Looking For Guide: Third Time's a Charm?

[Tak]

This article may help.
http://ruthlesstruthdotcom.blogspot.ie/ ... shine.html

Wow. Long, but engaging and, wow.

one question, more of a clarification:

This just 'JUST LOOK' stuff. I never quite got it. I'm not sure what that even means. Tho I think I finally see a glimpse of what y'all are saying with JUST LOOK in the following:

CIARAN
the computer in front of you
do you need to concentrate in order to see it?

GUEST: no

CIARAN what do you need to do?

GUEST: keep my eyes open

CIARAN exactly
no effort is involved at all
but it is at the same time
an active thing
you are not trying to see
so there's no real effort
but you are actively seeing

Does that passage describe what you're talking about when you say "just look"?

Cause I think I've been concentrating instead of looking..

strange dreams ahead tonight..

[Paulo]

First impulse. 10.

Good. Stop there Mark. That’s seeing what is. The rest was just thinking ‘about’ seeing. ‘First impulse’ – what a great phrase to describe seeing.

The bridge scene from Peaceful Warrior expresses that same idea.

[The clip showed from where he was thrown off the bridge until after Socrates tells him to take out the trash. Nice movie]

Glad you were able to read the blog article as it’s very long. And yes, the piece you quoted reflects well what we call looking/seeing.

Let’s look –

Sit for 10 seconds and note EVERY sound you hear.

Don’t judge, categorise, select, sensor, or do anything but listen to what is – give me a full list and nothing else (and I do mean NOTHING else).

You're on your way, Paulo :-)

[Tak]

• refrigerator motor humming
• clicking and whirring from hard drive
• tintanitus-ish noise
• muffled traffic noise

[Paulo]

Superb! I love it. Direct experience - no effort, no large amount of time, just looking at what IS right there in front of you.

One important sound missing from the list that I know you heard - heartbeat. The one sound that's with you 24/7 no matter where you go or what you do - just like reality. If ever you find yourself being drawn into thought listen for your heartbeat, it will bring you right into reality again. (Breathing also works - that's another one for your list).

You can try that again whenever you wish - each time you do so add more detail, notice the immense complexity of even the humming fridge.

Let's dive deeper -

Within five minutes of reading this sentence pick a moment (when it's safe to do so) and mentally say 'STOP'. At that moment completely freeze, stop dead. No matter where you are or what you're doing - pretend you are a stone statue and freeze.

Take 60 seconds and look at what's happening in the moment. Report what you observe.

[Stay focused here - don't categorise what you 'see', or put it in any order, that's the mind processing experience after the fact. Just note whatever enters experience and write it down immediately you've completed the task].

Paulo :-)

[Tak]

Within five minutes of reading this sentence

drat, lol, caught me peeking at my forum notification before lunch.

Take 60 seconds and look at what's happening in the moment. Report what you observe.

• assorted body fidgeting of coworkers
• coworker 1 walking across the room
• sounds of high heel footsteps
• coworker 2 is reading
• rememberance is happening
• several coworkers are typing
• small ache in right foot is happening
• clock hand is moving
• tickle in back of throat is building
• observing is happening
• coworker 4 chewing gum
• coworker 5 is turning pages
• eye movement is happening
• sounds of air conditioner
• sound of loud 60 sec timer
• embarassment is happening

you're right, it's a bit hard to avoid post-processing the list and/or categorizing it. focus/rememberance didnt happen as accurately as it could have.

Ok, offline for Lunch

-Mark

[Paulo]

Bravo Mark! hope you enjoyed your lunch, well deserved. You're getting a flavour of what IS. Obviously for a first time out what you observe is very broad (i.e. lacking detail), but that's fine. Try it again and you will see there's an immense universe just happening all around you all the time.

you're right, it's a bit hard to avoid post-processing the list and/or categorizing it.

And you did it, keep moving forward.

focus/rememberance didnt happen as accurately as it could have.

Expectations - throw them in the garbage.

Momentum -

Recall your lunch.

Savour the flavours of your meal, the textures, the sights, sounds, the environment. Recall the whole experience. Did you have a drink, any candy, chocolates, fruit?

While you do that tell me when does the recollection occur?
[Note: here I'm referring to past, present, or future]

One sentence only - first impulse

Paulo :-)

[Tak]

Momentum - Recall your lunch.
Savour the flavours of your meal, the textures, the sights, sounds, the environment. Recall the whole experience. Did you have a drink, any candy, chocolates, fruit?

While you do that tell me when does the recollection occur?
[Note: here I'm referring to past, present, or future]

One sentence only - first impulse

recollections occur now, or I guess from your multiple choice ... recollections occur in the present.

-Mark

[Paulo]

Nice.

Think of what you will have for lunch tomorrow.

What will it be - sandwich? bagel? fruit? where will it be - inside, outside. Imagine the scene.

While you are imagining that tell me when does that thought occur?

One word only (you're on a word diet today, haha).

Paulo :-)

[Tak]

Nice.
Think of what you will have for lunch tomorrow.
What will it be - sandwich? bagel? fruit? where will it be - inside, outside. Imagine the scene.

While you are imagining that tell me when does that thought occur?

One word only (you're on a word diet today, haha).

present!

[Paulo]

Perfect Mark. Isn't that refreshing, life isn't complicated, and one word can describe it all.

Is there ANYTHING at all, whatsoever, in any shape or form, outside the present?

[Look and answer from direct experience only. Keep focused and just write the first answer that presents itself, and then stop and press the submit button].

Paulo :-)

[Tak]

no, everything that happens, happens in the present.

[Paulo]

no, everything that happens, happens in the present.

Great Mark,

Before we move on with that understanding, I just wanted to check how you feel about this, or if you had any comments, or anything else you would like to share at this point?

[Just remember you're on a 'word diet', hehe]

With love, Paulo :-)

[Tak]

Just remember you're on a 'word diet', hehe

word diet! best concept ever.

Great Mark,
Before we move on with that understanding, I just wanted to check how you feel about this, or if you had any comments, or anything else you would like to share at this point?

i limit my sharing to:

• my first impression was to answer from my head/without looking. eg: I 'know' everything happens in the present, so I could have answered immediately, but i felt that was cheating. I took some time to run thru some experiences during my morning routine, then engaged my rememberance and simulation engine and tried to think of things outside that understanding. couldnt do it.
• i have what i refer to as my edge/creepy/potential/cracked feeling. Things seem a little weird. Sometimes this feeling persists for a few days (usually on vacation where im not so routine bound), but gets shelved. I'm hoping to stoke this kindled embers feeling and see where it goes. There's "pre-fear" here though.
• i find myself resisting the urge to go back and re-write this to remove 'I' and 'my' so I "sound" better. goofy.

-Mark

[Paulo]

Thanks for sharing Mark,

my first impression was to answer from my head/without looking. eg: I 'know' everything happens in the present, so I could have answered immediately, but i felt that was cheating.

That's a habitual reaction from the past and will fade in time. Just remember to keep your focus on what is real (i.e. the moment), and you will be perfectly fine.

I'm hoping to stoke this kindled embers feeling and see where it goes.

Can you see this is an expectation. Leave it to the side for now, we're only interested in what IS.

We will continue working on focus just for now, and here's a nice excercise which will help you along -

BEFORE carrying out the next few excercises take a moment to focus on what IS. Choose something you know to be real (sound of heart beating or sound of breathing are excellant as they will always be there) and focus on it. Let any thoughts, feelings, or sensations that arise to just be there and fade away as they will. If you find yourself being drawn INTO thought just return to your chosen sound without judgement. When you feel you are in the moment then carry out the suggested excercises.

[Don't spend any more than 60 secs on this, no need to find a 'special' place to carry it out either. Any time, any place will do]

If you still have that pic from childhood take it out and look at it.

Tell me what you see.

[The phrasing may sound cryptic, but be literal here - just look and tell me what you see - Takes less then a second to complete - Boom! see it, write it.]

Paulo :-)

[Tak]

I see a picture of baby sitting on the floor playing with some pots and pans.

- mark