Ah, I seem to have forgotten something!

[Anastacia42]

Okay, good.

That floating is like the expansive feeling of "truth."

Yes, many people would rather study than LOOK. All we do here is LOOK. Why? Because it's the only thing that works.

Keep practicing ButtChair & reporting how it FEELS to SEE.

Let me know when you find you are 100% certain there's no separate "self."

Loving,

[Anastacia42]

This may be helpful:

Here is how to distinguish truth from lies.

We often lie every day & don't realize it.

For example, the grocery clerk asks, "How are you?" You reply, "I'm fine." While, yes. there is a sense in which we are always fine, even in the middle of suffering, at that moment, you were grieving the death of your dog, you had a slight sore throat & you had a headache, but you didn't feel like sharing all of that with the grocery clerk, so you lied, "I'm fine."

Also, it matters none at all how "distant" the remembered lie is. Besides the fact that time itself is fictional, a kind if lie, as we recall the lie it becomes present in this moment, as if it were happening now. This brings the body Sensation that accompanies lying.

Lies can be intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious, even so automatic that we ourselves are fooled.

The story of a separate "self" is a lie.

This is the lie you came here to see through. Therefore, it is helpful to notice the body Sensation of lying as one of the tools for finding the truth of no self.

You want to be in touch with body Sensations & able to clearly express them in words. This will help.

Lies are usually felt in the heart or solar plexus as a contraction that we may label as tight, heavy or tense.

In contrast, truth is usually expansive. We may call it loose, light or relaxed.

First, can you remember a time when you lied to someone you loved?

Here we count anything, lies we think of as "big" or "small" that "matter" or don't "matter."

How are you? I'm fine. No, your knee hurts, but you don't feel like discussing it with the grocery clerk.

It's a lie. A seemingly "bigger" one will work better for this exercise.

Find the lie. I don't need the whole story, just a few key words to refer to it.

Then scan your body for any Sensation (DE or Direct Experience), particularly in the gut or maybe the heart. Check very closely.

What is found?

If you think the memory you used wasn't clear enough, find another one or lie to yourself right now, make something up.

1 + 1 = 14 is a lie.

I love eating worms is (probably) a lie.

Or call up a video of a lying politician & notice what Sensations arise as you listen.

I will give you a clue: it is not that peaceful Sensation you felt before when you omitted "I." (refers to an exercise I gave before this one)

Please report back with what body Sensations (not interpretations) you feel. Bodies can feel hot or cold, heavy or light, contraction or expansion, etc.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

Loving,

[LostOntology]

Stacy,

Yes, many people would rather study than LOOK. All we do here is LOOK. Why? Because it's the only thing that works.

Thank you for this. Fear that "I am not getting it" leads me to study rather than continue looking. I can thank this fear for doing its job so well. I will allow it to rest and trust that falling will eventually feel like flying. A traveler walking the road in the darkness of night is still going forward.

Find the lie. I don't need the whole story, just a few key words to refer to it.

Then scan your body for any Sensation (DE or Direct Experience), particularly in the gut or maybe the heart. Check very closely.

What is found?

When I find a lie, I feel a tightness in the solar plexus area and a bit above it as well. It feels like small flashes of heat. A subtle but definite contraction.

Yes, it is not that sensation of "expansiveness" that I felt after I omitted the "I" in that 20 minute activity. It is not the lightness I feel when I look at the sensation of my butt on this chair.

Keep practicing ButtChair & reporting how it FEELS to SEE.

Let me know when you find you are 100% certain there's no separate "self."

Will do :)

Gratitude,
E

[Anastacia42]

Yes. Very good.

Try this:

https://youtu.be/jKX1llYtlKE

and this:

Here is an anxiety exercise that focuses a person in the present, and in a part of the brain that cannot do anxiety. Basically, go through each sense and say (or think) "I see/ hear/ feel/ taste/ touch ______________." A minute or two of each and usually anxiety is gone.

I see the couch.
I see the keyboard.
I see the glass. Etc.

I hear the train.
I hear the keys clacking.
I hear my breath. Etc.

I feel the couch under my butt.
I feel my fingers on the keys.
I feel the cold air. Etc.

I taste a metallic taste in my mouth.
I taste the coffee.
I taste the food. Etc.

I smell the humidity in the air.
I smell my husband's shampoo.
I smell the soap. Etc.

As far as I can tell, the only time this doesn't work is when someone won't do it.

Loving,

[LostOntology]

Stacy,

Thank you for that video as well as those exercises! They were very useful today--many anxiety inducing moments.

I've been doing ButtChair and I continue to feel the lightness. I will keep doing this and keep reporting back.

Gratitude,
E

[Anastacia42]

Excellent.

When you are 100% certain there's no separate "self" let me know.

ButtChair is very good for helping you SEE this.

Keep writing how it FEELS to SEE.

Loving,

[LostOntology]

Stacy,

Sorry I didn't write back yesterday. I actually fell asleep doing ButtChair laying down!

Keep writing how it FEELS to SEE.

When doing ButtChair laying down with my eyes closed, I see that the sensation doesn't really have a set "place in space." It feels like a sensation in a void, almost, which makes me feel like I am light. I feel a bit more expansive when I see this. I'll keep doing this!

Gratitude,
E

[Anastacia42]

That's good. At least we know you were relaxed!

That feeling of lightness is an indication of something "true." Possibly the beginning of seeing no self.

There are many pointers that could be given, but this one is also enough.

Keep practicing & posting. Let me know if you have questions.

Much love,

[LostOntology]

Stacy,

At least we know you were relaxed!

Ha! Yes--I definitely was. It was also only while being relaxed that I am able to rest in that sensation.

That feeling of lightness is an indication of something "true." Possibly the beginning of seeing no self.

That's good to hear :) I'll continue to see the sensation and feel the lightness throughout my day today.

There are many pointers that could be given, but this one is also enough.

I do enjoy this one. I have the habit of trying to go through too many pointers and not spending enough time with one. The hand flipping pointer and ButtChair have been good so far :) I'll stick with them.

[Anastacia42]

Good morning!

The hand flipping pointer and ButtChair have been good so far :) I'll stick with them.

That will be good. Keep me posted.

Much love,

[LostOntology]

Stacy,

Not much to report on for today. It's hard for me to try and stay with direct experience throughout my day. I still continue to practice ButtChair whenever I remember, though. I continue to notice the lightness I feel as a result of seeing the sensation.

Doing ButtChair right now:

The sensation has begun to feel like it's not entirely "underneath" me. I question if it was ever truly underneath me. I see that thoughts of a location paired with the sensation provided the illusion that the sensation had a set place: underneath/below me.

Now, when I close my eyes and see the sensation, it's not particularly wedded to the location of "below," but rather just... there.

When I see this, I feel like I am floating--untethered. But even this isn't fully true, because upon further seeing, there is no "I" to be floating. To say that "I" am floating is a mistake because there is no "I" in that sensation, just the sensation itself. There's nothing that rests on top of that sensation, just the sensation itself.

I'll continue to practice this :) This was my first time seeing this sensation in this way.

Gratitude,
E

[Anastacia42]

Excellent!

When I see this, I feel like I am floating--untethered. But even this isn't fully true, because upon further seeing, there is no "I" to be floating. To say that "I" am floating is a mistake because there is no "I" in that sensation, just the sensation itself. There's nothing that rests on top of that sensation, just the sensation itself.

Exactly. This sounds like Seeing no self.

Take your time Seeing this. When you feel ready, we have some traditional "final" questions.

Loving,

[LostOntology]

Stacy,

Take your time Seeing this.

Thank you, I will!

When you feel ready, we have some traditional "final" questions.

Right now it feels like I can see "no self" when I am looking for it and not finding it while doing ButtChair. In my everyday life, experience, though, the "self" still feels like it manifests. Do you have any advice for helping "seeing-no-self" stabilize and persist even when looking is not happening?

Thank you so, so much.

Gratitude,
E

[Anastacia42]

Stop believing you're thinking.

But the actual seeing is a mystery like anything else. It cannot be forced. Relaxing and allowing is the way.

Keep practicing & reporting here.

Loving,

[Anastacia42]

Stop believing you're thinking.

But the actual seeing is a mystery like anything else. It cannot be forced. Relaxing and allowing is the way.

Keep practicing & reporting here.

Loving,