Would love a Guide to help me see the Truth

[Julia]

Hi John,

Thanks for your message, hope all is going well with you.

I've been looking at the emotion of love and where it can be felt in the body. When i was looking i'm sure it felt very warm around the upper stomach area, as if resonating with my feelings. I've also been exploring the thoughts of "I". Where or what is this "I or me"? I don't know, can't see it or touch it, yet still have thoughts separate from the monkey chatter. "MySELF" where is this energy form? Yes, i'm sure it is really simple.

Regards,
Julia

[sqnhoj]

Julia,

Hi. Love seems to be one of the more complex emotions. The basic question is Who (or what) loves? Who/what is happy? Who/what is afraid? Who/what is angry? I don't want a discussion or an answer from conceptual thought. Look for this entity. It's either there or not.

I've also been exploring the thoughts of "I". Where or what is this "I or me"? I don't know, can't see it or touch it, yet still have thoughts separate from the monkey chatter. "MySELF" where is this energy form?

What are these "thoughts separate from the monkey chatter"? Of course, "monkey chatter" is a label. How about "thinking is thinking," no distinction? If you pay close attention, the content gets more distinct and dominating. If you let it be, well..."my" experience is that it gets less distinct. What's yours? Again, please answer from direct experience, not conceptual thought.

Time for a little experiment...and it will require you to set aside some time. Get some paper and a pen or pencil. Take about 10 minutes and write down everything you notice, and describe it the way you normally would. Don't filter anything...just write. (You can filter your list before you share it with me, of course, if you want to.) Try to capture as much of your direct sensory experience as you can. Minimal thought, and NO COMMENTARY. Just directly, briefly describe what is experienced in sensation. If you have a lengthy list after five minutes, you can stop then, but I strongly suggest at least 10 minutes.

Next step, take the same amount of time and describe your sensory experience in a written list, and keep the items brief but descriptive. This time do NOT use any form of the word I, me, my, mine, etc. Don't filter your working list...except for the restriction about any mention of yourself. Try to capture as many aspects of your direct experience as possible. For example, your first list might include this item: "I hear cars honking on the street." On the second list, it might read, "hearing cars honking."

Take both lists and share with me in your next post as much as you are comfortable sharing. That's the main assignment, but don't ignore the initial couple of questions at the beginning of the post.

Thanks,

John

[Julia]

Hi John,

Thanks for the experiment. Will do this tomorrow. Time running out today. Getting things done here befor the big freeze hits us.

Regards,
Julia.

[sqnhoj]

Julia,

Thanks for the note and for checking in. Yes, the experiment calls for you to set aside some time. Meanwhile, there is always opportunity to look for the self. No special conditions are required. No calm or solitude is required. Just keep looking for the self in the midst of all the happenings, many or few, calm or hectic. Every moment is an opportunity. If a self is honestly found, let me know.

Take care,

John

[Julia]

Hi John,

Okay, will keep looking and trying to get the head around it.

Have done the 10 minute exercise, and will type it out tomorrow for you. Run out of time today.

Regards,
Julia

[sqnhoj]

Hi Julia,

Okay, will keep looking and trying to get the head around it.

That's exactly what we are NOT looking for. Don't try to understand it...just look.

Since you brought it up, why don't you look at (or for) your head/face without the aid of a mirror. Look at your feet, legs, trunk area, and keep moving your vision upwards. What happens, and what do you see? What don't you see? Look for the self in just the same way. Is it there? Is it anywhere? Tell me if you can see, hear, touch, smell, taste it. If none of those, is there some resistance to concluding that there is no self?

Thanks,

John

[Julia]

Hi John,

Have written out the 2nd list and other pieces (is that spelt right)? Just had a phone call from my sister so this time spot has now gone! Will type out the experiment tomorrow.

Regards,
Julia

[sqnhoj]

Julia,

Understand the time limitations. Meanwhile, are you still looking? That's much more important than spelling.

Thanks,

John

[Julia]

Hi John,

Yes, have been looking. Have been looking and searching for "I, me, myself" overnight. John, the feelings were that there is only the body, no self, if there is a self it is the body and all of its systems. What about that? It's about being in the here and now, using all the senses.

Here's the experiment, 2nd edition, as promised:
Hear the computer's fan humming. Can hear a car passing by on the wet road. Feeling the cat's soft fur as he chews loudly on some paper on the desk. Can hear and feel the soft purring of his body. Have a feeling of warmth and affection flowing between us here. There is hot water flowing through the central heating radiator, warming all of the room. The neck had a momentary sensation of an ache at the base of the skull, then gone. Hands are feeling cold suddenly. Looking outside, sunset is happening, starting to get dark. The big left toe ached for a moment then nothing. Just looked at a picture of a loved-one. Can feel a smile covering the face.

You say, "who or what is love" etc.
Can't see or touch any entity. Only the body is here, feeling this, typing this. Is there nothing else, just the body and all of it's senses.

Regards,
Julia

[sqnhoj]

Hi Julia,

First, let me tackle the exercise. Congratulations on leaving out the first person pronouns. If you compare that version with the first version, which seems more true?

Even so, when you read that second version, can you see a lot of labels? If you were reporting raw experience, you could strip it down a lot more. (I'm not asking you to do that!) For example, the "feeling of warmth and affection" while stroking your cat is probably more of an emotion than a sense. (Nothing wrong with emotion, of course.)

Just looked at a picture of a loved-one. Can feel a smile covering the face.

Can you see how you went beyond raw experience. The smile is a label for your sensation. The face is a label for something that is COMPLETELY invisible to you. Actually, reporting raw experience is tricky, because at some point we are forced to use conceptual labels. You used a lot.

So again, the question: compare this version to the first one, and which one feels more true? If you were to strip this down to bare sensation, would that version feel more true. Does what we see, touch, hear, etc. seem more real than our thoughts, if we really pay attention? I'm not talking about the physical objects; i'm talking about the bare sensations.

Yes, have been looking. Have been looking and searching for "I, me, myself" overnight. John, the feelings were that there is only the body, no self, if there is a self it is the body and all of its systems. What about that? It's about being in the here and now, using all the senses.

I would turn the "what about that" question back on you. I know my answer, and you probably know my answer. What matters is what is your answer.

The body is real. Wouldn't deny that. But the body does not need a self, does it? Take whatever you want to call a self, and dissect it. Break it down and investigate completely? Is there anything other than what the five senses offer and thoughts and emotions? Anything at all?

Can't see or touch any entity. Only the body is here, feeling this, typing this. Is there nothing else, just the body and all of it's senses.

Like it, but with one question/quibble. Why do you say the body and its senses? Does the body possess sensations?

Keep looking and tell me what you see. Try to answer these questions above using your direct experience rather than conceptualizing.

Thanks for hanging in there.

John

[Julia]

Hi John,

Thanks for the feedback. Have taken a copy to look at later, when it's quiet. Will get back to you on Sunday, tomorrow is too busy, okay. Hope you have a good weekend.

Will keep looking.

Regards,
Julia

[sqnhoj]

Julia,

Thanks for letting me know. I'll look forward to hearing from you on Sunday.

John

[Julia]

Hi John,

No time today, will get back tomorrow, Monday.

Regards
Julia

[sqnhoj]

Julia,

Okay. Thanks for the note. Please keep looking. It can still lead you to see clearly.

Oh, and word of warning. I may need a short pass when Thanksgiving comes. I'll be in a big family get-together. Although I'll have some connectivity, not sure how much time. I can check in, but may not have time to give it the most attention.

Thanks,

John

[Julia]

Hi John,

Are you giving up on "me" even though there is no "me"? Am going down your email, para by para okay.

The exercise: The second edition leaves out all the "I, me stuff", which is just a label. I, Julia = label, and feels more true to what was experienced. Okay, can be broken down to more basic stuff.

Raw experience: What's the problem with emotions? The face of this body is not invisible to me, can see it in a mirror and see the hand touch it, feel the sensation of touching it. Okay, a lot of conceptual labels were used. That was then, have explored more since that exercise. John, what is a bare sensation, please give an example?

"Is there anything other than what the 5 senses offer".
There is only the body, no entity, no self, no separate me. For many years have thought there was a separate entity from the body, the spirit. Just cannot find it anywhere. The body is complete in itself. Wow, what a wonderful creation! This body has experienced many times the intuitive, visionary sixth sense, however, you're not familiar with this sense from a previous email. Does this apply to all the Guides?

"One quibble, the body and its senses". Yes, the five senses, plus the sixth. Yes, this body does experience sensations.

Raw experience rather than conceptualising. Can you give an example perhaps.

Long-held beliefs are being challenged all the time now. It is like a wall that is being dismantled piece by piece.

Julia.