The Gate

There are unpleasant thoughts/feelings going on right now so this is a good chance to look.

There are unpleasant sensations in the body asking with thoughts that say "I'm stressed out".

Looking for the 'I' who is suffering/stressed:
none found. Even in the midst of painful & unpleasant experiences, there is still no 'I'. The 'I' who is suffering is still only a story. These thoughts and feelings seem to be trying to protect an 'I' that is only made of thoughts and emotions.

Right now there is suffering but no sufferer.

The 'I' who is suffering is still only a story

Yes, you see this to be true.

Right now there is suffering but no sufferer

Always!

Keep noticing what IS going on, which is a lot! just no I doing it.

Lets look a choice now. Is there a Choicepoint, a magical place where the apparent “Self” can choose between this and that? Take two objects/possibilities, of which you might ordinarily choose either e.g. coffee or tea, blue pen or black pen, salt and pepper, then sit and see if you can find the choice-point where you could go either way. Describe fully how choosing happens.

Lets look a choice now. Is there a Choicepoint, a magical place where the apparent “Self” can choose between this and that? Take two objects/possibilities, of which you might ordinarily choose either e.g. coffee or tea, blue pen or black pen, salt and pepper, then sit and see if you can find the choice-point where you could go either way. Describe fully how choosing happens.

Trying to choose between tea and water:
The thought "I choose tea" just appeared (along with some sensations in the body)

Soon after, there's another thought - " of course I can choose- I choose water now" . However, this thought also appeared all on its own.

Several experiments later, the result is the same- choosing just happens. There is no choice point.

choosing just happens. There is no choice point

Fabulous! The looking is clear. I can see you now can differentiate between thoughts and whats really going on.

So is there any doubt that no self exists and yet this whole display of phenomena play out mysteriously on automatic? Hows it feeling?

So is there any doubt that no self exists and yet this whole display of phenomena play out mysteriously on automatic? Hows it feeling?

There is no doubt that a self exists. The 'I' that keeps turning up in thoughts does not really exist.

As for how it feels, there are moments of peace and at other times moments of fear about losing 'myself'. In both cases, there is no self creating or experiencing peace/fear.

Hi Till,

There is no doubt that a self exists

You mean doesn't right??

there is no self creating or experiencing peace/fear.

Yes. It can be helpful when fear arises to look at what the fear is protecting, turning towards with kindness liberates.

Please can you answer these standard questions in full now:
1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?
2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you seeit now.
3) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.
4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?
5) Do you decide, intend, choose, control events in Life? Do you make anything
happen? Give examples from your experience.
6) Anything to add?

You mean doesn't right??

Yes!

1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

There is no 'I'. There never was.

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

The illusion of the separate self is created mainly by thought ( while feelings tend to give these thoughts more weight). Thoughts create a running commentary of experience. This commentary is phrased using an 'I'. For example, when there is hunger, the thought would say - 'I am hungry'. Sometimes these 'I' thoughts are accompanied by feelings in the body as well as mental images, making them appear more real. However, this 'I' is just a thought. It does not point to an actual entity.

(Will continue tomorrow)

This is really clear..YES!

Look forward to more.

3) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

Life has become easy with compared to how things were before the dialogue started. It's too soon to say exactly what the long term effects are, but it seems like there is a reduction in planning/plotting/worrying etc.

4) What was the last bit that pushed you over, made you look?

Trying to find the 'decision maker' was the last point

5) Do you decide, intend, choose, control events in Life? Do you make anything
happen? Give examples from your experience

There is no 'I' to choose or control events. The 'I' is created in thought as a character that makes decisions. But decision making happens without a self, and the thought 'I decided' happens afterwards.

Today, I figured out a creative solution to a problem at work (worded in conventional language). What really happened was that the solution appeared as a thought. This was followed by another thought: 'I figured it out'. In reality, there was no 'I' figuring things out, only a thought that claimed 'I' figured it out.

This is all that ever happens. Decisions are made and the story of the 'I' who made the decision appears soon afterwards.


(Answer to question 6 coming up tomorrow)

Really clear Till,
Im just going to see if the other guides have any questions while you think about if there is anything to add.

No more questions here.
I wish you well and you will soon be invited to join Facebook aftercare group.
http://liberationunleashed.com/nation/v ... ?f=6&t=696
Best wishes
Smudge