The Gate

can you find what is in control of focusing?

I found that thoughts are in control of focusing. When there are no thoughts, attention moves from object to object spontaneously

can thoughts think?

can thoughts think?

Thoughts cannot think. Right now I can see one thought followed by another and another and another in sequence. No thought is above another thought but they are on the same level. My 14 years old son helped me with that :) I asked him a couple of questions about self and whether thoughts can think just for fun and out of curiosity. He surprised me with his answers. He said that the thoughts are similar to a stone falling down. If you throw a stone it will fall down by the force of gravitation. Is the stone active in its fall? It's seem to be active because it is moving. But it is passive in a way because it is just following the gravitation force. Right now thoughts and actions seem to me as a chain following each other with determinism. I heard this idea before, but now it seems to be more experiential. I almost can see an image of how it is happening.

Thats great, your son sounds adept at this and helpful.
Thats usually a rough patch for people to look into hahaha
Does something own or is the body?

I like that metaphor a lot about the falling stone

Does something own or is the body?

Could you please clarify the question?

are you a body?

No, I am not.

can you be found anywhere?

can you be found anywhere?

I was looking into emotions, but they seem to arise from the thoughts. I was looking into character, but it seems to be a usual patterns my thoughts and emotions move and there is determinism about it too.
If I don't want to do something and my thoughts force me to do it, this effort to do what I don't want, does it belong to "me"? when I look at it, it is thought - action - reaction chain again and the discomfort I feel is a part of reaction

can you be found anywhere?

no "me" can be found anywhere

How responsibility for one's actions is possible if everything one does and think is predetermined? Does no me means no responsibility? What implications does it have on the way one acts and behaves?

If I don't want to do something and my thoughts force me to do it
who would thought be forcing? I know thought and emotion are there but what is feeling them?

how would you describe responsibility? is everything one does, think and feels predetermined? how would you know that? where is the evidence of fate?

who would thought be forcing?

Thought could force body to move, thought could force other thoughts to move to a certain direction, example, start memorizing new words in a new language.

I know thought and emotion are there but what is feeling them?

Awareness is feeling them

how would you describe responsibility?

Taking ownership of your actions and your choices. For example, one has a choice to stay at home and work or go out and have fun. A person who thinks that everything is predetermined may say "I would rather choose an easier way, it is all predetermined anyway"

is everything one does, think and feels predetermined? how would you know that?

There are chains of thought - feeling - action/ reaction. One could trace any decision made to a previous thought, previous thought to previous emotion and etc. If exactly the same circumstances happened, same decision would be made. And also because "me" cannot be found, who makes the decision or takes ownership over an action? One implication of that is no "me" having control.

You didn't respond to me. Is everything ok?

looking moment to moment how can a thought force the body to move?
thoughts happen keeping narrative but how do thoughts force other thoughts?
is awarness any one thing?
who choices to think?
if things are predetermined how could you possible act in a different way?

"me" cannot be found, who makes the decision or takes ownership over an action? One implication of that is no "me" having control.

you are right there is no you in control because there never was a person just thoughts about one being there
no one is at fault when things go wrong or right because no one controls thoughts, and awareness sees even when thought isn't around. everything just happens play by play.
dont believe in anything I say look to see if its true, sorry for the late reply I been loaded with things to do hahaha.