The Gate

Labeling the day, the Sensations, etc. does nothing to reduce their beauty or joy, but can hide the beauty and joy from our awareness.


Is it really necessary to spell it out like that?

Let's move on.


Actual/Direct Experience - Apple

Have a look at an apple (or any fruit you like.) If you have a ‘real’ apple, you can use it for this exercise. Google for a picture of an apple.



When looking at an apple, there's color; a thought saying ‘apple’; and maybe a thought saying, "I'm looking at an apple."

What is known for sure? Color is known and thoughts are known.

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

Actual experience does not refer to thoughts ABOUT something…because that is only just more thought.

Actual experience is sound, thought, color, smell, taste, sensation and the fact of thought arising, but not its content.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

While these thoughts are known, what they talk ABOUT can't be found in actual experience.

This is what is meant by "looking in actual experience." What you know for sure, and, is always here.

Taste labeled ‘apple’ is known
Color labeled ‘apple’ is known
Sensation labeled ‘apple’ is known (when apple is touched)
Smell labeled ‘apple’ is known
Thought about/of an ‘apple’ is known

However, is an apple actually known?

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

Loving,

How could I word it so that it is more obvious and clear that only the joy and beauty can be hidden?

Attaching any labels, sensations, etc, to the day doesn't affect the experience of beauty or joy, yet it can diminish or hide these qualities from our awareness.

Happy to move on.

From Ilona

Hi everyone. Happy New year!

This Sunday at 3pm GMT, 7pm Mauritius time join the group for deep looking exploration. All are welcome, no matter where you are, what questions you have, what difficult emotions are visiting, all can be met with honouring and gentleness.

Email to admin@ilonaciunaite.com for a link.

Hope to see you there!

Thanks Stacy, I'll try to attend. I will reply to your last exercise post today or tomorrow. Happy new year.

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

Hmmm not sure I get this exercise. Apple the physical object can be found, as can the labels/thoughts about the apple.

Okay,

Hmmm not sure I get this exercise. Apple the physical object can be found, as can the labels/thoughts about the apple

"Apple" is completely made up and has no reality of its own. If you were a newborn or even a child who was just learning to speak, you would not know "apple." It has to be taught. Anything you had to be taught is NOT Direct Experience. It has no "reality" of its own.

You find only labels and thoughts applied to Direct Experience of a scent, a touch sensation, a taste, a color, an image.

These labels and thoughts are NOT DE.

Go back and read Colored Socks. Then do this again.

Loving,

Meeting invitation:

Hi! For the ones that aren't in Vince's emailing list this is a email message from a member of the that group that may interest you:

"Greetings LU Community,

Some of you have mentioned Dr. Angelo Dillulo during our LU zoom calls. Angelo has agreed to join us for our next meeting, 1/16 at 6am Eastern Australia time, 1/15 at 11am Sunday PST, 2pm EST, 7pm London time.

https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter

We hope you can join us."

Write vinceschubert@gmail.com for the link to the meeting.

Loving,

Yeah ok I understand. When looking at an apple, all that is known of the Apple is the thoughts and labels about it. If we were to touch the apple (sensation) or smell the apple or taste the apple that would be DE?

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

Yes, so the thoughts only describe the prior content of mind about the apple, which is not DE.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Whilst only looking at the apple all that there is are the thoughts about the apple. However, what would happen if we were to reach for the apple and smell and taste it, then we would have DE of the apple but does it make the apple real?

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

Presumably only if we have a direct experience of it (ie touch it, smell it, taste it). Does DE mean that an apple can be found or exists?

However, is an apple actually known?

It is only known by the content of the mind about it (thoughts/labels and experience of sensation/taste/smell).

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

I feel like I'm going round and round in circles.

Okay...

If we were to touch the apple (sensation) or smell the apple or taste the apple that would be DE?

Yes, but there is no "apple," only DE. The label is fiction. Made up.

Did you see The Matrix?

"There is no spoon."

Look up the clip on Youtube.

Loving,

Excellent. I get that.

Good.

So, of course, the point is that "self" is exactly like "apple." It is made up. You cannot find it with the 5 Senses of Direct Experience. It is only found in the stories (lies) that thoughts tell.

Given that, can you find a separate self anywhere at all in DE? Has there ever been?

How does it FEEL to SEE this?



Loving,

Given that, can you find a separate self anywhere at all in DE? Has there ever been?

No separate self. And never has been.

How does it FEEL to SEE this?

Mixture of feelings. Mainly a sense of "yes, I've always known that". A sort of gentle, open curiosity. A mild sense of dissociation and a "what's the point of it all then". Immediately, an answer arises to say "to live freely, without the stories". Somehow the separate self has a belief that without the stories life will be not a life, it will be empty, boring, formless.

Okay good, but since there is no separate "self, " What has this belief?

Somehow the separate self has a belief that without the stories life will be not a life, it will be empty, boring, formless.

Restate this so that it is true & doesn't rely on the non-existent "self."

Loving,

By the way...

Vince's meeting is tomorrow.

There are 3 meetings & a set of 5 videos you're invited to attend:

Thursday Meetings.

Hi Guys,

we are Luchana & Lubo, guides at LU.

Here is an invitation for you:

Join us each Thursday, 6 pm CET, UTC+1
and let's explore together what is already here.
Let's enjoy together this beauty called Life
MEETINGS ARE ON ZOOM and LIVE on youtube.

To participate in the meetings, send a request to luchanauzunova@gmail.com

You will receive an e-mail confirming your participation and a link to join.

Looking forward to seeing YOU!
Luchana & Lubo
__________________________________________________

Meet up with vince (For LU seekers & guides)

Monday August 14

6 am Sydney (est) Australia
Every 2 weeks after that.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86991485768?p ... 12Um5DQT09

Meeting ID: 869 9148 5768
Passcode: 083035

Let him know if you want email reminders.

Vinceschubert@gmail.com

__________________________________________________

Ilona's Meetings

Next group meeting on Zoom is on the 4th of September. (There was one October 9. Not sure when next one is. )

To register send Ilona an email to

admin@ilonaciunaite.com

Looking forward :)


__________________________________________________

(videos)

Hi everyone.

Starting on 15th of October for 5 weeks I will post a new video of guiding sessions we had with Jim.
Here is a link to the first one.

https://youtu.be/gb6FwZ6PlI4

Liberation Unleashed Direct Pointing - The Gateless Gate

Ilona

__________________________________________________

Have fun with these. Looking forward to next reply.

Loving,