All you need is love. Requesting Elad as guide.

[Busahug]

Hi Elad,
Today’s practices were challenging for me. I practiced the new exercise several times and noticed judgments arising about the questions—like the sense that the answer is obvious, or that even if I wrote “chair” on the page, it wouldn’t be the actual chair. Even words like “God” or any word describing something are not the thing itself.

Questions also arose, such as: if there are things that exist in reality that I don’t experience directly (like a certain sound frequency), does that mean they don’t exist?

It’s hard for me to say whether these judgments are part of the resistance to letting go of perceptions and facing something threatening, or whether they arise alongside the sensations, with direct observation offering me another perspective of experiencing existence without clinging to the sense of self.

[Elad]

Hi R

Hi Elad,
Today’s practices were challenging for me. I practiced the new exercise several times and noticed judgments arising about the questions—like the sense that the answer is obvious, or that even if I wrote “chair” on the page, it wouldn’t be the actual chair. Even words like “God” or any word describing something are not the thing itself.

This is true. Our words are always at best pointers, not direct experience. So this work and even the communication is not about describing "absolute reality" "correctly". It is more phenomenological and pragmatic. It is about exploring your beliefs and experience, until a release from massive unconscious identiifcation and clinging happens.

Questions also arose, such as: if there are things that exist in reality that I don’t experience directly (like a certain sound frequency), does that mean they don’t exist?

This speaks to the same. What you write is philosopically and scientifically valid. And we will not get final answers here about anything on a philosopical or scientific level. Again, here it is all about looking clearly and questioning what is all ready believed. We don't get anything from this, we only "lose" (see through) unconscious identiifcations and beliefs, giving rise to more openness and freedom.

It’s hard for me to say whether these judgments are part of the resistance to letting go of perceptions and facing something threatening, or whether they arise alongside the sensations, with direct observation offering me another perspective of experiencing existence without clinging to the sense of self.

Again this is philosopically and scietifically valid questions. So aknowledge them and then put them aside to get the best you can out of this process.

I suggest to redo the exercises, and just focus on what is belief and what is experienced directly. Is it possible to answer more directly to all the questions?

This is all good stuff and a natural part of the process.

[Elad]

Also, re the question about things existing outside direct experience: what exists for you other than what is immediately happening? Can anything outside direct experience be known? Or is it just another thought appearing now?

I am not asking you to intellectually consider this. That will not give asnwers. Today you went over to intellectual consideration. It was quality intellectual activity, absolutely valid on the intellectual level, but not what will lead to liberation here. So only look deeply in direct experience.

And continue seeing what reactions and thoughts and so forth appear by themselves.

[Busahug]

Hi Elad,

Thank you for this response—it was very helpful and allowed me to release my grip on the thoughts that arose. I appreciate that you gave it space and validation; it helped my curiosity return.

I practiced the same exercise again today. This time, I noticed how my thoughts describe what I see/hear/feel, and then more and more thoughts would appear. As I repeatedly observed the direct experience, a gap appeared between “there is a self” and “there is no self,” and there was something pleasant and freeing about it.

Later, the three mantras about “no separate self” arose spontaneously. The experience with the third mantra, “there will never be,” didn’t trigger the same resistance as it did during the first practice. Interesting…

[Elad]

Beautiful, things are shifting, opening...

For today, please do this exercise again, and answer every question directly:

Word “I”

Let’s look at thought and the content of thought a little more,

Write the word "I" on a piece of paper. Look at the word, is that YOU?

Speak the word “I” silently; be aware of any sensations or responses to this word. Are any of these reactions in your body or mind by themselves YOU?

Now say the word “I” aloud. Is that sound YOU?

Is the combination of any of these, the word, the sound, the thought YOU?”

Is the thought, "I exist" you?

Is the thought "I" you?


And I am adding one more question:

If it is seen that "I" is a thought....

Can a thought think?

[Busahug]

Hi Elad,

I practiced the exercise again as you suggested.
Indeed, in all the stages, “I” appeared to be just a thought, a description of something, but not the thing itself. The more I observed, I didn’t see the actual “thing,” only its representation through words.

Regarding the additional question you asked, I noticed that my immediate thought was “no.” It took me several practice sessions to suddenly notice my strong assumption that there is definitely something thinking the thought. As long as I didn’t recognize this assumption as a thought, I couldn’t see any other option besides that initial answer to your added question.

It’s amazing to be able to see the layers through which I perceive reality—layers that prevent me from meeting it as it truly is.

[Elad]

Beautiful!!

Todays exercise:

Listen to one or more of recordings in the following playlist "Enligthening Quotes". Start with the first one and follow it in the numerical order.

Now here comes the important part: Don't make is about if what is said is logically or metaphysically true. Instead, just listen and be aware of everything that is revealed in DIRECT EXPERIENCE. What thoughts come and go, what feelings and sensations? And is there a controller/decider/responsible one anywhere who controls/decides/manages what actually happens?

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... MJ4LRs2Yds_

[Busahug]

Hi Elad,

While listening to the first recording, most of the thoughts that arose were thoughts of agreement, affirmation, and comparison to similar thoughts I’m familiar with regarding the presented idea.
There were sensations of calmness and feelings of joy and curiosity about continuing the practice.

In addition, there were also thoughts that questioned the motives behind the exercises, and I noticed how suspicion and fear arose.
All of these simply arise (or maybe they’re just there, and I notice them in this moment of observation). Something about seeing this also brought up thoughts about how these thoughts formed on their own through past circumstances. Afterwards, sadness arose, along with comfort.
Thank you for being here in this way that allows me to see ❤️🙏🏻

[Elad]

Crystal clear, lovely!

Continue with this for today and just continue noticing what is actually there and happening by itself.

Once in a while, when you feel like it, check in:

Is there still a belief in a separate self?

If yes, what is choosing it, what is controlling it?

And what does it refer to in direct experience?

[Busahug]

Hi Elad,

I continue practicing while listening to the quotes and today I finished the sixth segment. So far, the practice has been easy. While listening, no thoughts arose that resisted what was being said or the invitation to practice—perhaps because these ideas are familiar to me from the world of Relational Frame Theory, which I’ve been delving into recently.

I noticed the thought of “new = dangerous” and saw how listening to familiar ideas is still meaningful. It allows me to observe the gap between “knowing” and direct experience. I am experiencing more and more moments of lightness and release from identification with the self during practice. At the same time, I notice how most of the time, I am fused with the idea of the self as an experience, and how this automatically triggers me, often causing so much pain.

I also noticed fear arising when I looked at the titles of the last two segments that I haven’t listened to yet. I saw the thoughts telling me I would lose something irreversibly and lose control, that it’s dangerous… Even as I share this here, the fear arises in my body.

[Elad]

Beautiful, continue to just notice what unfolds. Including fear. What is it looking to protect?

You mentioned self as experience... Can a true Self as Experience be found? Can a true Self as Context be found? Or are both thoughts, beliefs?

[Elad]

Beautiful, continue to just notice what unfolds. Including fear. What is it looking to protect?

You mentioned self as experience... Can a true Self as Experience be found? Can a true Self as Context be found? Or are both thoughts, beliefs?

If you didn't listen yet to the last two, I would recommend waiting with that. For now drop all istening/reading about this, except what is in our communication and just stay with the questions and what is discovered in direct experience.

And... If your intuition tells you something else, then follow that.

[Busahug]

Hi Elad,

I’m continuing to practice the exercises. Today, I focused on listening to sounds and engaging other senses while observing through the questions. Although nothing particularly significant came up, I generally feel a sense of release and spontaneous joy that arises when I’m more present with what’s happening and notice how thoughts can mask and distance me from the actual experience.

I also noticed that after you suggested that I shouldn’t continue listening to the last two episodes, the fear disappeared. Later, curiosity to listen emerged, and there was no trace of the fear… It’s really interesting to observe how sensations, emotions, and thoughts change.

[Busahug]

Hi Elad,

And regarding:
“You mentioned self as experience… Can a true Self as Experience be found? Can a true Self as Context be found? Or are both thoughts, beliefs?”

You’re right, it’s a thought—my verbal description of an experience that I can’t directly point to. I notice that the thought arises that the conclusion, ‘if it can’t be directly pointed to, then it doesn’t exist,’ is also just a thought.

In the meantime, I continue practicing exploring the experience and would appreciate guidance for further practice. 🙏🏻

[Elad]

Beautiful!

Here is an exercise to further deepen:


Introductory Body Exercise

Sit with eyes closed for about 15 minutes.
Paying attention only to the pure sensations, without relying on thoughts or mental images:

Can it be known how tall the body is?
Does the body have a weight or volume?
In the actual experience does the body have a shape or a form?
Is there a boundary between the body and the clothing? Is there a boundary between the body and the chair?
Is there an inside or an outside?
If there is an inside - the inside of what exactly?
If there is an outside - the outside of what exactly?
What does the word/label ‘body’ ACTUALLY refer to? What is the ACTUAL experience of the body?

Look very carefully, especially with the last question. Take your time, don’t rush. You can look several times during the day while doing other things (like washing hands, showering, having a short break from work, walking, etc) before replying.