Requesting a Guide

[Canfora]

Maybe you've missed my second post? Are you afraid of what may happen?

You're focusing in thoughts at the moment it seems. How would you answer these questions:
Can a thought think? Can a thought do anything?

[lew]

Maybe you've missed my second post? Are you afraid of what may happen?

I did miss that second post.
You asked:

Are you afraid of what may happen if you see without a doubt that the separate self is an illusion?

Yes, a little fear is felt. It feels like walking on a tightrope without a net.
But it also feels like this idea of a self is like being in a fog.

You're focusing in thoughts at the moment it seems. How would you answer these questions:
Can a thought think? Can a thought do anything?

No, a thought doesn't think. A thought doesn't do anything.
But, I would guess a thought can lead to another thought.

- Lew

[Canfora]

My son is hogging the computer and I don't like writing on a android, only with one finger, so this is going to be a short post. Do you see that the self is an illusion? If you do, how would you explain this, with your own words, to a friend that never heard a word about this?

[lew]

My son is hogging the computer and I don't like writing on a android, only with one finger, so this is going to be a short post.
Do you see that the self is an illusion?
If you do, how would you explain this, with your own words, to a friend that never heard a word about this?

Friend, I'm going to explain how the self is an illusion.
You may think it's Lew explaining this.
Even at fist glance, I usually think it's a Lew explaining it.
So Lew must be a litte man pulling the levers ?
Thats what we really assume when we assume there is a Lew.
But just looking at this notion, we see its always been a ridiculous notion.
That should be enough right there.
But its not, because this self-illusion is very strong.
You say, "There must be a self, i feel it in my gut. it is this self who is feeling this and saying this".
I say that I've looked and don't see anything that can be called a self.
I see feelings arise, thoughts arise, sensations experienced.
I must admit, a part of me thinks there must be a self, hiding in there somewhere.
But that is just thinking happening. That is just the illusion-code running.
And, I must admit, I sometimes think there is a self further back, doing the observing.
Again, illusion-code running.
Thinking means illusion-code. It doesn't lead to a self.
OK, I FEEL sometimes there is a self further back, doing the observing.
Who feels ? Feelings arise from the brain and the illusion-code.
But I've always assumed and believed in a self.
What I ? This is the illusion-code.
Around and Around in circles. It always returns to illusion-code.

[Canfora]

Very nice!

If you are sure that you see the illusion, have a go with the LU 6 standard questions. They're a good way to check if we missed something, just answer them with a fresh look and see what response emerges.... can do it in parts if needed.

Or if you feel something is missing and doubts are popping up, let me know what is going on, and we can keep looking.


Here are the questions, in case you feel ready to answer them:

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 recent day to day experience.

6) Anything to add?

[lew]

Very nice!

If you are sure that you see the illusion, have a go with the LU 6 standard questions. They're a good way to check if we missed something, just answer them with a fresh look and see what response emerges.... can do it in parts if needed.

Or if you feel something is missing and doubts are popping up, let me know what is going on, and we can keep looking.


Here are the questions, in case you feel ready to answer them:

I'm not sure that I am ready. But I don't have a reason that I'm not, other than lack
of a huge AHA moment. I didnt get an AHA moment.
More of a: duh, of course, feeling. So, seems too obvious.
Mind insists there must be something missing.
But this is now seen as just mind "mind"-ing. Not a self.

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

No. There was ever only the strong illusion of a lew.

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is,

The illusion of self is thinking there is a little man somewhere in the brain pulling the levers.
I never thought that I thought there was this little man, but really, I must have.
If not the little man, then some other agent.
Some other "cause" must be behind all of this, and then this "cause" would be the real-est Lew.

when it starts

Before liberationunleashed I would have answered that it is always there, even when we sleep.
Now I see that it arises whenever it happens to arise.
I was at the supermarket today. Somebody was blocking the isle and "I" got stressed out.
Before liberationunleashed, "I", Lew, was getting stressed.
But that's not so. This body has been conditioned to react this way under circumstances, and it did.

and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

This false self feeds on the anxiety and this strengthens the false self itself.
Part of it's "program" is to see the world in certain ways.
This feeds it too. It seems like most everything feeds it.

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.

The past few days have been a very gentle breakthrough. Before , illusion-self was fighting back because , I suppose, it needs to defend itself.
But in the past few days, it just seems obvious that it's just an illusion-self.
At the beginning of the dialogue, illusion-self couldnt get the idea "out of its head" that there must be a self, because it was it.

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

It was this, from Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:25 am

I suppose I am forgetting to bring forth the wrong idea that there is a lew ?

If you look, can you see this I that is forgetting the idea of it's existence?
Is this a thought explaining what may be happening or is a real I present here?
If you look, can you find this I?

This was an aha moment. I realized that my answers were always I I I. But look, no I.
Just thoughts.

5) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control. What makes things happen?
How does it work?

I never much bought into free will, choice and control.
Nevertheless, I would get angry at actions of others (!).
So it isnt a leap to see that there isnt free will; that would seem to require the little guy pulling the levers.
The illusion-self rebels against the notion that a person doesn't have choice or control.
But, causes and conditions lead to what appears to be choices.
Thankfully we do have the illusion-self, or it seems the world would be in chaos.
We all go about with the illusion-self believing in free will, choice and control.
But, really, its just "what is" playing out.

What are you responsible for?

Fortunately, illusion-self is a responsible member of society.Other than that I don't know how to answer.
There isn't an independent agent of self...
I just don't know how to reconcile this question with no-self.

Give examples from recent day to day experience.

6) Anything to add?

The "What are you responsible for? " question has illusion-self feeling in a bit of a panic.
But that's not self. Do I listen to it ?

[Canfora]

Thank you for your answers lew! I have no more questions to you and I've asked the other guides to read our conversation, to check if they think something needs to be explored further. Meanwhile I'm going to copy/past something Ilona has beautifully wrote in her blog because I think it may be helpful to you:

"Right, this is when it gets interesting.

Since the core belief has been busted, there will be a lot of lost beliefs hanging. Imagine, it's like a computer system, if you delete some programs, there will be some files left behind that will slow down the performance, so you usually clean it up. Defragment the system, tune it up.

Knocking the core belief out is like a tsunami to your system. It leaves a lot of rubble behind, lot of corpses to take care of. So what you want to do here is clarify and clarify, and clarify more. Keep an eye on the truth, let the beliefs surface. They will come up one by one ready to be released. Don’t fight them and hold on to nothing. As soon as you start holding on to belief, idea, you get stuck. To unstuck, just let it all fall of. I call this stage “Falling” as all that is untrue, falls away, all that it is true, falls into place.

Some say it takes around a couple of months to settle in , but everyone is different. So there is no guarantee how long it will take for your system to reboot and re-balance. Faith in truth is your friend. Desire to get the last lie of your system is another friend as well as readiness to let go of everything that does not serve anymore. Doubt your precious beliefs and keep investigating. This is only a beginning, not an end. It is not a gate to happy ever after, it's a tiny first step, a very important one, but not final one, by any means.

Look close at the most precious beliefs that are close to the heart, in no touch zone. They are the ones that you really want to inspect up close. You will recognize them by feeling resistance. Follow resistance. It is here to let you know that another bit of lie is sitting somewhere waiting to be noticed.

When the sticking point is removed life becomes easier, it has got a real sense of freedom, appreciation, effortlessness, trust and awe. There is freedom in every situation. There is freedom to express without feelings of guilt fear, being wrong. Freedom is not from negative situation, but within the situations. Life is no longer looked at through the lens of “me”. It’s wide open, ready to be explored. It is an end to seeking, but not an end to exploring.

Live, enjoy, pass the message."

(http://markedeternal.blogspot.pt/p/start-here.html - step 6)

[lew]

Thank you Sandra.
I so appreciate the time, care, and patience that you've given me.
That copy/paste from Ilona is most helpful.
With Metta,
Lew

[Canfora]

My pleasure lew!
We have no more questions to ask you so welcome to the other side of the gateless gate!
It was a pleasure being your guide and, if you join LU FB groups, I will say hi there. If needed, feel free to send me a PM or e-mail or to write here in this topic which will stay open.

One of the administrators is going to welcome you to the post gate group and send some information soon.

Big hug,
S