The Gate

Dear Christine,

Thanks for you message.

Talking to the night sky about being no-self, explaining about being life, life being, expressing, seeing it like waves coming and going on the beach, life flowing and receding in each way of expression.

Beautiful! Isn’t it wonderful how nature mirrors everything.

At the same time feeling/seeing little plugs of self unplugging from the great bank of ideas of self built up during a lifetime

Are you clear that these ‘little plugs of self’ are only thoughts? That there is no self to unplug? Or is there still a 'Christine' unplugging?

Playing with my granddaughter at the stage of distinguishing her self from the world around her, wondering how else it can go for children, at least in our culture

Yes…the thought often arises…how could children be raised differently, but there must be self to find no-self. It seems like this is the way of things. I have never met anyone that has skipped the first part.

perhaps it is the remnants of I that is paralyzed, unable to control as it used to

Was there ever an “I” that controlled? Or was it always just a thought/belief?


Na maste,

Swallow

Dear Swallow

Yes of course it is thoughts of self still being winkled out and floating off! The i thought it was controlling everything, when it was only thoughts struggling with reality of daily life/memories/hopes.

Yesterday while driving towards home, feeling thirst, the thought was to get home and have a drink of water ....but LIFE was urging me to drive further past to wetlands where swans ducks and birds waited to be photographed ...struggle struggle but went with life calling and lo! amazing light, amazing photos :) stopped at garage to buy water so no problem :) You can see if interested http://wp.me/p1kP6q-Gi

love,
Christine

Dear Christine,

Beautiful pictures! Birds are amazing and colorful! It was a pleasure to see your website!

It sounds like there is an understanding of no 'Christine', No-self.

Are there any questions that are lingering or are things clear?

Take a moment, close the eyes and look, feel........Is there a 'self' to be found?

love,

Swallow

Dear Swallow
It feels like emptiness, maybe frayed ends here and there .... can we still stay in touch for a little while or is it time for another forum or something?
Tried explaining to a friend on the phone today, almost ready to talk about it, still have no idea how life will continue, but that is the point, life just is, living happens, life directs this person :) I want to say thank you so much for all your loving help and patience, so if we finish you know how that work is appreciated!

love, Christine x

Dear Christine,

We can stay in touch for as long as you would like....it would be a pleasure!
After there is a seeing of no-self, life just goes on like before. The mind still creates thoughts and the body reacts and vice versa.
Before this investigation, we drive to work, come home, cook our meals and go to sleep. After the investigation we drive to work, come home, cook our meals and go to sleep. It is like the Zen circle....we come back to where we began. Everything is the same, yet the belief that there is someone doing it is gone. There is an opening up to the mystery and beauty of life.

Could you answer these questions …..take your time to do this and speak from your own understanding.

Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works.

How does it feel to see this?

How would you describe it to somebody who has never heard about this illusion.

What was the last bit that pushed you over? What had you SEE through the illusion of self?


Have fun. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

love,

Swallow

Dear Swallow

Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works.

The illusion of a separate self starts when we are learning language, we learn me/mine and you/yours, then we learn labels relating to me, such as girl/good/naughty/noisy and all their opposites so that tells us we are one thing but not another. So we come to believe the cultural norm, the illusion, that we are separate individuals, responsible for our words and actions which are all labeled as belonging to 'i/me', while all perfection and wholeness is held up to us by religion as something we will never attain, after all, how many saints are there?

As an illusory separate self there is loneliness, loss and suffering, neediness and striving, so all our lives from early childhood we may be searching for the oneness we lost by falling under the illusion of being separate. We think that we are the thinker, the doer in our lives, not realising that like the rest of reality we are simply life expressing itself. The mighty ego is not really in charge, in control, responsible for everything. The sages and teachers point the way, but in our delusion we misunderstand. Jesus said something about becoming like a little child to enter the kingdom of heaven ... yes, the little child who is not yet under the illusion of separateness, who still feels the oneness of the vibrant life of nature!

How does it feel to see this?

Such a relief ...oh, such a relief. Such a long search is over, what was thought to be lost is regained. There is not a big light bulb flash, just the quietness of things gradually rearranging themselves, of little differences, of moments of sudden smiles or laughter. Such a vast peacefulness, so smooth and gentle like light on the still sea. Still there are thoughts popping up "What about this, what about that" but there is no interest in following or answering. Still unknowns, but happiness, no worry or anxiety, happy for unknowing. Feel a lot more unknowing will come into awareness. Not clever, smart, famous, no no no, more unknowing and peace and letting be.

How would you describe it to somebody who has never heard about this illusion.

I tried a little explanation yesterday, with an old friend who is used to talking about these things. A bit awestruck about describing it to anyone, but ...here goes. You may be like me, who thought that I was a separate being, sure, part of the whole, but still a separate spirit/soul, who has been incarnating in this world for thousands of years. You might think that you have loads of good or bad karma, and that one day you will be free from this wheel of life and death, by one means or other. But is this true? What evidence to you have that you exist as a separate being?

Who is the "I", the self? Take a look and see if you can find a self? Is it you who is thinking? Watch your thoughts and see if you can find the thinker, watch your actions and look for the doer. You will start to realise that thinking is happening on its own, that having control of thoughts is another illusion. Thoughts are arising from your mind, which has a lifetime of training in how to think, what is important to pay attention to, as well as all the information from the past and hopes/fears for future, and attention to how others are possibly perceiving you. This big complex program is running itself, there is no "I" making it happen. Actions are arising on their own too, no doer deciding what to do, even though it appears as if there is. Doing happens, walking happens, speaking happens, no doer involved. And if there is no self, there is also no other, just life in another embodiment, the same life that is expressing through you. Sit quietly wherever you are and notice what is real .... such as body, furniture, feelings, thoughts, sensations, surroundings ... can you find an "I" here ... or are there just thoughts, feelings, sensations etc?

What was the last bit that pushed you over? What had you SEE through the illusion of self?

There was no moment, the main disruption of the illusion which was thinning came when investigating where thoughts come from, as the mind struggled and refused to concentrate, as a feeling of panic and stuckness arose, things began to clear. It was staying with it through your guidance and questioning that brought things to a crisis and the solidity of the I illusion crumbled.

Much gratitude and love, and please lets stay in touch as life reorganizes itself'

Christine

Dear Christine,

It was a real pleasure to read your words!!!

We think that we are the thinker, the doer in our lives, not realising that like the rest of reality we are simply life expressing itself.

Simply life expressing itself!!! Beautiful!!! Life living....or more simply.....living, movement, change. Isn't that brilliant!!

I will send you a message on your website, so you will have my personal e-mail, so that we can continue to share and correspond.

Great work done!!!!

I have to have others from Liberation Unleashed confirm that you are through the Gate and see if they have any questions for you.

Enjoy!!! It has been wonderful working with you.

Love,

Swallow