The Gate

Great!

Here are the final six questions ... please answer them as you always did
during this dialogue; LOOK, feel, and answer only when you're 100% sure - no speculations. :)


1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?


2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.


3) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.


4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?


5) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control. What makes things happen? How does it work? What are you responsible for? Give examples from experience.


6) Anything to add?


Peace,

Bananafish

1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

No, not in any shape of form, other than thought. I don't know if there ever was since all I can observe is 'now'.

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

It's a bunch of thoughts which give the impression of a 'me/do-er' and an 'everything else'. The illusion takes hold when thoughts are mistaken for real experience and start to build on each other.

3) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

Pretty much the same, but there is a growing awareness that the "I" is an illusion. When the truth is seen it's like there is an automatic letting go and acceptance.

4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?

The realisation that I wasn't acutually looking, but thinking about looking!

5) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control. What makes things happen? How does it work? What are you responsible for? Give examples from experience.

Decision, intention, free will, choice and control are all thoughts which say that the separate self is in control of things. It isn't.

Nothing can be directly seen to make anything happen, it all happens automatically as part of the the 'system', where everything is interacting.

I am not responsible for anything, since "I" don't exist. Responsibility is a thought pattern, which is in turn part of the 'system' of things working.

Example: I try to control something and get frustrated. Then realise there is nothing I can do, and stop. Later I try again and it works, and I think "yay I did it". Then realise there was no "I" that had a part in the success - everything played out exactly as it should on it's own, just with lots of thoughts about "I".

6) Anything to add?

Thanks for all your time. Bringing these realisations into 'normal' life seems like the big challenge now.

Oliver

Greetings, Oliver. :)

Thanks for your answers.

I'll have my peer guides take a look at our thread and ask if they have any questions.


Please wait for a while.

Bananafish

Hi Oliver!

Other guides don't have any questions to ask.
Congrats on your successful journey, Oliver!

I will send you a private message, so please take a look at it.

It was my pleasure to be your guide ...

Thank you.


Bananafish