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[Sarah7]

Try this first
Sit on a chair with your eyes closed. Feel the Direct Experience of sitting there. Notice thoughts thinking, labelling and explaining. Notice memory too. Notice sensations experiencing. Notice the sensation of bottom on chair – what is that – a thought? Notice the ‘me’ ‘mine labels e.g. this is my bottom – but look closely at that sensation labelling – is it yours, or just coming and going along with thoughts, ever changing. Is it the thought that wants to own? How many sensations do you notice? 2? One bottom sensation, and one chair sensation? How is that possible? Where does one sensation end and another begin? Locate that line. Can you feel that line? Or is that thought? Can you sense that line – or is that thought explaining the sensation?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

I'm just sitting on a chair. Thoughts and memories seem to be just passing by on the inside of my eyelids. Everything is labelled – chair, sounds, feelings and sensations. Hearing is just happening, no control over that. Memory kicks in and I find I'm sitting just how I used to when I had school photos taken in the junior school. But when I look the memories are on exactly the same screen as the thoughts and sensations. Then I remember the hurt child I was and that one sticks!

The sensation of my bottom on the chair made me laugh Sarah. There is absolutely no 'gap'. I can't tell the difference between my bottom and the chair, it's like one sensation that cannot possibly be created or 'owned' by me. It's not coming from anywhere – it just is. There's no cause, it comes from nowhere. Wow, I see that. What a simple thing to point me to Sarah, and so effective.

Thanks Sarah
Love Jackie
x

[Sarah7]

Hey
Lets look at sensory experience and separation and then we can go back to the mirror exercise. Ok!

Describe the experience of seeing step-by-step. In seeing, what is being experienced? What is happening when "seeing" is happening? What is doing the seeing? What is being seen? What does "seeing" consists of? Go into detail. Describe the actual, direct experience of seeing.

Gaze at an object. Turn up that inner magnifying glass to observe what's happening in direct experience. Do you first perceive the object using some other sense, and then see it later? Can you find a dividing line between the object and the seeing of it? Or are the object and the seeing of it inseparable? Is there an entity called "you" experiencing the seeing? Can you find a dividing line between "you" and seeing? Is it an accurate description of direct experience? Are there really three entities there in direct experience, an "I" and seer and an object? Or is there only seeing? What do you see about the thought, "I'm seeing that object"?

Try it with various sights e.g. out of the window at a distant view. See if you can find a way to separate the object from the seeing and the seeing from the seer. Where does one start and the other end? How many senses are there here - 1 or more?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

Describe the experience of seeing step-by-step. In seeing, what is being experienced? What is happening when "seeing" is happening? What is doing the seeing? What is being seen? What does "seeing" consists of? Go into detail. Describe the actual, direct experience of seeing.

I'm experiencing images of everything around me. My eyes are moving around and looking at everything. It's just an experience, and I can't find anything which is doing the seeing it's just happening. Logic tells me it's my eyes doing the seeing but I'm not making them do it.

Gaze at an object. Turn up that inner magnifying glass to observe what's happening in direct experience. Do you first perceive the object using some other sense, and then see it later? Can you find a dividing line between the object and the seeing of it? Or are the object and the seeing of it inseparable? Is there an entity called "you" experiencing the seeing? Can you find a dividing line between "you" and seeing? Is it an accurate description of direct experience? Are there really three entities there in direct experience, an "I" and seer and an object? Or is there only seeing? What do you see about the thought, "I'm seeing that object"?

I become aware of the object then see it. I can't find a dividing line between the object and the seeing of it, it's like they're all one. There is no 'me' seeing it, it's thoughts again. It's almost like I don't know what the object is without them. Seeing just happens, 'I'm seeing that object' is just a thought. Without the 'I' it's just seeing. I'm not very good at these descriptions Sarah.

Try it with various sights e.g. out of the window at a distant view. See if you can find a way to separate the object from the seeing and the seeing from the seer. Where does one start and the other end? How many senses are there here - 1 or more?

There isn't a separation Sarah, it's all one sense. The object, the seeing and the seer are just one thing – the experience of seeing.

Love Jackie
x

[Sarah7]

Hi Jackie
You: I'm experiencing images of everything around me. My eyes are moving around and looking at everything. It's just an experience, and I can't find anything which is doing the seeing it's just happening. Logic tells me it's my eyes doing the seeing but I'm not making them do it.

Me: have a little look at the sensation of eyes. Logic is what? Another thought?
Does seeing happen even if thought is busy elsewhere?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah

When I'm thinking I don't see! I suppose I am otherwise I couldn't cross a field without knowing it but there definately isn't a 'me' seeing anything. It must just happen. When I try to look without labelling anything my thoughts still describe what I see. Logic is just another thought too. I think seeing could not happen without thoughts. Is that all seeing is? Thoughts?

Love Jackie
X

[Sarah7]

Hey Jackie
You: When I'm thinking I don't see!

Me: look again. Do you mean seeing or labelling doesn't happen?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

It's labelling! I do see things but it doesn't register what they are. I just see colours and shapes. I am getting a bit lost Sarah and feel I'm getting further away from 'seeing ' .I'm trying really hard and sometimes I feel like I'm getting it and other times think I'm totally stupid and will never get it. I really do appreciate your help and patience Sarah.

Love Jackie
X

Love Jackie
x

[Sarah7]

Hey Jackie
You: It's labelling! I do see things but it doesn't register what they are. I just see colours and shapes.

Me: are colour and shape also thought?

You: I am getting a bit lost Sarah and feel I'm getting further away from 'seeing ' .I'm trying really hard and sometimes I feel like I'm getting it and other times think I'm totally stupid and will never get it.

Me: and so is this! Who or what is there to 'get this'? What is complicating things? Thoughts? Lol!
Just nice seeing when thoughts are elsewhere, does it happen? Do you take in stuff all the time without labelling anything? But it just isn't noticed? No worries if forgetting happens!
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

I surrender! Lol. Hi Sarah good to be guided by you again. Thoughts are definitely not my friends at the moment. Of course I see everything - it's needed to navigate the world. Just don't always remember doing it! Thoughts sometimes complicate everything but it's so simple if you just look. I seem to have lost the simplicity and got complicated with intellect again. 'I' could not stop seeing if I wanted to it just happens. Mostly labelling happens I have to work at not labelling.

Gotta go to work Sarah but thanks for listening.
Love Jackie
X

[Sarah7]

Hey Jackie!
Lol. So thoughts aren't your friend? Are you at war with them? In that case that's thoughts going to war with thoughts! That's funny! Next time you. It even that have a good laugh!

OK – so onto hearing!
Notice the sounds you’re hearing, like the chirping of the birds. Notice the habitual thought, "Those are birds." Notice the habitual thought, "I hear that." Now just pay attention to how hearing happens. Take your time with it. Can you find a dividing line between the sound and the hearing of the sound? Are you doing the hearing? Or is it truer to say that hearing is just happening? Then look to see whether there's a dividing line between the hearing of it and a separate entity, a "you," doing the hearing. In other words, what does it mean when you say, "I'm hearing that sound"? Are there really three entities there in direct experience, an "I" and hearing and a sound? Or is there just one experience of hearing, with no one as a hearer. Look closely. Try it with various sounds. See if you can find a way to separate the sound from the hearing and the hearing from the hearer. Where does one start and the other end? So what do you see about the thought, "I'm hearing that sound"? Is it an accurate description of direct experience?
What is a noise? Is that a label also? Is the sound there? Can you really know? Can you catch the labelling – ‘I’ hear that?
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,
I'm listening to the rain (always a favorite sound ). But there's no separation. No me hearing but hearing just happening. It's like a complete experience, no, a oneness. Hard to describe but wow. There's no line between the sound and the hearer. No hearer - incredible, it just is. 'I'm hearing that sound ' is not accurate at all and in no way a description of direct experience. Noise is a label that gets attached to an 'I ' but it can't be confirmed as real. What is hearing anyway? Apart from what we've been told? Vibrations in an ear that gets interpreted by a brain? Can't totally trust that. Can only say it's an experience. I'm waffling so I'll go but I could and will explore further. This is fun.

Love Jackie
X

[Sarah7]

Hey Jackie
How do you know you have sight? Do the eyes actually see? Do ears actually hear? Is this what is experienced? Can a face, hand or foot know or experience something? Can a face, hand or foot hear, taste, smell or see these words? Or are the face, hand and foot known and experienced along with everything else?

How does seeing the body differ from the seeing an object exercise? Our direct experience of the body is not the same as the idea we have about it. We only see fragments and we collect them together from memory to make a whole. Because we think it whole it gives us the impression of solidity, permanence and reality. But that is not our direct experience. The fragments also are never seen without an aspect of the world – e.g. I am writing this at a computer and I see my hands writing surrounded by desk, keyboard etc. The total visual field – one seamless whole, made only of seeing. It is thought that artificially divides. Just as the screen is one seamless whole. From the point of view of the object – all items are separate, but from the point of view of the screen there is nothing separate or independent object there is just the screen.
Test this.
Hugs Sarah xxx

[Dangermouse]

Hi Sarah,

I don't know I have sight or hearing. I was just taught how it works by conditioning and biology lessons. A face, hand or foot can't experience anything they're just part of the picture but separated from the whole by thought.

How can I know for sure I have a head.? It's only seen in a mirror or on a photograph - not directly. So I can't 'know'. At the moment my visual field includes everything but my head but it must be there or how could I have a visual field? Everything is seen as one whole picture, including my body sitting, hands typing etc but no head except as a thought. The body thing is very difficult for me Sarah as I identify with it so much. It's what I show the world and what the world sees. Could you help me through this please? This is a biggy for me as identification with my body led me to anorexia and weighing 5 stone for a decade. Not seeking sympathy Sarah, just desperately need to ditch this attachment.

Thanks again
Love Jackie
X

[Sarah7]

Hey
Touch the table (or any object) with your eyes shut (or open). Pretend like it’s the first time you have ever touched a table. Go straight to the raw sensation/perception. What is your direct experience of this ‘table’? List your direct experience. Is it senses again? Is it thoughts again? Look very closely. Which comes first the senses or the thoughts?
Does the sensation of touching come with a shape, density, weight, size, colour, age or function? Does this sensation come with a ‘not me’ label or ‘other’ label? Is it one sensation/perception or two?
Look at how thoughts try and take over, try and explain, try and prove. Notice your memories or references with which you compare the experience.
Sit with these sensations. Look at them. Look at the labelling e.g. table, hand. Look at the thoughts or story that attach at the end of this list if any. What is your direct experience of these words? Do they exist outside of thought? Are they sensations again? Are they just thoughts again? Look very closely. Which comes first the sensation or the thoughts? Don’t pay attention to the thoughts just look at what they do, when they come in.

At the moment my visual field includes everything but my head

No true. Test that! Your back, neck etc.

It's what I show the world and what the world sees.

What is this made up of? Pick it apart and have a dam good look at it! Splurge if needed!

just desperately need to ditch this attachment.

Is that thought wanting? Just recognise the identification is there - that's all. Recognise too that there is a thought there that wants rid. OK. Lets take this nice and slow. And you can pm me.
Hugs Sarah xxx