The Gate

yes, the narrator focuses on whatever part of what's happening that is deemed important to the narrator, and distracts from a bigger picture comprehension

So, here is a pointer that may force you to look, not think:

ButtChair

Please LOOK for any place where your butt ends & the chair begins.

Is there any clear dividing line between them? Or only the Sensation with no clear division?


It is simple direct & nonverbal. Just LOOK.

Then write what is true.

I did only this and nothing else for 3 months and then saw. It crept up on me while I was sitting at a stoplight. Seeing often happens when we are simply relaxed and looking. I should say, it ONLY happens when we are relaxed and LOOKING.

All of this thinking is useless. Truly.

Loving

Stacy, those answers were from my direct experience. Those answers were the best I could do to relate to you what i noticed as they were happening.

no, i cannot tell where my butt ends and chair begins from direct experience. nor can i tell from direct experience where my face begins and the air ends.

Good.

Believe it or not looking at that space in that way could bring you the exact realization that you are looking for. It did for me after 3 months.

Might not take you that long. I was only practicing sporadically.

So keep doing butt chair And keep posting here even if it seems to be the same thing over and over again.

This is about the activity of looking rather than about right answers.

Loving

thanks. i'm practicing, will update

Good.

still working on remembering throughout the day.
it's slow work.

This isn't a lot remembering. It's about LOOKING in this moment.

Realization happens in seconds & possibly when you're relaxed & not looking.

Loving,

it is remembering to look :-)

Okay.

Please *remember* to post how your practice is going. :).

Loving

it's very variable. it feels familiar to times when it has been clear that everything has been happening all by itself including thoughts, completely compelety clear that everything was happening all by itself. very peaceful and wonderful. but it didn't last more than a few weeks, and even then plenty of blame came up.

continuing to watch

Yes. there is always more to do. After you clearly see there is no self there are many beliefs to question. long as you're alive, things can keep coming up.

Watch these, please:

https://youtu.be/vJQcD588g2w

and

https://youtu.be/PUDzrCLlrj4


It's lather, rinse. repeat.

If you can say 100% there's no separate "self" we have some checkpoint questions. Other guides will read them & may have questions for you.

After that you might want to look into Ten Fetter work. We only guide through the first 3 here.

Loving,

Thanks Stacy.
I can say three is no self, but only because I have long known it to be true....a self, free will, an uncaused cause just makes no sense. And at times in the past it has been perfectly clear in experience that there is no inside and no outside, no intervening self. But all I can say now in terms of direct experience is that these fingers are typing without some separate me doing it, and that the more i practice the exercise of attending to the in skin/out skin "boundary", the weaker it is.
The me seems to be gradually disappearing, but 'there's still a whole lot of 'not me'.

There is no "me" to disappear

It is only a fictional belief in your mind.

For blame, The Work of Byron Katie is ideal.

www.thework.com


Loving,

yes, i understand that of course.
i've understood that for years and years :-)

my intellectual understanding is not liberation.

something is changing now, though. a bit.