Discovery

[Anastacia42]

Okay, good. That's what you'll need to watch as we practice here.



Sports Exercise

Please note that you will have to check the link when using this exercise, to make sure it is still viable, as sometimes they are removed from Youtube.

The following link is a 7 minute clip of a soccer game. If you prefer another sport…please feel free to find one to do this exercise with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy5pL-myDzw

1. Watch one minute with the sound turned OFF, watching ‘people’ messing about with a round thing on a field, up and down, up and down. Let it sink in, the whole experience.

2. Once the first minute is completed, now watch another whole minute with the commentary turned ON.

Notice the differences.

Notice how the commentator (thought) offers lots of know-how, even advice. It seems to feel as though they can influence, somehow, what is going on, as though one outcome is much preferred to the opposite outcome. The commentary may seem to heighten any supporter feelings which are there, and call for an identification with one team or other, and with the importance of the game itself.

3. Now turn the volume OFF AGAIN and just watch the action with NO audible commentary, the shapes moving around on the screen etc. Again notice all the differences in what is appearing as experience.

4. Now turn the volume ON again and ignore what you think you know thought is talking about, and just notice it as sound.

What did you find when doing this exercise? Is the commentary on the soccer game a necessity for the play to happen?

And in the same way, is the inner narration of thought a necessity for the play of life to happen?

As always, relax & have fun!

Loving,

[Anastacia42]

Hi Su,

Please complete the Sports Exercise and I notice you never answered this;:

think of the Sensations of fear. Reply with those & I'll give the next step.

This may also help once I show you where this is going..

Loving,

[Swift]

Surrey Stacey I've had some problems with my laptop and I hadn't been seeing your new posts I think it's all fixed now apologies unfortunately I have a migraine today so I get back to you tomorrow but can you just clarify where the question about fear is from I couldn't see where you had asked me that

[Anastacia42]

Good. I hope you're computer is running smoothly.

I don't know where I asked that & I don't want to reread the whole thread right now. Let's just answer now & move on, OK?

Loving,

[Swift]

What did you find when doing this exercise? Is the commentary on the soccer game a necessity for the play to happen?

I found this a very interesting exercise
the experience was entirely different without all the thoughts and opinions and values overlaid by the commentator
I found that a lot of the tension and excitement that you feel wa reduced when not listening to the commentator , in that it was not the experience that with causing this but the commentators response to it

And in the same way, is the inner narration of thought a necessity for the play of life to happen?

no clearly life is going on whether all the internal commentary and thoughts and fears are going on alongside it but I can see that without all the inner thoughts life is a completely different experience

I couldn't really understand the fear question without the context I will try and find it in The Thread

[Swift]

think of the Sensations of fear. Reply with those & I'll give the next step.

I do struggle with this it seems to me that fear is a Sensation- you get the quickening of pulse and the sense of panic but I appreciate that it has to be thought and my fear of dogs, although not entirely irrational ,is something that I have learned

[Anastacia42]

Good work with the sports exercise.

On fear, I asked only for Sensations. This means body Sensations, things a body can feel.

Quickening of the pulse is something a body feels. That is good.

But "sense of panic" is not.

Where in the body do you feel "sense of panic? " Give ONLY Sensations please.

Loving,

[Swift]

I see what you mean
there is also tenseness in muscles and rapidity of breathing

[Anastacia42]

Yes, you've got it.

This difference between thinking & Direct Experience is almost the whole key to seeing no self. It is found in Direct sensory Experience, NOT in thoughts or thinking.

So, the send second part of this fear question is now to describe the Sensations of excitement. please.

Loving

[Swift]

increase in heart rate, breathing, moving and speech
Sometimes a feeling of shivering or shaking
More and faster thoughts

[Anastacia42]

Yes, exactly.

Can you see the similarity in body Sensations between "fear" and "excitement?:



Check.

If they are similar, what's the difference?

I'll tell you, to keep this brief the difference is...

(in the next post, in case you want to look for yourself first)

[Anastacia42]

only in the label!

In what we *think*.

Nothing else.

LOOK

Can you see this?

Loving,

[Anastacia42]

Have you read "Gateless Gatecrashers?"

While your experience will be different, it can be helpful to read others' experiences as they wake up. You can download it from this site under Resources, Books.

Loving,

[Swift]

Yes as I was doing the exercise I became aware that the sensations were exactly the same

I'll download the book but unfortunately it will be a very slow read as this is one of the things that triggers my migraines

[Anastacia42]

Yes, they're the same. So, obviously the only difference is our thinking, the labels & stories we believe.

Take your time with the book. Here's your first pointer:

Direct Experience - Labeling Daily Activities

Here's an exercise that I would like you to try as many times throughout the day as you can. Label daily activities simply color/image, sound, smell, taste, sensation, thought.

So for example, when having breakfast, become aware of:

Seeing a cup, simply= image/color
Smelling coffee, simply = smell
Feeling the warmth of the coffee cup, simply = sensation
Tasting the coffee, simply = taste
Hearing the spoon stirring the coffee, simply = sound
Thought about drinking the coffee, simply = thought

Just break down daily activities into these categories (which are all Actual/Direct Experience) and report back with lists exactly like the one above.

Post several of your own observations in a list *exactly* like the one above, please. Same word forms. Same order. EXACTLY.

Refer to the green list of Actual/Direct Experience in the prior post if that helps. Those are the only items any experience can be.

Loving,