The Gate

Hi Robyn,

Good! Curious - what sensation?

A tickle in my chest.

There's a subtle glitch here -- is it eternal or is it now? Hint: does 'eternal' exist in DE?

Aha, got it, it's now. Eternal is a thought.

Is this known in DE or a thought story?

Busted. It's a thought story. Anything beyond "now" is a thought story.

Given that it's always now, is there any such thing as forever?

Wow. No, forever is a thought. There is only now.

You're doing great!

Thanks! I really appreciate all of your help.

Cliff

Hi, Cliff,

Aha, got it, it's now. Eternal is a thought.

Beautiful!

Cliff, here's an exercise on a related topic -- 'memory.'

Almost everybody believes that a memory thought is referring to something that has happened - that a memory thought is a different thought from a non-memory thought.

Please don’t go to thought explanations, but just let a memory be there, and look at it. Look at what is actually going on and not what thoughts say - but what actually is.

What is memory exactly?
What is the memory ‘made of’?
WHEN does the memory appear?

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘memory’ thought?
How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘memory’ thought refers to something that has happened?

Then, look at a thought about the future.
What is the future thought ‘made of’?
WHEN does the future thought appear?
What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘future’ thought?
How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘future’ thought refers to something that will happen?

Then let’s compare a thought about past and a thought about the future.
What is the EXACT difference between the thoughts about past and future?
If there is difference and how is that difference is known exactly?

I really appreciate all of your help.

You're welcome and thank you! I got a ton from doing this.

Sending love,

Robyn

Hi Robyn,

Happy Saturday! Hope you are enjoying the weekend.

What is memory exactly? What is the memory 'made of'?

Memory is a thought. It's 'made of' thought.

WHEN does the memory appear?

The memory appears now. In the present moment.

What is the exact difference between a 'general' thought and a 'memory' thought?

The labeling. A 'memory' thought is labeled a memory. But it is still just a thought.

How is it known EXACTLY that a 'memory' thought refers to something that has happened?

I don't know if it is known EXACTLY. There is a thought of something and then another thought that labels the previous thought as a memory.

What is a future thought 'made of'?

It's 'made of' thought. Seems Iike a trick question ;)

When does the future thought appear?

It appears now. In the present moment.

What is the exact difference between a 'general thought' and a 'future' thought?

A future thought is accompanied by another thought that labels it a 'future' thought.

How is it known EXACTLY that a 'future' thought refers to something that will happen?

It is know to be a 'future' thought because there is another thought that says the other thought is about the future.

What is the EXACT difference between thoughts about past and future? If there is a difference and how is that difference is known exactly?

The difference is that one set of thoughts is labeled as past by another thought and one labeled as future. The difference is conceptual, i.e. It's created in thought.

On a side note, I was exercising today and at the end of my work out, a whole stream of thoughts arose that had nothing to do with what I was doing at the moment. It really drove home the fact that I don't control my thoughts. There is no way that I could have predicted those thoughts or intended for them to occur.

Thanks again!

Cliff

Hi, Cliff,

Well done, Cliff!

It really drove home the fact that I don't control my thoughts.

That's great! Thanks for sharing that.

Let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. If not, I will send you some final questions to answer. If i have no questions about them, I will ask some of the other guides to read your answers and see if they suggest any questions for you to look at. The aim is to make sure that you're solidly 'through the Gate,' and can move forward with ease. 

When that's done, you'll be added to some facebook groups that are especially for people who have 'gated.'

You're more than welcome. It's a pleasure!

Sending love,

Robyn

Hi Robyn,

I don't have any questions right now. My only concern is that I don't "feel" any different. I'm sure my expectations are getting in the way here. I see that "I" don't exist except as a thought and that I'm not in control of my thoughts, but that doesn't seem to have the earth-shattering, game changing effect that I was hoping it would. That makes me wonder if I'm not really "seeing it."

Ah, wait, I do have a question. A few posts back, you said:

Our conversation will not be an intellectual one, Cliff, but not one about feeling it in your bones, either. More on that soon.

Can you explain what you meant by that, the "not one abut feeling it in your bones, either" part? Sorry if you did and it went over my head.

Cliff

Hi, Cliff,

Thanks for your message.

I'm sure my expectations are getting in the way here. I see that "I" don't exist except as a thought and that I'm not in control of my thoughts, but that doesn't seem to have the earth-shattering, game changing effect that I was hoping it would. That makes me wonder if I'm not really "seeing it."

Yeah, this is the pitfall with expectations. 😉Expectations consist of what, in DE? In fact, what is all of what's quoted above consist of? Is it DE or thought content?

My only concern is that I don't "feel" any different.

Cliff, there have been many "aha" moments along the way. Has there been any shift, however subtle, in the experience of daily life?

Our conversation will not be an intellectual one, Cliff, but not one about feeling it in your bones, either. More on that soon.

Can you explain what you meant by that, the "not one abut feeling it in your bones, either" part? Sorry if you did and it went over my head.

Sure! Seeing through the illusion has nothing to do with any particular feeling or intuition - it's a matter of discovering through a practical investigative process (DE) that allows for seeing what is and isn't real. I hope this helps.

Sending love,

Robyn

Hi Robyn,

Expectations consist of what, in DE? In fact, what is all of what's quoted above consist of? Is it DE or thought content?

It's all thought content.

Cliff, there have been many "aha" moments along the way. Has there been any shift, however subtle, in the experience of daily life?

True, there have been "aha" moments and I'm grateful for those. Still, I don't detect a shift in the experience of daily life. Perhaps it is too subtle for me to notice?

Seeing through the illusion has nothing to do with any particular feeling or intuition - it's a matter of discovering through a practical investigative process (DE) that allows for seeing what is and isn't real. I hope this helps.

That does help. I guess I'm waiting for a shift in experience that is perhaps less subtle than what is happening. I recognize that "I" is a thought but if you held a gun to my head, I'd tell you that I still identify as a separate individual, even though that identification is recognized as a thought. That's why I'm reluctant to move to the final questions. It's like part of me see it and another part doesn't. Perhaps I'm not looking closely or deeply enough?

Cliff

Hi, Cliff,

I still identify as a separate individual, even though that identification is recognized as a thought.

In the Santa Claus analogy, there is still the man in the red suit.

Perhaps it is too subtle for me to notice?

When I first gated, there was a very noticable shift, albeit rather subtle.

Crossing the gate is the beginning. It's the seeing. It deepens over time.

It's like part of me see it and another part doesn't.

Can you tell me what this is like? Is there anything called I in DE? Is there a thought that there is something real outside of DE? When you look for I, what do you find?

Sending love,

Robyn

Hi Robyn,

Thanks for the reply!

It's like part of me see it and another part doesn't.

Can you tell me what this is like?

When I look I can see that "I" is a thought. But there is a habit of taking the "I" thought seriously so that it seems to me that there is actually an "I." Things are taken personally.

Is there anything called I in DE?

There is a thought and story of "I." There is a sense of being and awareness that is labeled "I" as well.

Is there a thought that there is something real outside of DE?

There is a thought that thoughts have a reality to them, which is hard for me to dispel. Habitual thinking? Brainwashing? Also, the content of thought is so vivid that it's hard not to be affected.

When you look for I, what do you find?

There is a quality that is hard for me to define except to use terms that I've read previously, in that there is an awareness and a sense of being. Those thoughts are attached to the "I" thought. So I find thoughts, but no real "I."

Am I going in circles now?

Hi, Cliff,

Thanks for the message! It's clear where 'you' are. 🙂

Cliff, there is a collapsing of thought content and DE going on -- as if the thoughts are saying that the man in the red Santa suit should wear a sign that reads, "Not Really Santa." 😉

Here's an exercise that may be helpful:

Get a sheet of paper and draw a line that divides that sheet in half. Label one half 'self' and the other side 'other'.  Sit down and start a timer for 5 minutes. Every time you have a thought make a mark on the sheet. If that thought is about the self put a mark on the self side, if it’s about something else, mark the other side. If a thought about food occurs due to feeling hungry, mark that on the self side. Any thought that refers back to a self should go on the self side. (I'm bored, I'm tired, is the door locked (my safety) that video was funny (I was amused), my back hurts, I am frightened) get it?

Let me know how it goes.

Sending love,

Robyn

Hi Robyn,

It's clear where 'you' are. 🙂

Yay! I have faith :)

Cliff, there is a collapsing of thought content and DE going on -- as if the thoughts are saying that the man in the red Santa suit should wear a sign that reads, "Not Really Santa." 😉

That sounds about right.

Here's an exercise that may be helpful:

Get a sheet of paper and draw a line that divides that sheet in half. Label one half 'self' and the other side 'other'. Sit down and start a timer for 5 minutes. Every time you have a thought make a mark on the sheet. If that thought is about the self put a mark on the self side, if it’s about something else, mark the other side. If a thought about food occurs due to feeling hungry, mark that on the self side. Any thought that refers back to a self should go on the self side. (I'm bored, I'm tired, is the door locked (my safety) that video was funny (I was amused), my back hurts, I am frightened) get it?

Let me know how it goes.

This turned out to be much harder than I thought it would be. A few false starts - I'm working from home today so finding five uninterrupted minutes was surprisingly more challenging than I expected. Another challenge - defining what a thought actually is. Just mental activity? Do lines from songs that pop into my head, e.g. earworms, count as thoughts? Does noticing the dog barking count as a thought? I did count hearing the dog bark and then wondering if the dog barking counted as a "self" thought as a "self" thought. And of course, there are flashes of images, sensations and other impressions that pass too quickly to cognize. So the ratio is approximately 16+ self thoughts vs 4 non-self thoughts and those were all earworms. I heard once somewhere that thoughts were the defined as "the voice in your head" and in another place I heard it defined as all mental activity. I'm leaning toward the latter.

Did I mention before that I tend to overthink things? ;)

Cliff

Hi Robyn,

I might not be able to post tomorrow since I will be traveling but I'll be back online either Friday night or Saturday morning. Thanks again for all of your help!

Cliff

Hi, Cliff,

Thank you for your message.

So the ratio is approximately 16+ self thoughts vs 4 non-self thoughts and those were all earworms. I

Great job on the exercise!

Did I mention before that I tend to overthink things?

Cliff, thanks for sharing this - however, I'm not sure it's going to forward the work to keep sharing thought content.

Are there reportable results from doing the exercise?
Is there any greater clarity about the nature of thought content?

No problem on the upcoming pause in posting . and thank you for letting me know.

Sending love,

Robyn

Hi Robyn,

Are there reportable results from doing the exercise?

Not sure what you mean by reportable results. Can you elaborate?

Is there any greater clarity about the nature of thought content?

Most thought content is "I" related. Thoughts that start off being about something other than "I" often getting hijacked. The sound of the dog barking is followed by "I wonder what the dog is barking at?"

Cliff

Hi, Cliff,

Not sure what you mean by reportable results. Can you elaborate?

Sorry about that! I changed terminology mid-stream. I meant, is there anything noteworthy that you got from doing the exercise?

Most thought content is "I" related. Thoughts that start off being about something other than "I" often getting hijacked. The sound of the dog barking is followed by "I wonder what the dog is barking at?"

Well done! So it's not surprising that it's not that easy to break from of the pervasiveness of "I" in thought.

Here's another exercuse to assist with shaking loose the lingering sense of I/self:

Find a comfortable place to sit or lie.
Relax for a few minutes - take calming breaths.

For 30 to 60 seconds each, do these exercises:
Bring your awareness to your entire body - sense it fully, head to toe.
Run your hands down over your torso. Feel the solidity of it.
Now bring your awareness to your feet. Again, feel them. Move them a bit.
Then bring your awareness to your hands. Open and close them.
Bring your awareness to your face - all of it. Touch it with your hand.
Now point your index finger to where the “I/me” is located.
Touch the exact location of "I/me".

Answer these questions:

Were you able to find and feel "I/me" in a direct way like the other parts of your body?
Where is it?
What did you find?
Something? Anything? Nothing?
What sensations did you feel in your body that identified "I/me” (If any.)

Tell me what you experienced and found, by way of Direct Experience.


Sending love,

Robyn