Help Needed

[cosmiK]

Well... what if I were to tell you that we were a persuasion cult and that we were just trying to trick you in to believing there is no-self. How would you reply?

[NontheisticBuddhist]

"Good job."

[cosmiK]

So have you seen through the illusion of the separate self?

If so, how is this different to your 'realizations' previously that came and went?

[NontheisticBuddhist]

I think so.

My previous realizations seemed bigger at the time. They were also philosophical; more like "Hey this is a really cool idea that makes a lot of sense" than simply seeing. Simply seeing really is just simply seeing, and it doesn't seem like some huge revelation.

[cosmiK]

I think so.

what makes you think so?

My previous realizations seemed bigger at the time. They were also philosophical; more like "Hey this is a really cool idea that makes a lot of sense" than simply seeing. Simply seeing really is just simply seeing, and it doesn't seem like some huge revelation.

Whose realizations are these?

Who is seeing?

[NontheisticBuddhist]

what makes you think so?

As I said, makes sense that if I can't sense a "me" or control the thoughts that arise, and I can't directly experience "me", then there is no "me" to be found other than the idea of "me".

Whose realizations are these?

They aren't anybody's realizations, they were just realizations. Just like when you asked me if perceptions could perceive themselves or if they needed someone to perceive them. Realizations happen on their own.

Who is seeing?

Nobody is seeing, things are just seen. Just like people don't focus, focus simply happens.

[cosmiK]

Okay...

Jason, if I seem to be being hard on you, it is just because I want to make sure that SEEing is genuine. That's why I am here.

This is enough for now between the two of us. Get back to me again tomorrow night.

Assignment for you is to just go outside, for a walk, in nature, in an open sprawling place. Do this for at least 10 minutes.

LOOK, Notice.

Take a look at people, nature, trees, water, whatever... can you see that it is all spontaneously Alive, yet there are no separate entities? It's just a seamless flow of Life with no separate self watching. That even if there is a perception of a 'self or watcher' that is also part of the dance of Life. There is no separate self. There is just this Expression, this Dance, this Life, this Whatever-we-want-to-call-it. Relax in to it, and see there is noone to relax in to anything, it's all just happening. Look around and see that noone is looking, it's just an Alive appearance.

Drop labels, and just Notice, just SEE. LOOK deeply in to the appearance that is appearing.

Get back to me tomorrow and let me know where you are with all of this.

[NontheisticBuddhist]

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I'm visiting my brother at his college for the weekend and I haven't had an accessible computer. I'll post tomorrow and I'll be able to do the exercise tomorrow as well.

[cosmiK]

Jason,

no worries. The exercise is just simple Noticing, but it's nice to do it where a lot is going on, and around nature.

Hope your visit is going well my friend,

Talk soon.

[NontheisticBuddhist]

I did this exercise, and at first I had a really tough time. I kept TRYING to see the "seamless flow of Life" but I couldn't. After a few moments, however, my mind calmed and focus came, and I began to see that everything around me was connected. I'll try not to be too philosophical, but I don't know how else to articulate this. As I've said in the past, I am a bi-product of the Earth/universe and an expression of its energy, and it's brought me comfort to know that whatever situation I find myself in, I know that the entirety of the universe led to the here-and-now that I am in. Well, during this exercise I began to not only see everything/everyone else around me as an expression of energy, but the entire setting. The clouds, birds, trees, buildings, people, sun, sky, wind, chair, etc. were all the same as me, but the combination of events, things, and people around me was its own singular expression of energy. And so when I started the exercise, I saw everything as its own expression of energy - the entire universe and its expansion had led to the formation and placement of this rock exactly as it is in this exact point and time - but by the end I saw everything as a singular expression of energy - the entire universe and its expansion led to this scene, setting, event, relationship, moment exactly as it is right here and right now.

I hope I didn't analyze too much with this assignment, but I really don't know how else to say it - everything is connected because the entire scene happening around me, down to the finest details, is a single expression of the universe.

[cosmiK]

Jason,

what was watching this unfolding or this Expression? what was this Expression arising to?

is there a self anywhere in any form?

[NontheisticBuddhist]

Nobody was watching this expression, the expression wasn't arising TO anyone or anything; it was simply arising.

There is no self in any form.

[cosmiK]

is there separation at all, here & now?

are there any doubts, at all?

[NontheisticBuddhist]

No separation, no doubts.

[cosmiK]

How do you know for sure, that there is no separate self. How do you know this is real?