Pointers, pointers, at the wall, who is the most direct of them all?

[Anastacia42]

Hi Michael,

You are thinking and not looking.

All you are doing is thinking about it and coming up with answers. You're not looking. I only care about your answers to show me whether or not you're looking and what you may miss or add in that isn't necessary. I don't care at all what you think about it.. The important part is LOOKING.

Watch this 5 minute 37 second video first, please.

http://www.liberationunleashed.com/reso ... -honesty/

Remember this exercise that we did first...

First exercise, which is also how to approach all exercises:

Coloured Socks

There is a big difference between knowing that there is nothing to give up and seeing that there is nothing to give up.

Here is an example to illustrate the difference:

If I ask you what colour socks you are wearing right now you have two ways to come up with an answer:

• You can have a think about it. You can think back to this morning and try to remember putting your socks on, and you can probably tell me what colour you think they are.

• Alternatively, you can take a quick look at your socks and tell me what colour they actually are!

Hopefully you would agree that you can only be 100% certain by looking.

For the purpose of our dialogue together, it is going to be very important that you are clear about this difference.

Knowing is about knowledge, which is all in the mind and we are not interested in that. We are only interested in looking at and seeing what is actually going on in your present moment-to-moment experience. We are only interested in your Direct Experience in the moment.

****

Reread that as many times as you have to, at least 3 times. You may think you understand. You may think you know it, but your answers are not showing that you understood this. So read it again, please.

Then, in order to get some examples of how other people answer these exercises, please download the free book gateless gatecrashers and read the first three or more. Read at least three chapters about three people who SEE.

http://www.liberationunleashed.com/book ... crashers/


This is clearly very different from anything you've ever done before. So stop trying to compare it and keep it very simple. Just follow the simple instructions.

You can do this.

Warmly,

[NoMeHere]

Hi Stacy,

I have to say, this conversation is become a bit strange. It's like:

"I'm seeing a red light."

"No, you are only thinking you see a red light. Look!"

"But it's really my experience. I'm looking, and it's red."

"You are not doing the exercise. You are thinking. Look!"

I'm kind of the authority when it comes to my experience, no? (Figuratively speaking, yes, there is no "I"...)

I admit that my mind becomes chatty as soon as the hands have a keyboard under it. Bad habit, yes, but I'm still truthfully reporting what I'm actually experiencing.

I read the gatecrasher book in it's entirety before I signed up here. It seems that just reading other people's conversations is easier for me than participating in one.

Keep in mind that I signed up here because I think I realized that there is no self already, but wasn't 100% certain, and was looking for clarity. The current conversation does not contribute to such clarity, therefore I think it's best if we stop here.

Please do not take this personally (again, figuratively speaking). I really appreciate all the work you are doing here and did for me, and you are helping many people to see clearly. It just doesn't seem to work in my case. So thanks again for all your time!

[Anastacia42]

Thank you. I agree, Michael. It isn't doing any good to analyze the exercises without doing them.

Enjoy!

[Anastacia42]

One last thing, if you are interested, you can ask for another guide and I'll let the other guides know you are interested in trying again with someone else.

Just write back if you want to try that. I'll see if anyone is available.

Thanks,

[NoMeHere]

Hi Stacy, yes, I would like to try this.

[Anastacia42]

Okay, I'll let the other guides know and see if someone is available.

~ Stacy

[Anastacia42]

Michael, while you're waiting, and it could be a while, I believe you waited 2 weeks before I replied, I thought I'd show you this exercise.

No need to reply to it.


Have a piece of fruit handy, or something that you like to eat.

For the first couple of minutes imagine you are eating the fruit…..feel the sensations of chewing, the taste, the texture, the fragrance, hear the crunching sound that the chewing makes. Really enjoy the imaginary piece of fruit as much as you can.

Then for the next couple of minutes actually bite the fruit and see the difference.

Experience the fruit with curiosity and dive into the sensations of chewing, swallowing, the sounds and the taste. Really enjoy the experience of actually eating the piece of fruit.

Then for another minute or so describe the taste and smell in as much detail as possible.

Write about each experience here. What was each experience like?

After you have done this, tell me what you noticed when you compared these three experiences:

1. Imaginary fruit

2. Real fruit

3. Description

I have posted that you want a different guide. We're just waiting.

Warmly,

[NoMeHere]

Thank you Stacy!

[Anastacia42]

Good morning,

It has been about 10 days and none of the other guides have been able to pick up the thread. However, it is possible that they read what has gone before and see that it will be difficult to get you to do the exercises. We are volunteers. We like working at this or we wouldn't do it; however, it only works if you follow the instructions.

In the spirit of helping you to do that, I'm going to reply to something in your post where you decided to stop.

Maybe it will help. Maybe it won't. But I want to offer it to you.

I have to say, this conversation is become a bit strange. It's like:

"I'm seeing a red light."

"No, you are only thinking you see a red light. Look!"

"But it's really my experience. I'm looking, and it's red."

"You are not doing the exercise. You are thinking. Look!"

I'm kind of the authority when it comes to my experience, no? (Figuratively speaking, yes, there is no "I"...)

First, it is more accurate to say you were only labeling the color red. What you see is only color. The word, "red" is a label that we made up. This is a crucial understanding. It can't be skipped.

You almost got it. At one point you said that you know that there is not a one-to-one correlation from labels to reality.

Second, no, you are not the authority on your experience in this context.

This article under Resources may also be helpful:

http://www.liberationunleashed.com/reso ... ar-seeker/

We are attempting to show you the fact that something has been layered over Actual Experience. That is now mistaken for Actual Experience. As above, there is no color red. It is made up. What you're calling your experience is your story, not Actual Experience. That is the learning that we are offering you here. It is the only way to see that there is no self, in a context that supports understanding Actual Experience, which is what you came here for.

Yes, this flies in the face of what you think you know. Reality is about 180 degrees from the labels that most people put on things & then believe in.

Many people come here having already seen no self, but lacking the context for it. Without the context it is confusing.

Hopefully, this has been helpful. Again, no need to reply.

Warmly,

[NoMeHere]

Thank you Stacy. I very much appreciate all your help.

I had some time to reflect, and I can now say with certainty that "my self" doesn't exist. It never existed before, but now the illusion is seen clearly nearly 24/7. It is created by all the I-me-my thoughts, but, in a strange way, these thoughts, while they still appear, are not taken seriously anymore. When they arise, it's clear that they refer to a conceptual self, not to anything that exists.

It took a little bit to incorporate this awakening into my life. At first, it was disappointing. It was like, "That's it? That's what all the fuss is about? Really?" But I realize now that yes, that's really it, and it's good this way. Life becomes easier, more playful, and there is more happiness and contentment. It doesn't happen overnight, but every day seems to be a little bit brighter than the previous one. I'm looking forward to see where this journey leads me.

I'm not sure what gave me the final push through "the gate". The direct pointing in liberation unleashed definitely was part of the process, but so was all the previous self-inquiry, and lately a kind of meditation that I would describe as "closely observe all thoughts".

So thanks again, and there is no need for any further guidance!

[Anastacia42]

Excellent! Would you like to answer the final questions?

That will allow the administrators to invite you to aftercare groups, etc. And it's totally up to you.

You could pretty much cut and paste from what you just posted. For most of it.


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?

Love,

[NoMeHere]

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

No, there is no such entity and there never was.

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.

The separate self is created by thought. Without thought, there is no separate self. It is a label for a story, not a real thing. Thought also uses this label to take ownership for things that just happen. For example, this writing just happens, there is no doer, but thought says "I am writing this".

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.

This is cut & paste from my previous posting:

It took a little bit to incorporate this awakening into my life. At first, it was disappointing. It was like, "That's it? That's what all the fuss is about? Really?" But I realize now that yes, that's really it, and it's good this way. Life becomes easier, more playful, and there is more happiness and contentment. It doesn't happen overnight, but every day seems to be a little bit brighter than the previous one. I'm looking forward to see where this journey leads me.

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

Also from the previous post:

I'm not sure what gave me the final push through "the gate". The direct pointing in liberation unleashed definitely was part of the process, but so was all the previous self-inquiry, and lately a kind of meditation that I would describe as "closely observe all thoughts".

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.

I gave an example already above. There is no such thing as free will. It's an illusion, created by thought.

What makes things really happen? No idea. It seems to be that there is just one big process going on, so perhaps the best answer I can give is "the universe".

6) Anything to add?

Most people make this way too complicated. It's really pretty straightforward. However, it could also be that it only appears like this from my current perspective. Perhaps all the meditation was necessary, to "purify the mind", in order to see through this illusion.

[Anastacia42]

Hi Michael!

Yes, you've got it.

I am with you all the way up until the last sentence about which I have a question.

Purify the mind...?

What is this purifying that could be needed? And what is the mind you're referring to? Is that another word for self that doesn't exist?

Could you clarify that story?

Much love,

[NoMeHere]

Hi Stacy,

No, the mind doesn't exist either. There are just thoughts. The "mind as a sequence of thoughts" is just a concept.

As for the "purification" aspect, I was really speculating about whether or not I could have seen that there is no self with direct inquiry and direct pointing about 20 months ago, when I started with meditation. It is possible that some reprogramming of the brain first had to happen in oder for me to see through the illusion. Science seems to shows that meditation does just that. I also had very strong emotional states (like lots of fear) coming up over and over again over the course of these 20 months. Perhaps this first had to be observed clearly enough to really let go of the illusion of the self. Again, all of this is speculation, we will never know!

[Anastacia42]

Thank you, Michael.

True. The "how" of things is a mystery.

I'm going to submit This Thread to the admins for confirmation.

You will want to watch your private messages in the top right corner for an invitation to the groups, if you are interested.

I am available after we are done through Facebook if you like, as Stacy Ann Clark. Up to you.

There are also many ways for the further exploration of beliefs that will be unraveling. One way is to do 10 Fetters work. Another way is to do the further exploration group here on the Forum. Just like all of it, totally optional up to you.

It has been a pleasure.

Much love,