The Gate

Can you now say with 100% certainty there is no separate "self?"

Yes. This is now known because, when conscious of being lost in thought (the story of ‘me’), the question is asked, where is “I”? At that moment the content of thought dissolves and there is a brief stillness. ”I”, “me”, “the separate self” can not be found. Its just a ‘thought’ that can be traced back to emptiness.

This illusion of the separate self is a very persistent and convincing ‘story’ though. The question ‘where is I’ seems to be the door back to the truth, but his will require a relentlessness to match the story.

Good morning

Good that you see there is no self.

This illusion of the separate self is a very persistent and convincing ‘story’ though. The question ‘where is I’ seems to be the door back to the truth, but his will require a relentlessness to match the story.

The story has no power. So what? It doesn't change anything. It's like Santa Claus. Once you see it's a man in a red suit, you can never be fooled again. Right?

LOOK & SEE

Loving,

The story has no power. So what? It doesn't change anything. It's like Santa Claus. Once you see it's a man in a red suit, you can never be fooled again. Right?

I read a quote yesterday - “It is the way of the mystic, you know….to be the storm and the calm.” When I am the calm, I feel so close to the truth, so connected, and “the story has no power”. When the storm sets in I am sometimes able to observe it and experience it without identifying with it but I still collapse back into this story too often, separating from the wholeness you have helped me feel.

What does "too often mean? "

Isn't it like Santa Claus? You are not fooled?

Seeing can come & go as we adjust to what is true. Watch this, please:

https://youtu.be/vJQcD588g2w

and

https://youtu.be/PUDzrCLlrj4

Loving,

Seeing can come & go as we adjust to what is true.

In moments of solitude I ask, Where is “I”? and a very peaceful sensation grows behind the forehead and the eyes. There is an emptiness and a spacious clearing of the burden of needing to be the thought ‘me’.
Buts its been a busy week and solitude has been hard to find. So the frustration of slipping back to the usual “me” (full of fears & expectations) sets in. Perhaps it’s the expectations of needing to feel this peaceful sensation all the time and the inability to sustain it outside of solitude. I want to start feeling my challenging moments in this new light but that’s not happening.
The accepting of the expansion and contraction fluctuations re your links that you sent are very helpful thanks.
I will listen to them some more and find more time for solitude tomorrow.
Thank you

That sounds good. We have some traditional "final" questions. Let me know when you are ready to attempt those.

Loving,

We have some traditional "final" questions. Let me know when you are ready to attempt those.

Ready for those questions Stacy

Okay, Roger here you go:


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 & give examples from experience.

Describe intention & give examples from experience.

Describe free will & give examples from experience.

Describe choice & give examples from experience.

Describe control & give examples from experience.

What makes things happen? How does it work?

What are you responsible for? Give examples from experience.

6) Anything to add?

Loving,

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

There is no “I”. When asked, where is “I”, the experience feels like a dissolving into emptiness.
Thoughts and labels continue to create stories centred around this “I” but when these thoughts are traced back to the source there is nothing.
“I” is just the content of a thought, so no actual “I” has ever existed.

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.

When deep looking, the question is asked “where is I”? A feeling comes, like seeing many imaginary layers dissolving, leading to nothing……. no “I”, no “me”, no ”separate self” can be found. These imaginary layers that strip away are just empty thought patterns making up the illusion of the separate self. Its just a mental construct, a belief system, built up from a young age through the language and labels we absorbed from parents, friends, mentors and society norms. “I” is just a label.

We are born with tendencies that are compounded by learnt concepts such as “you” and “others”; “us” and “them”; “yours” and “mine”; “good” and “bad”; “right” and “wrong”; “hate” and “love”. These concepts come with built in judgement and expectations which separate us from our true nature. They are energy patterns conditioned to repeat, creating a false continuity and familiarity we become accustomed and comfortable with. We become isolated and disconnected from the raw experience of ‘what is’ actually happening now, moment by moment. We have become lost in the content of thought.

Great start!

Sorry Stacy, have been sucked back into my life situation. I need two more days before I can continue with your questions.

Okay. Thanks for letting me know.

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.

There is freedom that comes with this seeing, and with the knowing that this truth is always there when I bring my attention to it. However there is also a frustration that my attention strays too easily back to the content of my thoughts.

The difference from before is I now have a pointer/tool to bring my attention back to seeing this false “I”, and the illusion that it is. There continues to be big portions of the day where I continue to be lost in thought which is even more frustrating than before because of the higher expectations that have come with a these new insights.

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

The work with you Stacy on seeing what ‘actual’ experience is; seeing the ‘labelling’ that distorts reality; and the meditations you sent me eg tracing thoughts back to emptiness, all came together during a walk at the park when I asked myself, ‘Where is I’? I could feel this burden of this concept I thought I was fall away. Attachment, judgment and expectation fell away with it, and all that was left was impersonal observation.

Beautiful, Roger. Thank you.

Hi Roger,

There are just 2 more questions. Are you okay? Can you complete this?

Loving,