The first envelope may contain the clue: gently look at your environment, take in the colours, the seeming form/shapes, the apparent distances and depth. Set aside for a time any belief that there is a 'you' in this environment, that there is an outside and an inside. If it helps ponder for a time where an outside might end and an inside begins and see what comes up. Simply rest as it all effortlessly appears. Without referring to thought to provide any answers, look and see if you do anything to make now appear? Can you make now any different to how it is? Is there anything behind now?

Secondly feel sensation. Do you do anything to make it appear or is it just there? If it feels benign, can you preserve this. If there is discomfort can you do anything to change this? Is there an Iain having sensation or is there just sensation?

Thirdly watch thought and consider its content. Really look with a fresh intensity and ask what thought is, even if it has never occurred to do this before, with curiosity rather than expectations of any conclusions. For a time disregard the symbols, messages and images that might appear in thought. Let them come and go. Did you do anything to choose or influence them?

The timer may be running down but look, and find. Not something additional or other but a wholeness and completeness in what already is. As the illusion dissipates see and feel afresh with relief. Paper thin, yet infinite. Have a shake and see how Iain was like an climbing anchor tapped deeper into the rock by seeking as white knuckles gripped the ropes of fascination with the character.

While there never was a room to escape from, participants are welcome to have as many goes as there is appetite for.

with thanks

[JonathanR]

Hi Ian,

Hope you’re keeping well?

I’ve read your posts, thank you.

You’re clearly looking at and questioning and examining your experience. That’s great. But at the moment I don’t have any questions because you’re doing that, as it were, yourself, anyway. I’m not inclined to interrupt. But if there’s anything you’d like me to assist with let me know and we can talk about it?

Love

Jon

[IainB]

Jon

Many thanks for checking in. I'm grateful for your support.

Guiding seems integral to shaping the direction of looking here and perpetuating it, especially if there is a tendency to drop back into the illusion, or where there is a narrative about long periods of seeking and so forth.

You gotta kinda be both fierce and gentle in keeping this rolling, even if movement itself is an illusory.

I meet what is with a question 'what is this?'

Resting with eyes closed, darkness is known and is asked 'what is this?' Sensation is more pronounced and is likewise gently questioned repeatedly.

In the busyness of environments with interactions, moments are taken to question. It is sometimes remembered to look/question when others are there, sometimes forgotten. I mentioned questioning thought similarly before.

Questioned but instead of expectation for an answer or some new insight, rather to keep an awake focus on the not knowing of what this is, the unchosen nature of it and how it is full with no artificial addition of a person observing it or operating within it.

with thanks

[JonathanR]

Hi Iain

Once again, you are investigating thought, sensations and so on and then writing down your ideas or observations about these. That’s great. But once again I don’t have any particular questions at present, about all that.

I think that if what we were doing here were more of a conversation, there’d be more traction to it.

One thing I meant to ask about was from much earlier on , where you mentioned “sinking in”. That’s an interesting term. Does it come from somewhere?


Love

Jon

[IainB]

Jon,

More traction please, yes.

You wish for me to ask questions?

where you mentioned “sinking in”. That’s an interesting term. Does it come from somewhere?

Sink in to fundamental wellbeing is from Dr Jeffery Martin's Finders Course.

It's an incitement linked to the use of mediation and self-enquiry techniques, that when a positive result is encountered to fully immerse in it. Don't hold back.

While such activity/'how' may have benefits, it may be good to be open minded around whether or not you can 'do' anything to change/erase an illusion, as for some methods may fuel seeking rather than end it.

I do love the guiding here though.

with friendship

[JonathanR]

Hey Iain

Thanks for your fast reply.

To ask you questions seems unnecessary because you question what’s going on in thought and sensation a lot yourself and offer a commentary about it. That’s all fine but in a sense it’s pretty self-contained. What’s my role then, as guide?

You’re obviously well-versed in nondual thinking and non dual language. This can make it hard for a guide to know if there is some kind of problem or not. I do not like to rush to judge people and I do not judge you, so I asked questions which have led to quite a few posts that have given me the impression that either you do see that there is no self beyond doubt (which is our aim in guiding at LU) , in which case there isn’t much for me to ask or say, or you are heavily into cross-examining yourself just in case there’s something “more” that you’re missing out on?


Does thar make sense?

There are people who go through the LU process and then go on to seek or investigate “further possibilities”, such as Ten Fetters ,which you may have heard of or groups such as those around Jeffrey Martin. Perhaps it may help you to understand where I am in this to know that I’m a little bit Zen in this respect (not literally a “Zen Buddhist”) but for me things are kind of as they are. I may not be your guy for further realisations , although I can point to no self and am happy to do so where it’s sought.

Love

Jon

[IainB]

Jon

What’s my role then, as guide?

[is] there something “more” that you’re missing out on?

It seems only a while ago I was pushed to really look at thought. It's easy to fall back into a lazy belief in thought.

And even more recently that there was a new dynamic in knowing around what is.

I'm not sure of the answers to these questions. I've been in a pattern now of a decade or so where the 'right words' come out of my mouth, reconciled knowing may be known, then back in a loop chest deep in seeking.

I feel empowered to look at this time, but there's also a big push not necessarily to improve Iain, but around honesty, self love and self acceptance.

well-versed in nondual [...] can make it hard for a guide to know if there is some kind of problem or not.

This of course can be a disadvantage. It might equally make it hard for the client.

for me things are kind of as they are

Yes. This attracted me to you as a guide.

with thanks

[IainB]

Jon

...recently that there was a new dynamic in knowing around what is.

I don't have a lot to work with but I do have this.

This actually favours so-called uncomfortable sensations and thoughts of a more intrusive and persecutory nature. If things are pleasant, there's a tendency to slumber.

Particularly upon waking I can really watch thought, kinda asking what is it then as the image/symbols/message springs up I can kinda be like what was that?

And with the external world that of course isn't external I can ask what is this?

Easier in semi-consciousness, more of a challenge in full day flow. Take all that seeking, frustration, trauma etc and use it to relentlessly look-know along the lines of what is this?

with looking

[JonathanR]

Hi Iain

Thanks for your posts. Please forgive me for not posting for a couple of evenings. I’ve been exceptionally busy with this exhibition thingy of mine.

This actually favours so-called uncomfortable sensations and thoughts of a more intrusive and persecutory nature. If things are pleasant, there's a tendency to slumber.

Yes that’s quite true isn’t it? Although, what would happen if you didn’t study these sensations and thoughts so actively? Would that feel uncomfortable?

Particularly upon waking I can really watch thought, kinda asking what is it then as the image/symbols/message springs up I can kinda be like what was that?

But where is an observer that is separate from the symbols or message?

And with the external world that of course isn't external I can ask what is this?

. “You” can, or does it ask it’s self?

Take all that seeking, frustration, trauma etc and use it to relentlessly look-know along the lines of what is this?

And the merit of this relentlessness is?

How does this compare with just relaxing, where relaxing and noticing what’s going on (or not) is just happening?


Love

Jon

[IainB]

Jon

what...if you didn’t study these sensations and thoughts so actively? Would that feel uncomfortable?

I love how you guide here, and before 'is it possible to relax into [the whole happening flow...and] forget...the imagined need to [...] seek?'

This is very welcome. I recall sharing before about loving-in to the here and now (having as friendly and gentle as possible an attitude to what is, even if there is anxiety or other vexation).

At times there feels an urge to address what is. This is in part from fear that it's been lost, the seeing and knowing that all is simply a god-like projection appearing so something may be, with a conundrum-character me illusionally in the middle. Other times there is gentle curiosity. It feels as though I was asleep before, and fully believed the story of character living in world and there is a choking urgency not to lose this.

But such grasping may not help. I really hear you, and take your commendation to explore why there may be uncomfortableness and be inactive in looking.

where is an observer that is separate from the symbols or messages?

In the darkness of slumber the zoetrope symbols flicker into life. The contrast between this and ernest wakefulness offers a contrast and the artificial nature of thought content is more apparent. This fuels that playfulness of let's really get underneath these thoughts and see enduringly how they are unchosen, arbitrary, being and don't need to be deeply believed.

. “You” can, or does it ask it’s self?

I recall maybe yesterday pushing and seeing a dynamic where thought content and sense content was seen as deeply unchosen, wild, not the imaginings of a character. Hand it over to the illusion to have it's illusoriness on display and integral, visible as it appears, rather than fallen asleep into.

And the merit of this relentlessness is?

How does this compare with just relaxing, where relaxing and noticing what’s going on (or not) is just happening?

It's tempting to fight but I won't, I take your commendation above to relax.

with love

[JonathanR]

Hi Ian

This is very welcome. I recall sharing before about loving-in to the here and now (having as friendly and gentle as possible an attitude to what is, even if there is anxiety or other vexation).

That does seem to be a good approach. Recognising the felt presence of immediate experience. And accepting occasions of resistance or discomfort. Is there anything to fear ?

Other times there is gentle curiosity. It feels as though I was asleep before, and fully believed the story of character living in world and there is a choking urgency not to lose this

Are “you” a loser? No. There’s a story about losing. Meanwhile, the river of life is in full flow regardless of such thoughts. It’s a beautiful river but it can’t be lost.

This fuels that playfulness

Playfulness is great.

It's tempting to fight but I won't, I take your commendation above to relax.

Would it be necessary to fight a bath of warm water? Also, if it were instead mountainous waves of a storm in the North Sea, would fighting help?

With love

Jon

[IainB]

Jon

the river of life is in full flow regardless of...thoughts. It’s a beautiful river [that] can’t be lost.

Conscious happening always is. Unconsciousness is only a story/idea. Likewise that anything may be lost from what is here and now. Rather than any need to surrender into it, it already is, by default already surrendered.

Is there anything to fear?

Fear is a thought/idea/thought-words, thought-images. Any imagined thing to be feared is more thought-words and thought-images. Fear and peace are parts of the endless tumble of the character Iain.

Would it be necessary to fight a bath of warm water? if it were instead mountainous waves [...] would fighting help?

The bath is home. Just bathe in being home. Be it stormy or serene. Calling for help or gurgles of satisfaction may be elicited but these have no bearing on the always immersed bathing.

with thanks

[JonathanR]

Hi Ian

Fear and peace are parts of the endless tumble of the character Iain.

Ah yes! Like the character Jon too :) the imagined one. The story-character that struts and frets his hour upon the an imagined stage. Imagined to be “subject” to all sorts of conditions, boundaries, responsibilities. But what if that’s all nonsense, including the character?

but these have no bearing on the always immersed bathing.

Are there limits or boundaries to that? Take a look.


Love

Jon

[IainB]

Jon

what if [conditions, boundaries, responsibilities are] all nonsense, including the character?

Life flows, the babblings of thought recede into the background. It doesn't have to be gripped so seriously.

Are there limits or boundaries to that?

Even if the bathed now seems tough, it soon passes. There's no accounting for why here is here and life is underway, an endless dynamic.

That something is missing or to be resolved, or there is more, is an integral part of the arbitrary stories that pass through and simply known.

with love