The Gate

Hi Luisa - yes, I was just away for the weekend without access to power so here we are continuing...

However that thought popping up isn't necessary because now it is a new habit to just naturally concentrate more.

I agree words are important to help with clarity in many directions. This sentence above related only to the point that my hearing is declining with age. For example I wear glasses to read more clearly. So when I pick up a book, a newspaper, my cell phone or sit at the computer I naturally put on my glasses without thinking about it. I do not wear a hearing aid, so when people talk and there may be other background noise then now 'I naturally concentrate more' to listen clearly. So that sentence related to a hearing impairment rather than anything to do with this process.

So please, sit quietly for a few minutes, let the thoughts pass without following them, let hearing, feeling, seeing happen without elaborating. Always in AE. How is this experience? Do you experience concentration, focusing or openness and freedom lets say? Please use your own words to describe it.

Yes, just sitting here in AE is very soft, open, easy as no effort, no preparation for what may happen, no idea what will happen, no expectation, no resistance, open...

It is totally reasonable to use the term 'generally' as many others in our conversations, but when describing actual experience shows thinking not seeing. Can you see the difference?

Yes, I can see that - and very good to point it out for other conversations.

Has the thought 'listen clearly' any power or potentiality to reverse the 'diminishing hearing ability'?

No 'listen clearly' doesn't in any way reverse the 'diminishing hearing ability'. What it is is a habit of thought to 'remind me' to listen clearly - when in fact now I naturally move closer, or naturally listen more clearly when someone talks (This does not always mean I hear what they say first time and sometimes I need to ask for them to repeat what they have said). So the thought is self's habit of chatter which can come and go.

While the organ functions correctly hearing NEVER stops, you reported this affirmation in previous messages, are thoughts taking 'you' away from hearing or thoughts is what is happening in that moment?

Yes seeing doesn't stop. What happens is as my eyes age words on a page become blurry so glasses help to see the words clearly. For hearing the 'adjustment' made is to face the person, or move closer or whatever remedial action seems appropriate. Thoughts aren't necessary for this as the body knows to do whatever is required.

Nevertheless there is a difference between 'thoughts take me away from hearing' and for example 'i can not hear you'. Can you see the implications in the first sentence?

Yes, I see the difference, thoughts can't take me away from hearing, or from seeing or from tasting... What does happen is that when eating there can be tasting, then while a thought comes along in AE that is happening, then it might be tasting, then seeing the plate and food, and thought, and... whatever is showing up in AE at that time...

Right now seagulls are flying on thermals in front of the window...

Love and thanks indeed,
Sophia

Hi Sophia,

I'm happy to receive your message.
Very good answers indeed, you are doing a very good looking.

So that sentence related to a hearing impairment rather than anything to do with this process.

Yes, there is a difference between the quality of the hearing, seeing, etc. versus 'hearing". We don't focus on the quality here as conceptualization in involved in it.

Yes, just sitting here in AE is very soft, open, easy as no effort, no preparation for what may happen, no idea what will happen, no expectation, no resistance, open...

Would you say that 'natural concentration" is AE at all?
What is for you 'looking in actual experience'?

Thoughts aren't necessary for this as the body knows to do whatever is required.

What do you mean by 'the body knows"?
Is there any difference between saying 'the body knows' and 'the mind knows'?
Is that knowledge coming from AE?
Is it anything but another thought?
What is making the 'adjustments' then?
Look closely Sophia.

What does happen is that when eating there can be tasting, then while a thought comes along in AE that is happening, then it might be tasting, then seeing the plate and food, and thought, and... whatever is showing up in AE at that time...

I'm not sure I understand properly what you mean here. We discussed this before but I need you to explain it clearly to see that there is not any doubt from your side.
Do you mean that there is tasting. stop . thought. stop . tasting. stop. seeing. stop. thought. stop...?
Is your seeing, tasting, hearing, feeling, thinking blocked or deprived at any time?
Is the non conceptualization of a flavor disabling the taste buds?


Sophia, since tomorrow I'm going to be traveling so it may happen that, at some point, I don't send you a replay on time but I will do my best for this not to happen.

Be well
Love,
Luisa

Hi Luisa (you know how it is, this is my third time of responding to these questions today... so I'll go all the way through them and then push 'send'. It's been my pushing the back arrow and it all goes and i'm not sure what happened the second time.)

Would you say that 'natural concentration" is AE at all?

I would say that AE was 'natural' but not concentration as there is no 'me' concentrating.

What is for you 'looking in actual experience'?

I see the subtlety of your question. It feels more like there is no looking, just AE, which maybe seeing, hearing, thinking.

What do you mean by 'the body knows"?

I mean it in the sense that when a cup is about to fall off a table, the body will respond and catch it before it hits the floor (sometimes the reaction is too late!!!). the body does what it does without a 'me' directing it to 'perform'.

Is there any difference between saying 'the body knows' and 'the mind knows'?

No. The body responds and the mind responds. Sometimes there is a 'narrator' telling the story of what just happened, but that is just thought bubbling up and down.

Is that knowledge coming from AE?

Yes - when either the body or the mind just responds or just does what it does..

Is it anything but another thought?

The mind and the body can respond on their own without thought. It can be a thought that then describes what they did...

Do you mean that there is tasting. stop . thought. stop . tasting. stop. seeing. stop. thought. stop...?

It feels more like: tasting, thought, tasting, t a s t i n g, seeing, thoughts.. silence...

Is your seeing, tasting, hearing, feeling, thinking blocked or deprived at any time?

No, and it maybe that - like right now for example I'm 'smelling' and I can't smell any smell - its not the absence of smelling, but there is no connection with a discernible smell.... it is still the smell of AE in this moment.

Is the non conceptualization of a flavor disabling the taste buds?

No... lol... and eating no food/drink doesn't either... tasting is there in potential. (well that's a thought isn't it!!! This is a little like the koan of the sound of one hand clapping.

Luisa... great you're travelling, and no hurry with responses... I hope this third one gets to you!!!
Be well
Love,
Sophia

Hi Sophia,

I do have received your message. And don't know what to say about the special 'relationship' between you and the 'Submit' button. Lol. But I'm sorry for that, I know how hard is to write the same thing again and again.

Your responses show that you are in a very good direction.

I would suggest, If you agree, to make a break of two or three days maximum to let things settle down, after that time if you don't show up with any question, I will send you some final questions to see if there is any possible hidden doubt or expectation about what we have been working on.

So please, let me know if you agree but, of course, feel free to make any immediate question in case is there any right now.

Lots of love,
Luisa

Hi Luisa... I have sat with this for a couple of days...

and I don't have any questions right now. I don't know if your parents are still alive, but many of us find that some days, months, years after they have died, the thought arises "I wish I had asked them ...such and such" but it is but a thought
and not 'die in a ditch' type stuff... this may happen here and so be it at that time...

But right now I am happy to receive any final questions from you...

Be well indeed, Sophia

Hi Sophia,

Your last message sounds very earth grounded.

By now I don't have more questions for you either.
So here you are the final questions. After answering them, the thread will be shown to the other guides to see, if they have any more questions.

If that is okay for you, please take your time to answer the questions below:





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 experience.

6) Anything to add?

Love,
Luisa

Hi Luisa, thank you for these questions...

I am currently involved in preparations for a funeral over the next 36 hours
so will return to this after that...

With many thanks, Sophia

Hi Sophia,

I'm afraid of your news. And really apreciate you letting me know.

Please take all the time you need.

Feeling for you.

With much love,
Luisa

Hi Luisa... thank you for these

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

No not for 'me' or any other individual...

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.

The narrator or commentator has had a very dominating role within thought, as thought in the past and some of those thoughts were '"so here you are having a coffee, here you are taking to the barrister - gee they kook great today and how wonderful that they arrive at work so early to make coffee with the three children at school" and by now the coffee is drunk without much tasting of it or even of any enjoyment because the narrator was rabbiting on... However, certainly I believed that I I I I I had a coffee because I told myself so and so it must be true that there was an I to have a coffee, talk to the barrister - open the door for someone coming in or whatever... who or what else could it have been?!!!

Historically this commentator has been quite critical over the years, but less so for some years now, but this helped create self-consciousness which helped solidify the 'I'... then 'I' for decades sought relief in spirituality creating an 'I' who sought the end of suffering or the 'peace that passes all understanding' and when that happened there would be an 'I' to enjoy it!!! Subtle and not so subtle stuff that appears to arise in thought and then thought believing thought... Thought making itself the ultimate authority and the speech writer for 'I', 'me', 'mine'... Bless 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.

So as mentioned I've been involved in supporting a funeral for an elder of a community that I have belonged to for 40 years... one of the stories that the narrator has told 'me' is that 'I' don't like large groups of people - particularly over long periods. Now this funeral has gone over six days and the woman concerned was from a large family who had five children herself and many grandchildren and I've been in their company for three afternoon/nights and one full day... In the middle of that I offered a days retreat to 24 people and so another two days were preparing for that... What I noticed was that during the first two evenings with the family 'I' was able to just be there - not observing what was going on as I may have once... but being present to what was, quite a difference, so there was less effort or no effort so less tiredness - although given that they also lived an hour and a half away by the time I was home there was tiredness, but way less narration about it. Also no one to then say 'oh how fantastic less narration'...

The retreat day was full on and again resting in AE much of the time there was way less effort extended... then back to the family again where by now it had swelled as it was the night before the final funeral service... and again less effort required to be there as there was way less narration... and when there was narration it was just that - narration, not something that had to be believed as the truth teller...

Right now there isn't narration about what is getting typed... or pride or relief or... nor is there disappointment or concern or boredom or... because there can still be appreciation but in AE not mediated by telling stories about it.

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

I'm wondering here if 'look' means got in touch with LU... 'I' can't take any responsibility for that as opportunities arise and how is it that one is on a website of someone who says that the LU website is worth looking at and so I did and it felt like the next thing to do in that moment... as it happened I also had a session with Elena at that same time - a day before this process began... being open to what opens up...

5)

Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control

.

Thinking mind loves this question as it starts to narrate a response! However then resting happens... a few moments/minutes just sitting poised at the keyboard. No I don't feel in any way there was an I responsible for resting for a few minutes... just resting happened. I don't feel right now I'm making up responses to this... just typing is happening. Where is the control? There is no control necessary, there is no I to use 'free will' or choice... there is next action but not a control tower barking orders... There is a wee dialogue 'what if this isn't the way to respond to the question' but then there was no I who engaged with that thought... just say it - then wrote it... its passed, now there is the sound of wind, typing, keyboards, car... remembering a call needed to be made at 9am... so do that, have breakfast, read a paper, back to this... A thought comes up - "I wonder what I'd do after 2pm?" the thought bubbles up, noticed, bubbles die down... sound of silence... sound of wind... No control or free choice in this, no intention or decision... also no sense of fatalism (a thought I know) whatever that may feel like... no feeler...

What makes things happen? How does it work? Give examples from experience.

I might have to this above... Things happen, rather than a what or a who making that so... Life... which might just be an explanation of things happen...

What are you responsible for?

I'm not responsible for any of it - and there is an opportunity seeing there is a body and a mind at play here... and there is an opportunity to go along with it and play... - here mind come in... it is experienced as both/and... before chop wood carry water, after chop wood carry water... yes a person observing may see it the same... and the carrier of the water is just carrying water, no 'I' doing anyone a favour, just chopping wood... this is difficult to describe because there isn't a sense of nihilism here or fatalism... quite the opposite and also no 'I' to be nihilistic or responsible... however in the moment there is a response... so just respond.

6) Anything to add?

There is remembering a moment a few weeks ago when I suggested that life might need 'me to co-operate' with it - to give it some guidance - kind of bring it up to date with whats going on... and Luisa you challenged that assumption!!! I laugh about it now... but that was a big moment of seeing through self - previously thinking there needed to be some 'cooperation' from 'my' side in regards to everything that happens... who'd have thought!!!

Be well indeed... Sophia

Hi Luisa... I wasn't aware that was the last email...

I want to thank you so much for your support, challenges and nudging to look at what is.

I hope you were well supported by all the others involved to... Indeed you all do great and wonderful work!

So a thousand thank yous... Sophia

Hi Sophia,

My connection has been terrible the last days.

Have you received any message from other guides?

Dear Sophia,

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

No not for 'me' or any other individual...

Please Sophia, explane further what makes you see that there are not separate entities in any way.

Hi Luisa... Okay - sorry about that...

Have you received any message from other guides?

No, no no... I just thought that as guides you would all be supporting each other - that was what I was referring to...

explain further what makes you see that there are not separate entities in any way.

A separate entity of 'me' is thought generated... as is 'other' - just thought generated... I can sit here listening to children outside who have come home from school... and for communications sake it is useful to say 'I' and 'children' - but in AE... there is hearing - there is pleasure, there is typing, there is silence, there is another laugh... there is a thought, there is thinking about the content of the first thought, there is smelling a rose nearby... there isn't a 'Sophia' smelling the rose - just smelling... a thought may make it up that it was me smelling... but there is no believing that story now so it drops quite quickly...

With warm regards, Sophia...

Hi Sophia,

How do you know that there is no "I"?

Hi Luisa...

How do you know that there is no "I"?

Sitting here at the computer... listening to a bird, a dog lick her lips, sights of the harbour, of the bush... one after another a sight or a sound or a thought come into awareness... and goes.

From previous questions from you, where we explored where thoughts come from, can I stop then half way through etc... it was clear that thoughts come and go of their own accord. One train of thought, is that of a 'commentator' who constantly 'reports back' on what is happening... I am listening to a bird, I can see the harbour..., the 'commentator' chatters on... but these are just random thoughts that come and go and feed upon each other over a lifetime and they create the sense that an I exists that listens to thoughts 'wisdom'... but on close looking there is no I listening.., its only the commentator that creates that...

Over the past few weeks when we have had less frequent contact, the 'commentator' pops up and tells 'me' what is going on in the day, and then a thought may comes along that says something like 'just thinking not reality' and so noticing returns, or thinking is present or hearing is present... no worries, just noticing....

Be well, Sophia...