The Gate

Hi Maria,

Continue to work with any fears or expectations etc as they pop up and are noticed.

There's no chooser and no director, which makes me think that the world we live in is so bizarre. Our whole political and economical system is based on this belief.

This is a key insight so keep noticing it. All a flow unfolding. No manager.

We know what is appearing and we call that a sense of knowing, consciousness, or awareness etc.
Is this the same as people call 'presence'?

Probably but for me it seems to have slight mystical connotations that aren't really helpful. Probably best to stick with awareness or if talking about what is appearing e.g. the sound of a car passing then 'noticing' is what ir feels like.

Is it true to say "A bird was heard" or "I just heard a bird"

'A bird was heard'. Unless the thought can hear a bird.

Brilliant!!

Something occurs / appears and a label pops up and if it is significant or relates to other stuff a story begins. If it relates to how we think of ourself, our views, identity etc then an "I" story kicks off.

I should become a DJ as this links us directly to thought questions....

What we will do now is really look at thought carefully so here are a few questions. This batch deal with thinking in a generalised way and then the next will have you look at "I" thoughts:

Don't agonize, or think, simply look and answer from the gut.

Where do thoughts come from?

Where are they going?

Can ‘you’ stop a thought in the middle?

Can you choose what to think?

Can you choose what not to think?

Can 'you' choose not to have painful or negative thoughts?

Are thoughts belonging to a self or just occurring?

I think you will enjoy this,

Michael

Hi Michael,

Thank you for your help with this.

Where do thoughts come from?

I have no idea. I think they are floating around.

Where are they going?

I don't know.

Can ‘you’ stop a thought in the middle?

No.

Can you choose what to think?

No.

Can you choose what not to think?

No.

Can 'you' choose not to have painful or negative thoughts?

No.

Are thoughts belonging to a self or just occurring?

No, they are just coming and going.

Thank you!
Maria

Hi Marie,

Great answers - well done!

Here are the more specific “I” thoughts:

Can an 'I' be found that generates thoughts?

Does the thinker of the thought appear in experience? Can it be found?

Could it be that the 'I' that thinks is also just a thought?

Is there an 'I' that controls thoughts?

Is it possible to prevent the thought "I" from appearing?


Do relax and take your time

You will enjoy these I’m sure!

Michael

Hi Maria,


I am going away for about a week so unfortunately, I will be unable to respond to posts. Keep up the inquiry – remember the heart of the inquiry is simple:

You have a belief, an assumption, that a separate self exists, (but it doesn’t it is an illusion).

Your job is to find the self that you believe to be there running the show. But you won’t be able to. The penny will drop or there will be a moment of clear seeing; of non-duality.

:-)

Michael

Hi Michael,

Sure, thank you for letting me know :)

All the best,
Maria

Hi Michael,

Here are my answers to your previous questions:

Can an 'I' be found that generates thoughts?

No.

Does the thinker of the thought appear in experience? Can it be found?

No.

Could it be that the 'I' that thinks is also just a thought?

Yes. It could be. Most probably.

Is there an 'I' that controls thoughts?

No. Thoughts cannot be controlled.

Is it possible to prevent the thought "I" from appearing?

No.

Thank you!
Maria

Hi Maria,

Great answers, well done.

So what does this tell you?

What is the role of thought in the construction of a sense of self?

:-)

Michael

Hi Michael,

Welcome back!

What is the role of thought in the construction of a sense of self?

I'd say that the thought constructs a story about a self and we believe it, and the reason why we don't get easily detached from believing it is that it's almost constantly reinforced by the people around us.

Thank you!
Maria

Hi Maria,

So do you still believe the self is real?

What is the impact of seeing that it is simply a thought construct?

:-)

Michael

Hi Michael,

So do you still believe the self is real?

It appears to be very real, but I don't believe it is.

What is the impact of seeing that it is simply a thought construct?

I am still attached to the 'I' thought most, if not all, the time. However, I feel so much more relaxed, and more forgiving of myself, and less inclined to take things personally. I also feel a relief that I'm not who I thought I was, and that this aliveness/awareness has been doing life for me, already, all this time, so in a way, this takes a huge burden off of me. This to me is progress!

Thank you!
Maria

Hi Maria,

So do you still believe the self is real?

It appears to be very real, but I don't believe it is.

A good answer! Stories about self continue but are no longer believed in.....

I am still attached to the 'I' thought most, if not all, the time.

The "I" thoughts will still run. What makes you say you are attached to them? Who, or what is attached to them exactly?

However, I feel so much more relaxed, and more forgiving of myself, and less inclined to take things personally. I also feel a relief that I'm not who I thought I was, and that this aliveness/awareness has been doing life for me, already, all this time, so in a way, this takes a huge burden off of me. This to me is progress!

This sounds really fantastic! Do you think a shift has occurred?

Stay with this insight anbd keep noticing that life is doing itself - that there is no 'you' doing it.

Tell me of any differences you notice at work, or with family or friends.

:-)

Michael

Hi Michael,

The "I" thoughts will still run. What makes you say you are attached to them? Who, or what is attached to them exactly?

This is a good question. I said that because of things I've read with experiences people have when they 'awaken' from the 'ego' mind, that they experience a sense of tranquility and the thoughts although they exist, they are in the background. In my case, they are at the forefront!

This sounds really fantastic! Do you think a shift has occurred?

I don't know. A small shift maybe, in the sense that since we started, it's far more obvious to me that there's no self, than it used to be.

Stay with this insight and keep noticing that life is doing itself - that there is no 'you' doing it.Tell me of any differences you notice at work, or with family or friends.

There's definitely no 'me' doing anything. This is also related to your question above, when you ask 'What makes you say you are attached to them'. that although I understand and I see that there's no self, I act as if there is a self, meaning that I'm still entangled in taking things personally and believing the thought 'I'.
One difference I noticed so far is that I am kinder to myself and less fearful of criticism. For example, today at a meeting I was at, I was very relaxed and questions would come naturally to me and just asked them, without worrying whether they are stupid and what people will think of my questions.

Thank you Michael!
Maria

Hi Maria,

In my case, (thoughts) they are at the forefront!

Sorry to hear that...but at least they are easy to study....all those self referential thoughts that you believe and that create the Maria story.

This sounds really fantastic! Do you think a shift has occurred?

I don't know. A small shift maybe, in the sense that since we started, it's far more obvious to me that there's no self, than it used to be.

I am glad that it is more obvious to you that the self doesn't exist.

There's definitely no 'me' doing anything.

Brilliant!!

How did you see this?

In what situations / circumstances do you notice this?

although I understand and I see that there's no self, I act as if there is a self, meaning that I'm still entangled in taking things personally and believing the thought 'I'.

If you see there is no self, that it is an illusion created by "I" thoughts why do you still believe them?

One difference I noticed so far is that I am kinder to myself and less fearful of criticism. For example, today at a meeting I was at, I was very relaxed and questions would come naturally to me and just asked them, without worrying whether they are stupid and what people will think of my questions.

That's lovely to hear. Sounds like you were nicely in the flow.

When no self is fully seen self doubt and self criticism etc tend to not arise. What they are contingent on and relating to isn't there so those kinds of stories and attitudes can't run or get a foothold.

You are doing reaslly well. Keep noticing thought and the stories being told.

Are thoughts real? true? Think of a glass of water - can you drink it?

Michael :-)

Hi Michael,

"There's definitely no 'me' doing anything." How did you see this?
In what situations/circumstances do you notice this?

For example, today when I replied to a text message, my answer came up automatically. There was no 'I' doing it. The other day, I had an impulse to go to a meetup and went. Of course, there was thought commentary while doing it, but the impulse and the movement preceded the thought.

If you see there is no self, that it is an illusion created by "I" thoughts why do you still believe them?

Because if I don't believe in them, I'm not sure what is there, and if I trust it.

Are thoughts real? true? Think of a glass of water - can you drink it?

I like that example. They are not real.

Thank you!
Maria

Hi Maria,

"There's definitely no 'me' doing anything." How did you see this?
In what situations/circumstances do you notice this?

For example, today when I replied to a text message, my answer came up automatically. There was no 'I' doing it. The other day, I had an impulse to go to a meetup and went. Of course, there was thought commentary while doing it, but the impulse and the movement preceded the thought.


Great. Fantastic. Life is unfolding and we add a commentary - largely centred around 'ourself'.

If you see there is no self, that it is an illusion created by "I" thoughts why do you still believe them?

Because if I don't believe in them, I'm not sure what is there, and if I trust it.


But you saw above that life is happening anyway (whether we believe in thought, in a separate self, or not) - texts get written, meetings are got to etc.


"Is life happening to a tree or as a tree?

Can you see that tree is a form of life? That it’s aliveness that takes a form which we call a tree?

Is life happening to this body or as this body?

Can you see that what we call thoughts, feelings, sensations, situation, people, all are names for a form. And we fixate on labels for forms. But all that is aliveness showing up as forms.

Is life happening to you or as you?"


Enjoy!

Michael