The Gate

remember when we talked about this seeing not being a one time only all in event?

What now? Whenever it seems like a self is present, like whenever a man in a santa suit appears in the shopping mall, simply look for it again (the real santa), and fail to find it.

We also have FB groups and forums on this site for further exploration and dialogue.

When I stop and look, I see there is no me, yet I continue acting as though I am a separate self.

Navigating day to day life, social interactions etc would be pretty tricky if you didn't right?

The key question is, is it clear that you could say Bob is a persona, a costume, a character like batman, not a real entity?

but there is an ongoing background recognition that there is no separate self.

Ever heard that Who song 'won't get fooled again'. Well sorry, probably will. But once it's clear how to see through the illusion, then the spell can fall apart again more easily.

Quote function doesn't work with my iPad.
The key question is, is it clear that you could say Bob is a persona, a costume, a character like batman, not a real entity?
Yes.

Ever heard that Who song 'won't get fooled again'. Well sorry, probably will. But once it's clear how to see through the illusion, then the spell can fall apart again more easily.
So, does it all get clearer and more stable over time?

Thanks again for your guidance.

That question is based on 2 massive assumptions that I will point to again...

when and where is the only 'place' that looking can happen?

Is there an entity doing and/ or in control of the looking/seeing?

Damn! OK, now and no one.

LOL! There you go :)

Just to tie up loose ends, a guide asked regarding your previous replies and I think it might be interesting to answer these in this wording:

What is the difference between seeing through Santa and seeing through the illusion of the self?

Is there a need for doing something more, that this is not enough?
Is there a seeking for something better?

Is there a seeker?

Well Hannah, I am just discovering a whole slew of hidden expectations that I got from 'The Gate' and from 'Enlightening Quotes.' For example, from the Gate: 'Once this is seen, it can never be unseen.' and 'no thought or feeling can ever consume you again.' Or 'Now I can sit and just be without getting sucked into the storyland.' 'no more tension and constant need to get somewhere...thoughts about time no longer feels like pressure...mind no longer creates future scenarios..all thoughts about what someone else will think, if I do not deliver, are gone too.' 'No more expectations, no more fear that they won't be met, no more resistance to what is here now.' And from EQ: 'there is no longer the possibility of being hooked into the story that the "me" thought is real...there is peace and freedom.' 'Meeting everything that comes up with openness and with no resistance makes the whole experience of life a joyful ride.'

At least so far, this is not my experience, so then I wonder if I'm missing something.

Just got your previous message:

What is the difference between seeing through Santa and seeing through the illusion of the self?
There are not so many subsidiary beliefs, thoughts and memories supporting the belief in Santa as there are of a Self.

Is there a need for doing something more, that this is not enough?
Is there a seeking for something better?
The mind is still looking for some 'pop' as EQ suggests, or some of the qualities from LU I mentioned above, yet if I look I see that there is just this. Simply wishing (another expectation) that the mind would just quit with the hopes and expectations.

Thanks for pointing those out, I will take that back to the community for review.

There are not so many subsidiary beliefs, thoughts and memories supporting the belief in Santa as there are of a Self.

How many thoughts are appearing right now?

yet if I look I see that there is just this.

Exactly.
Thoughts can say anything at all. Expectation thoughts droning on continuously like ticker tape.....
Does it matter?

Simply wishing (another expectation) that the mind would just quit with the hopes and expectations.

This here looks simply like a thought saying 'i wish these thoughts would stop saying x.y.z'.
Can it be seen how silly that is?
Can a thought control another thought?

This video uses a slightly different way of communicating, but also seems very pertinent to what we are discussing: see what response comes up to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS6Jfrj ... e=youtu.be

And this blog post from Ilona on 'recognition' might bring some more clarity to the whole 'once seen never unseen' comment.

http://markedeternal.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... n.html?m=1


x

how's it going?

Visiting friends in California and didn't get to read or see video. Good conversations here though on related topics including Sam Harris' work. Today looks like another full one but will try and take some time to follow up. Thanks, Bob.

If you could just respond to my questions 3 posts up that would be really helpful for the other guides. Thanks.

How many thoughts are appearing right now?
When I look for thoughts, I can't find any, but they seem to appear one at a time when I'm not looking for them.

Does it matter?
Only to the extent that these expectations distract me from what else is occurring now.

Is it silly? Yes.
Can a thought control another thought? No.

Joey's video was excellent and clear.

I found Ilona's post to fill me with more expectations: There has been no aha moment, no moment of recognition, no end to seeking.

"Recognition is a moment when we know that we know." This has not occurred.

There is really no difference for me from when we started. I understand and have long understood that there is no me. I am not sure whether this understanding is the same as seeing or recognizing it, but there really seems to be no change, no end to the seeking, no real difference from before. I do not experience any new freedom. Things are ok, but no shift in how I perceive life.

And then, of course, I look back over what I've just written and see that it is all just a bunch of thoughts. And who is it that is unable to see through the illusion of self???

Lol! Nice looking there- let's just follow that up-

Another guide asks the following:

Is there any connection between 'I' and thoughts?

Is a thought real?

Is the content of the thought real?

What is the difference between an appearing thought and its content?

Lol! Nice looking there- let's just follow that up-

Another guide asks the following:

Is there any connection between 'I' and thoughts? Only that "I" itself appears to be a thought.

Is a thought real? No.

Is the content of the thought real? No.

What is the difference between an appearing thought and its content?

. Nothing.