Guide, do you want to get to know me?

[enlamancha]

Think of a car. Share your experience of what happens when you think of the above in as much detail as you can

I closed my eyes and it appeared, actually it was my first car, but nanosecond earlier, it was my actual car, until for some reason I went to my first car, I remembered it was red, the make, and then opened my eyes.

How did the thought arrive? Was there a Alonso there choosing the particular car that appeared in thought, it's colour, size, etc?

It just came, no there wasn’t Alonso, me or anybody, it just appeared, maybe as a memory from the past.

How did that particular car appear from all the possible cars that could have appeared?

In this case, I guess because I had a connection or the memory of it, but yeah any other car could have appeared without an I thinking about it, it is instantaneous.

I am going to read all we have written so far.

Have a good day yourself.

Tks.

Alonso.

[deezer]

Hi Alonso,

good posting.

It just came, no there wasn’t Alonso, me or anybody, it just appeared, ...

Before you said it just popped up. That's perfect, the first thought that comes into awareness is what we're looking at here. That's direct experience, it's right here, right now.
Anything after that is 'thinking about' what happened, and is just a thought, an illusion. Remember, thoughts are real, they are experienced, but the content of thought is not real.

...maybe as a memory from the past.

Here you are starting to go away from DE as you are trying to explain or conceptualize it.

Let's do another exercise:

Think of any double digit number. How did this number appear? Was there 'Alonso' choosing the number? Was it a memory or did it appear spontaneously? Why was it that number and not the number before or after?

Next time there is a choice to be made, for example, a choice between tea and coffee, left or right when walking down the street, take a closer look at what's happening. Try to pinpoint the very moment the choice is made.

Is there really a 'Alonso' there making that choice, or is there just an experience that's later labelled as a choice made by 'Alonso''?

Looking forward to hearing your answers,

d

[enlamancha]

Good morning D,

Think of any double digit number. How did this number appear? Was there 'Alonso' choosing the number? Was it a memory or did it appear spontaneously? Why was it that number and not the number before or after?

It appeared spontaneously. Although the number I tought, was t 77 the year I was born, so I wonder if it was like a reflex or memory but at the same time I could have thought about my age number, it wasn't me deciding, according to what we are talking, the first number that appeared was 77, and that is DE, anything else are just thoughts.

Next time there is a choice to be made, for example, a choice between tea and coffee, left or right when walking down the street, take a closer look at what's happening. Try to pinpoint the very moment the choice is made.

I will be concious about this, now when I walk, even thou the movements are automatic, it is my brain that decides going left or right.

Is there really a 'Alonso' there making that choice, or is there just an experience that's later labelled as a choice made by 'Alonso''?

The experience of life in general I think is labeled by "Alonso", but aren´t decisions made by the brain, I understand the I is in fact an invention, but still feel stuck, thinking that its not "me" who makes them, if my brain or the ficitional I doesnt decide to move, I don´t move.

Remember, thoughts are real, they are experienced, but the content of thought is not real.

Can the content of a thought never real? I´m confused.

Will drink coffee!

Have a good day.

Alonso.

[deezer]

Hi Alonso,

How's it going?

Can the content of a thought never real? I´m confused.

Just answer your own question from DE. Is your confusion just another chain of thoughts?

Think of any double digit number. How did this number appear? Was there 'Alonso' choosing the number? Was it a memory or did it appear spontaneously? Why was it that number and not the number before or after?

It appeared spontaneously. Although the number I tought, was t 77 the year I was born, so I wonder if it was like a reflex or memory but at the same time I could have thought about my age number, it wasn't me deciding, according to what we are talking, the first number that appeared was 77, and that is DE, anything else are just thoughts.

Exactly, Just look at the DE. Afterwards your thinking will try to label everything because that is the habit, but we are looking through the habit now.
Just to be sure repeat this exercise. Think of a different double digit, and again, eventually you stop having 'reasons' that may have influenced your choice.

Next time there is a choice to be made, for example, a choice between tea and coffee, left or right when walking down the street, take a closer look at what's happening. Try to pinpoint the very moment the choice is made.

I will be concious about this, now when I walk, even thou the movements are automatic, it is my brain that decides going left or right.

Tell me more about this brain. Describe it to me. How does it feel? How do you experience your brain?


Look at the words in the list below. As soon as you read them write whatever come to mind beside them - that should be fun! I've completed the first one for you as an example. When you have finished ask -

Was there really a 'Alonso' or a 'brain' there deciding on the associated words?

Banana - Monkey
Table -
Lady -
Corner -
Flagpole -
Paper -
Lamp -
Newspaper -
Murder -
Handle -
Animal -

Look at this throughout the day. What role does your environment have on the decisions made?

Remember the answers are in DE only.

Have a good day, and thank you for your good effort,

d

[deezer]

Hi Alonso,

I hope all is well. Try to keep posting everyday as it keeps the momentum up.

Thanks,

d

[enlamancha]

Hi D,

I Hope you are having a good day, last night my mother and brother got in town to visit for two weeks. Sorry for getting back to you until today, but do know that I think and talk about our conversations, and now even more with my brother, who was the one that pointed me to this site, and who has a clearer visión of this.

Just answer your own question from DE. Is your confusion just another chain of thoughts?

Yes, it is.

Think of a different double digit, and again, eventually you stop having 'reasons' that may have influenced your choice.

True, no excuses, on why did I pick certain number, after a while, numbers appear in a random manner, one after the other.

Tell me more about this brain. Describe it to me. How does it feel? How do you experience your brain?

I can´t describe it or feel it, it´s just a mechanism, that executes, or so I´ve been told or conditioned to think that the brain is the one that “thinks”

Look at the words in the list below. As soon as you read them write whatever come to mind beside them - that should be fun! I've completed the first one for you as an example. When you have finished ask -

Banana - Monkey
Table - Dinner
Lady - Hello
Corner - Bench
Flagpole - Tall
Paper -Letter
Lamp - Light
Newspaper - Information
Murder – Why?
Handle - Pull
Animal – Love

Was there really a 'Alonso' or a 'brain' there deciding on the associated words?

I think the brain is the one in charge of looking for the associations, or they just appear.

Look at this throughout the day. What role does your environment have on the decisions made?

I think the enviroment shapes you as well as your decisions, not really sure, if this is what you mean.

Thinking today about the non existence of I, or me. I can understand that in fact is an invention, but even if it is, the joy, suffering, stress, is still felt by “me” I am the one experiencing, even with DE, I am the one that goes through the roller coaster.[/quote]

Thank you,

Talk to you soon.

Alonso.

[deezer]

Hi Alonso,

Tell me more about this brain. Describe it to me. How does it feel? How do you experience your brain?

I can´t describe it or feel it, it´s just a mechanism, that executes, or so I´ve been told or conditioned to think that the brain is the one that “thinks”

We are not here to discuss what you have been told or conditioned to think. We are here to discuss what you see when you look at Direct Experience.
You missed the biggest question here: How do you experience your brain?
Please don't cut corners here. I want fine details.

I think the brain is the one in charge of looking for the associations, or they just appear.

Which is it?
Get off the fence and LOOK, tell me what you SEE
If you start a sentance with 'I think' then stop, look and start again because you haven't looked enough.

Look at this throughout the day. What role does your environment have on the decisions made?

I think the enviroment shapes you as well as your decisions, not really sure, if this is what you mean.

Look again. For example if I tell you to think of something, are you making the decision to do it or are you reacting the words you read on the screen?

Thinking today about the non existence of I, or me. I can understand that in fact is an invention, but even if it is, the joy, suffering, stress, is still felt by “me” I am the one experiencing, even with DE, I am the one that goes through the roller coaster.

Slow down Alonso. Come back to DE. With this guiding experience you will SEE that there is no separate 'I' or entity. Answer the questions until you have SEEN answer.
It is all about looking now, not thinking.

Go back through the above and dig deeper.

Thanks,

d

[enlamancha]

Hi D,

I didn´t want the night to pass without writing.

I am with an inmese work load. I apologize for my delay.

I will log on tomorrow and right where we left off.

Thank you for understanding.

Alonso.

[deezer]

Hi Alonso,

That is fine. Thank you very much for letting me know.

Work comes first. :-)

d

[enlamancha]

Good morning D,

I hope you are having a good day.

How do you experience your brain?

I can´t experience it through DE. Can´t see it, touch it, feel it, in the end it´s a conditioned thought.

I think the brain is the one in charge of looking for the associations, or they just appear.

Which is it? Get off the fence and LOOK, tell me what you SEE.

They just appear, like the exercise we did with the car and the numbers.

if I tell you to think of something, are you making the decision to do it or are you reacting the words you read on the screen?

I´m reacting to the words in the screen.

Talk to you later.

Tks!

Alonso.

[deezer]

Hi Alonso,

Very good. Now for something a bit more fun.

This exercise explores how the mind mistakes the character called 'I' in imagination for something real, and takes steps to protect it from imagined danger.

Step 1: Stand in a room where you have some quiet and some space
Step 2: Close your eyes and imagine as vividly as you can that you are standing on a beautiful warm sandy beach. See the clear blue sky overhead, hear the waves gently breaking on the shore. Look down and see your feet there in the sand, wiggle your toes and feel the soft sand move. (Again, engage as many of the senses as possible)
Step 3: In your imagination walk to the edge of the water. See the waves coming gently up and onto the sand and then receding.
Step 4: In your imagination walk into the water. Keep walking until the water gets up to your waist, feel the coolness of the water on your body. Keep walking once again into deeper and deeper waters. Continue walking until you are completely covered in water and carry on deeper and deeper still, walking on the ocean floor.

Observe how the body reacts, observe how the imaginary character acts when the water is getting deeper. Did you manage to get submerged and stay submerged?

Try that exercise again until you can successfully remain submerged.

Once more, the laws of physics don't apply to the imagination - why do you think people find it so difficult to walk into the water completely?

Let me know how that goes for you,

d

[enlamancha]

Hi D,

I will find the time later today to be in that space and do it, I was trying to do it now, that I am siting down in my office, but maybe for better results I need to be in a quiet place.

Talk to you later.

Thank you.

Alonso.

[enlamancha]

Hi D,

How are you?

I hope you had a good day.

I did the exercise.

Did you manage to get submerged and stay submerged?

I did it was like a back and forward, until I remained submerged.

Why do you think people find it so difficult to walk into the water completely?

Because laws of physics come into play, either we want them or not, after getting in, the body starts to float.


Talk to you soon!

Thank you.

Alonso.

[deezer]

Hi Alonso,

Why do you think people find it so difficult to walk into the water completely?

Because laws of physics come into play, either we want them or not, after getting in, the body starts to float.

Did you physically submerge yourself in water?

If not then how did the laws of physics come into play?

Why did your IMAGINARY body start to float?

D

[enlamancha]

How's it going D?

Did you physically submerge yourself in water?

No.

If not then how did the laws of physics come into play?

Why did your IMAGINARY body start to float?

A conditioned thought, on “that is what happens when you get into the water”

Have a good Saturday.

Best,

Alonso.