The Gate

Sure thing - Feel free to take some time-out - That's fine.
Let things settle for a while.

As a guide, my job is only to get you to see that there is no self - Not really to answer questions, although I will do this for you if I can at this point.

Throw some questions my way and I'll attempt to answer them and then I'll throw some more your way (the final six).

Xain ♥

As a guide, my job is only to get you to see that there is no self - Not really to answer questions, although I will do this for you if I can at this point.

Throw some questions my way and I'll attempt to answer them and then I'll throw some more your way (the final six).

You know I had questions, similar to the ones I asked earlier about why this Rob existence and not another's. But I am not so sure I need the answers right now. I feel it will come in time or not. Maybe it doesn't matter.

I am not familiar with 'the final six'. If you do have questions ask away.

One thing that is bothering me- if there is no I then what is it that realizes there is no I? It feels like there needs to be something that is aware that there is no I.

Can you find anything more in experience than awareness itself?
Awareness itself has realised that there is no 'I'.

If there is no Rob, then what is this experience that is Rob

Is there an experience that is Rob? Who says?

and why am "I" tied to it and not the experience that is "Xain" or "Joe Smith" or "Brad Pitt" or "Obama"?

The mind ties 'I' to it. 'I' is just a thought. The mind states that 'I' am a person, separate from all other things, with a name, a body, an age, a bank account, a sexual preference', a perspective, in a location.
If there is no 'I', none of these things are true - None of these things can be tied to an 'I'.

Xain ♥

I need you to be clear before proceeding at this point, that you are 100% certain that you have seen through the illusion of self, that there is no 'I'.
Let me know if you still have doubts - There is no rush what-so-ever. Be honest.

Xain ♥

Just a few more thoughts for you while I was out walking.

Does 'I' have a location? Where is 'I'?

Does experience have a name, location or is tied to a 'thing'? Does 'I' have an experience?

Xain ♥

I need you to be clear before proceeding at this point, that you are 100% certain that you have seen through the illusion of self, that there is no 'I'.
Let me know if you still have doubts - There is no rush what-so-ever. Be honest.

I have no doubts. An 'I', 'me' , or self was never found. There never was a self.

Just a few more thoughts for you while I was out walking.

Does 'I' have a location? Where is 'I'?

Does experience have a name, location or is tied to a 'thing'? Does 'I' have an experience?

There is no location because there is no 'I'. Experience just is. It has no location, name or grounding point. There is just experience, no 'I' to have an experience. It is all very fluid, it does not "stick" anywhere.

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

2) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

3) In relation to 'seeing through the illusion', was there a specific moment that realisation became clear?
What was the last bit (if any) that pushed you over, made you look and realise?

Xain ♥

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

There is no separate self, no 'I', no 'me', no 'Rob'. There never was. Looking has never once found a self.

2) How does it feel to see this? What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

It is a little difficult to describe what is different, because there isn't much different. Definitely not in the way that 'I' once thought things would be different. Rob still goes on being Rob. It is hard to find words that accurately describe it. What once felt heavy and stuck, now feels light and fluid, not tied down.

3) In relation to 'seeing through the illusion', was there a specific moment that realisation became clear?
What was the last bit (if any) that pushed you over, made you look and realise?

I would say it happened in two parts. There was one part where you replied to me and said something along the lines of "So there is no 'I', what more are you looking for?". When I read that I instantly blurted out "Son of a bitch!" and laughed a little. Something hit there. I think the mind slowly crept back in after that, however. The second part happened yesterday when you told me that you felt that I had seen through there being no self. I am not sure if that was a tactic on your part or not, but what ended up happening is that it made me stop fighting for a moment. Instead of the strong feelings of "Why can't I get this!?!?", I stepped back and said "Wow, maybe 'I' got this already". It turns out 'I' did.

I am not sure if that was a tactic on your part or not, but what ended up happening is that it made me stop fighting for a moment. Instead of the strong feelings of "Why can't I get this!?!?", I stepped back and said "Wow, maybe 'I' got this already". It turns out 'I' did.

A tactic? Oh no! Not me ;-)
I simply offered you the opportunity to let it go, and you did :-)

Rob still goes on being Rob.

Can you explain this to me a little bit? What is 'Rob'?

Xain ♥

A tactic? Oh no! Not me ;-)
I simply offered you the opportunity to let it go, and you did :-)

Well thank you for it. No self is so simple, that's the reason it gets missed. It really is a backwards step, an unknowing as opposed to a knowing.

Can you explain this to me a little bit? What is 'Rob'?

'Rob', the character, collection of labels and experiences, continues to go on. 'Rob' isn't real, just a label amongst other labels and experiences, rising and falling along side anything else.

4) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, as if you were explaining it to someone who had never heard about it. When it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

5) Do you decide, intend, choose, control events in Life? Do you make anything happen? Give examples from your experience.

6) Do you have anything further to add?

Xain ♥

4) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, as if you were explaining it to someone who had never heard about it. When it starts and how it works from your own experience. Describe it fully as you see it now.

There is no such thing as a separate self. The 'I' or 'me' that you refer to isn't actually there. It has never been there. What you think of as 'I' is just a thought or label. You developed the believe in a separate self early on and never really questioned it. But if you take the time to question it, you won't be able to find a separate self.

The separate self is just an illusion, just a collection of labels and thoughts. Take a moment to look and see if you can find an 'I' or a 'me'. Try and find something tangible or some location where the 'I' or 'me' is. Somewhere beyond even thought. You won't be able to find anything. If nothing is there, then nothing was ever there.

Every time you think or say 'I' or 'me', it is just a label added by the mind after the fact. 'Your' hand moves, the mind notices 'your' hand moving, and says my hand, and a thought arises saying my hand is moving. But what is the hand without the thought or label? Just hand, just movement. Anything else is just thought and thought just arises. There is no thinker. Thought just happens. 'You' can't control thoughts or know what the next thought will be. If thought just arises, then labels like 'self' or 'I' or 'me' just arise.

5) Do you decide, intend, choose, control events in Life? Do you make anything happen? Give examples from your experience.

No, there is no control. Control is an illusion. Because there is no self there is no one in control. Life is just happening. Sounds happen, movement happens, people around 'you' go about doing what they do. There is no self and that means that 'you' are no different then everything around 'you'. "You' are just happening, perfectly in flow with the rest of life.

6) Do you have anything further to add?

Thank you for your guidance. It really is as they say. It is simple, but so simple that it is difficult in a way. Like it is hiding out in the open. You analogies and descriptions were perfect and just what I needed- and all things considered that makes perfect sense.

Thank you for your guidance.

You are very welcome.
There may be other questions from other guides - Sit tight :-)

Xain ♥

> One thing that is bothering me- if there is no I then what is it that realizes there is no I? It feels like there needs to be something that is aware that there is no I.

> If there is no Rob, then what is this experience that is Rob?

> Why am "I" tied to it and not the experience that is "Xain" or "Joe Smith" or "Brad Pitt" or "Obama"?"

Do you think you could answer these three questions now?
Give it a go.

Xain ♥

> One thing that is bothering me- if there is no I then what is it that realizes there is no I? It feels like there needs to be something that is aware that there is no I.

Awareness is aware. There's no 'I', but there is awareness. Awareness is just awareness. It does not control, think or do. It is consciousness.

> If there is no Rob, then what is this experience that is Rob?

Rob is just labels and thoughts. Just labels for patterns, movements and happenings. I hate to borrow an analogy, but Rob is like a university. A university is not in itself a thing, it is a label from many things like buildings, classes, students, books, etc. Rob is a label for thoughts, movements, feelings-- but Rob himself does not exist.

> Why am "I" tied to it and not the experience that is "Xain" or "Joe Smith" or "Brad Pitt" or "Obama"?"

Xain, this one is not clear yet.