The Gate

Hi Ian

Nice to be back in contact.

Yes it is! :)

did you find a body anywhere?

Nowhere. There is just the AE of colour and sensation - and the AE of thought, which labels experience "body"

Yep, no body (nobody) nowhere! :)

Consider whether this body image + story has ever appeared before - or is this the only time you have ever been aware of these *exact* colours and this exact story about the body

This body image and exact story has never occurred before. It is unique. What I notice is another AE of thought that tells the story "this is the same body you have looked at before" - but just meaningless content

Nice looking, Ian.

Can you find any previous appearances of the body? Where are they?

Nope. There is just the colour image right now, together with the thought label of "body". And then the AE of thought that says "this body has appeared before - it is you"...

Terrific!

Okay, you are clear about the ‘body’ or should I say you are clear about the non-body! :)

Let’s move on to memory.

Almost everybody believes that a memory thought is referring to something that has happened.
That a memory thought is a different thought than a non-memory thought.

What is memory exactly? – please don’t go to thought explanation, but just let a memory be there, and look at it…

What is the memory ‘made of’?
WHEN does the memory appear?

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘memory’ thought?

How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘memory’ thought refers to something that has happened?

Then, look at a thought about the future.
What is the future thought ‘made of’?

WHEN does the future thought appear?

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘future’ thought?
How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘future’ thought refers to something that will happen?

Then let’s compare a thought about past and a thought about the future.
What is the EXACT difference between the thoughts about past and future?
If there is difference, how that difference is known exactly?

Look very carefully at each question and look at what is actually going on, and not what thoughts say… but what actually is.

Love, Kay

Hi Kay

What is the memory ‘made of’?

A memory is the AE of thought. The content of thought is a mental image (AE of colour) or of sound, and another thought "labels" this content as memory

WHEN does the memory appear?

In the here and now (obviously). But another thought arises that labels the content of this thought as "something that happened in the past". As I look at how a 'memory' appears, however, it is totally random. I have no control over when, or how, it arises...

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘memory’ thought?

Nothing at all. It is just that another thought labels a 'memory' thought as "something that really happened". But it is all just content of thought

How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘memory’ thought refers to something that has happened?

See previous - just because the content of another thought says so.

Then, look at a thought about the future.
What is the future thought ‘made of’?

Exactly the same. AE of thought and a label/ content that says this is about something that will or might happen

WHEN does the future thought appear?

Just the same. In the here and now. Just as with 'memory', as I look at how a 'future thought' appears, however, it is totally random. I have no control over when, or how, it arises..

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘future’ thought?

Again...none. Except the label of another thought that tells me this is about what might or will happen

How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘future’ thought refers to something that will happen?

It is not known exactly. The only reason is a thought whose content labels it as such. And there are times when a mental image occurs that thoughts says will or might happen that ends up being totally untrue. It is all just fantasy, make believe.

Then let’s compare a thought about past and a thought about the future.

What is the EXACT difference between the thoughts about past and future?

There is no difference - except the thought label that gets attached is different ("experienced already" v "what may be")

If there is difference, how that difference is known exactly?

Again, only through the label of another thought that tells me so. There is no actual basis in reality..

Hey Ian,

Great work with memory, I have no further questions for you with regards to that.

Let’s move onto time itself.

There is a general assumption that there is linear time that started (if started at all) somewhere very far in the past and advances to the distant future. The present moment (now) is considered to be a very small fragment of time or an event that is moving forward on this linear time, coming from the past and advancing to the future.

But is there an experience that the now is moving along the line of time?
How long does the now last?
Where does it start and where does it end?
When does the now exactly become the past?

How is it known that the now is moving? Or that it lasts?
How is it known exactly that there is such thing as 'now'?
What is the actual experience of 'now' or 'the present moment'?

Love, Kay

Hi Ian,

I haven't heard from you for a couple of days....how's it going?

K

Hi Kay

Apologies for radio silence...life kind of got in the way and there were lots of distracting thoughts ;-)

To your questions:

But is there an experience that the now is moving along the line of time?

No - all there is AE of colour, sound, sensation and thought

How long does the now last?

It has no duration. There is just Actual Experience

Where does it start and where does it end?

It doesn't start or end. Time fragments experience and creates thoughts which it "says" belong to the past in the form of memories

When does the now exactly become the past?

It doesn't. There is just the now - and thought whose content says a particular mental image is a recollection of the past

How is it known that the now is moving? Or that it lasts?

It is only because thought fragments current experience, and then creates images of the "past" that it says are what happened in the "past". Without this process there is no sense of moving or that time lasts...

How is it known exactly that there is such thing as 'now'?

There is only Actual Experience of colour, sound, sensation, thought. We classify what is as "now" when thought fragments experience and creates the illusion of a past and present

What is the actual experience of 'now' or 'the present moment'?

The AE of now is colour, sensation, sound, thought. Nothing else.

Ix

Hi Ian,

Lovely to hear from you.

and there were lots of distracting thoughts

By this do you mean thoughts of doubt etc?

Thank you for being so diligent in looking and answering questions. Just a few more before the final confirmation questions.

Has it been clearly SEEN that there is no separate individual, and never has been?
Has it been clearly SEEN that there has never been a separate individual that could control or own life or anything?
Is there any chooser or decider of any kind?
Is there a separate individual/entity of any kind whatsoever that could be responsible for anything at all?
Is there a separate entity that started this investigation?
Has there ever been a separate self doing anything?
Is there any confusion at all or anything you would like to address?

Love, Kay

Hi Kay

By this do you mean thoughts of doubt etc?

Not so much doubt - but there are periods where I find myself not LOOKing - and the experience is of being swept up/ immersed in the 'dream'

Has it been clearly SEEN that there is no separate individual, and never has been?

Without doubt

Has it been clearly SEEN that there has never been a separate individual that could control or own life or anything?

No separate individual - and no control

Is there any chooser or decider of any kind?

Nope. Stuff just happens

Is there a separate individual/entity of any kind whatsoever that could be responsible for anything at all?

No - no separate individual

Is there a separate entity that started this investigation?

No

Has there ever been a separate self doing anything?

No

Is there any confusion at all or anything you would like to address?

Not at this stage. I am guessing that there are just experiences that arise when the experience is one of LOOKing and others when the experience is one of being immersed in the dream, right?

Ix

Hi Ian,

I am guessing that there are just experiences that arise when the experience is one of LOOKing and others when the experience is one of being immersed in the dream, right?

Yes, that’s right. Who or what controls when LOOKING happens or doesn’t happen; and what exactly (entity/thing/individual) is it that is LOOKING? Looking is an appearance in the dream and it SEEMS that there is ‘getting immersed in the dream’, but what exactly is that gets immersed in the dream? Are you not always aware of thought, colour, smell, sound, sensation and taste? The ‘getting immersed in the dream’ is just a story.

Okay, here are the final questions. Could you please answer each question in detail.


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 see it 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) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control.
What makes things happen? How does it work?
What are you responsible for?
Give examples from experience.

6) Anything to add?

Love, Kay

Hi Kay!

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

No - there has never been any separate self or I anywhere. It is all just an illusion of thought.

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 separate self is in actuality the AE of thought. The reality of experience is a single, unified experience. Now it is sensation, now colour, now image. But there are no boundaries between these experiences. It is a single experience. But the content of thought fragments this experience. It chops it up into little pieces and labels and names each experience. Then thought comments on this experience - often with the content expressing like or dislike of each of these artificially fragmented experiences. Along with a thought of liking, there may be a pleasant sensation to accompany this thought, for example. As this happens, another thought can appear that says something like "I am experiencing all this now" or "I am sitting here assessing the situation". But in reality it is just thought arising and passing, like clouds in the sky.

As we look at the sequence and order within which thoughts and sensation arise, we find the illusion is created by the apparent linkage between "external" phenomena and "internal" experiences. At first glance it can seem that there is a logical sequence between events - that one experience influences another. But it is thought that creates the logical sequence after the event - if we watch the flow of experience as it happens, it becomes clear that there is no logical sequence - what comes at any given time is just random. This creates the illusion of time, which is essential to the creation of an illusion of a separate self.

Ultimately, within this flow of experience, there is no separate self or I that can be found anywhere. If we start to look for it, it seems it lies just out of sight - just around the corner behind our current thought is the "I" that is doing the thinking. But in reality, there is a just another thought about the current thought. And if we look behind that there is another thought, and so on and so on. These thoughts are personalised - full of comments about "I like this" or "I think that", and although they are in effect just a fairy tale, the illusion of a separate self is created. Thoughts lie behind thoughts which lie behind thoughts - and this hall of mirrors creates the illusion of a separate self.

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.

So, interestingly enough as I have reached these conclusions, there has been more experiences and time spent not looking. Or maybe there is more awareness of not looking. In any case, what has emerged is a feeling of a weight lifted from my shoulders, a growing sense of ease and relaxation...being able to sit back and enjoy the ride.

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

Ian had been looking for a long time. What really helped this time was the realisation that any conclusions, any judgement, any assessment or apparently 'logical' conclusion - is all just fantasy that reinforces the idea of a separate I. Similarly my desire to attain enlightenment - to get somewhere other than here, all reinforces and sustains the illusion. Getting rid of that helped make the leap. All there is the experience of now - ineffable, indivisible and knowable only at the level of direct experience.

5) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control.
What makes things happen? How does it work?
What are you responsible for?
Give examples from experience.

So ultimately there is no such thing as intention, free will, choice and control - since there has to be a separate I for this to be true. After an event, thought post-rationalises experience to create the illusion that "I" chose to do something...but it is a fantasy. An example was the activity you suggested to raise one arm from being on the table. A thought can emerge about which hand to raise - and then either that hand gets raised, or the other one can. But how did that thought arise in the first instance - it is just random? If a thought emerges that says I intended to take a walk and then I end up walking, that correlation does not equate to causation. Besides, if we look at how the original thought emerges - it is a totally random process. There is no logic, no order, no sequence - and therefore no possibility for concepts such as free will, choice or control. In any case, there is no separate I - so therefore there can be no I choosing, free will or control. What happens is what is always going to happen. Our only responsibility is to look, experience - and enjoy the ride!

6) Anything to add?

Just a big, big thank you Kay - for holding my hand and partnering me along this path! Sending much love and affection over the seas to Australia

Ixxx

Hi Ian,

Thank you for your responses :) I am going to ask a couple of other guides to look over your responses, just to make sure I have covered everything and that they also see that you are clear. This may take a couple of days and they may or may not have further questions for you.

Love, Kay

Hi Ian,

A guide has a question for you with regards question 5. You wrote:

"Our only responsibility is to look,"

'Is there an individual there with a responsibility to look?
Could you describe what might really be going on with that?

Love, Kay

Hi Kay. What I said isn't correct. We have no responsibility- because there is no I or us that can be responsible. Experience happens - that is all.


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Love, Ian


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Hey Ian,

Congratulations, and welcome through the Gateless Gate. Thank you for your willingness to LOOK. There are no further questions. It was a pleasure walking with you and pointing the way.

We have private groups on Facebook, and there is an aftercare group where you can share insights as well as read others experience. I have sent you a private message asking you to message me your Facebook name so Werner, who organises this can invite you to those groups. If you don't want to join the FB groups...that is no problem as I will be keeping in contact with you via the forum PM over the next few weeks!

Love, Kay