The Gate

Hello there Jerry

It was like walking around for the first time. Had to give it a second go just because of how fun it was.

Oh Jerry. I forgot to say this is serious stuff. No fun allowed in this one !! I know that is a bit corny but I do love what you are reporting here !!

Didn’t even know what I’d see until I looked in the mirror.

Now that is leaving the mind in its "rightful" place while doing this !

There were thoughts of walking, but those thoughts went away and what they were labeling remained.

Brilliant !

a very subtle way that’s been easy to miss

Indeed. The power is in the subtleties actually


And taking this just a little further......
Look into the mirror throughout the day. The body image appears... notice that all that's really there are some colors, and a thought-story saying 'these colors are my body'

When you return to the mirror and look - have these 'body colors' have ever appeared before?



Consider whether this body image + story has ever appeared before - or is this the only time you have ever been aware of these *exact* colors and this exact story about the body?



Can you find any previous appearances of the body? Where are they?



If you can't find them then surely this must be the *only* time this body has appeared in the dream.
Isn't it just an appearance *now* and isn't there only a thought-story claiming you've seen this body before?



Alan

Hi Alan,

And taking this just a little further......
Look into the mirror throughout the day. The body image appears... notice that all that's really there are some colors, and a thought-story saying 'these colors are my body'

When you return to the mirror and look - have these 'body colors' have ever appeared before?

Memory says yes, sight says no, there’s no “before” in sight.

Consider whether this body image + story has ever appeared before - or is this the only time you have ever been aware of these *exact* colors and this exact story about the body?

This is the only time it’s happening.

Can you find any previous appearances of the body? Where are they?

Any previous appearances are nowhere to be seen. There’s thoughts of memories but those aren’t an appearance.

If you can't find them then surely this must be the *only* time this body has appeared in the dream.
Isn't it just an appearance *now* and isn't there only a thought-story claiming you've seen this body before?

Ah yes, have seen this many times before to varying degrees. There’s only this appearance now, and thought strongly insisting that this body has been seen before.

Jerry

Beautiful seeing Jerry

We've touched on memory a few times in this last exercise - here is something specific to MEMORY to look at.

Past and memory go hand-in-hand as almost everybody believes that a memory thought is referring to something that has happened; that a memory thought is a different thought than a non-memory thought.

What is memory exactly?
Please don’t go to thought explanation, but just let a memory be there, and look at it.
What is memory “made of”? What are the building blocks of memory?



When does memory appear?



What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘memory’ thought?



How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘memory’ thought refers to something that has happened?



Then, look at a thought about the future.




What is the future thought ‘made of’?




WHEN does the future thought appear?



What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘future’ thought?



How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘future’ thought refers to something that will happen?



Then let’s compare a thought about past and a thought about the future.



What is the EXACT difference between the thoughts about past and future?



If there is difference, how that difference is known exactly?



Again, look at what is actually going on and not what thoughts say… but what actually is.


Alan

Again, look at what is actually going on and not what thoughts say… but what actually is.

Hi Alan,

Keeping this in mind and taking some more time with these questions.

Jerry

Lovely.

I'll hear from you just when you're ready Jerry

Hi Alan,

What is memory “made of”? What are the building blocks of memory?

What the label “thought” describes

When does memory appear?

It’s appearing after reading this, as well as whenever thought gets on the topic of past. Sometimes thought will label present experience and then bridge into similar labels within thoughts of past experience.

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘memory’ thought?

I haven’t seen any exact differences, but I’ve thought of plenty.

How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘memory’ thought refers to something that has happened?

I can see the assumption built into the thought.

Then, look at a thought about the future.

What is the future thought ‘made of’?

The same stuff as any other thought

WHEN does the future thought appear?

After reading the question, as well as whenever the concept of future comes up.

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘future’ thought?

Also have not seen any exact differences outside of intellectualizing.

How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘future’ thought refers to something that will happen?

The assumption is also clearly seen as an integral part to those thoughts.

Then let’s compare a thought about past and a thought about the future.

What is the EXACT difference between the thoughts about past and future?

The labels the mind assigns

If there is difference, how that difference is known exactly?

It’s seen

Jerry

Hello Jerry,

What is memory “made of”? What are the building blocks of memory?

What the label “thought” describes

It is made of one "thing." Thought

When does memory appear?

It’s appearing after reading this, as well as whenever thought gets on the topic of past. Sometimes thought will label present experience and then bridge into similar labels within thoughts of past experience.

You have gone to thought to describe this response Jerry
When asked "When does memory appear?" When you LOOK is it ever any other time than NOW?

I haven’t seen any exact differences, but I’ve thought of plenty.

Perfect answer !! There are NONE to be seen even though thought may try to tell us different !

I can see the assumption built into the thought.

And what is an assumption other than ANOTHER thought?

What is the future thought ‘made of’?

The same stuff as any other thought

Yes !

WHEN does the future thought appear?
After reading the question, as well as whenever the concept of future comes up

.

A concept is but another thought is it not? We can try and differentiate between concepts, ideas, thoughts, assumptions, labels and whatever other labels apply to the mental realm. And that can have it's apparent usefulness in the relative world. However the fundamental issue here is that when we LOOK all we find is thought. And WHEN does it appear? It can only ever be NOW.

What is the EXACT difference between the thoughts about past and future?

The labels the mind assigns

Yes - just another thought which says another thought is a future thought or a past thought - all in the mental "bubble" of illusory stories

If there is difference, how that difference is known exactly?

It’s seen

You say "It's seen" ......
What is seen? Isn't it just another thought?


Please go through the questions again Jerry and respond to them again.


And then take your time in responding to these questions as well.


Is what I've pointed to confirmed or dis-confirmed in your ACTUAL experience?



Is there anything at all you'd like to challenge about what I've responded with?



Can you see how you've included your thinking in your responses as well as reporting what you've seen?



For some reason, this exercise often highlights our default tendency to go to thought for an answer rather than to purely LOOK. It illustrates how easily we can be "sucked in," so to speak, by the mind.

Check out your memories during the next 24 hours and SEE whether what has been pointed to here holds up


Let me know what you find.


Alan

Hi Alan,

What is memory “made of”? What are the building blocks of memory?

Thought

When does memory appear?

Only now

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘memory’ thought?

There’s no exact difference

How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘memory’ thought refers to something that has happened?

It isn’t known exactly

Then, look at a thought about the future.

What is the future thought ‘made of’?

Thought as well

WHEN does the future thought appear?

Only now

What is the exact difference between a ‘general’ thought and a ‘future’ thought?

There’s no exact difference

How is it known EXACTLY that a ‘future’ thought refers to something that will happen?

It isn’t known exactly

Then let’s compare a thought about past and a thought about the future.

What is the EXACT difference between the thoughts about past and future?

There’s no exact difference

If there is difference, how that difference is known exactly?

No difference to be known

You say "It's seen" ......
What is seen? Isn't it just another thought?

Uniqueness, like with the fruit cake metaphor from the hearing exercise. And yes it’s still another thought.

Is what I've pointed to confirmed or dis-confirmed in your ACTUAL experience?

Confirmed, the memory/thought is only now part is seen and confirmed as this is being typed

Is there anything at all you'd like to challenge about what I've responded with?

Looked and couldn’t find anything to challenge

Can you see how you've included your thinking in your responses as well as reporting what you've seen?

Yes, that’s clear

Let me know what you find.

It holds up as this is being written. There’s the senses and thought and that’s it.

Jerry

Hello Jerry,

I loved your responses here. And the reason for asking you to repeat the exercise is that the more we LOOK directly - as you are doing - the more opportunity we have to SEE the mechanisms of the mind. We can so EASILY be deceived into believing we are experiencing directly when in fact when we REALLY LOOK AND FEEL we find we are in thought ABOUT what we sincerely believe we are experiencing directly. This exploration of memory is intended to help see that.


Exploring Time

There is a general assumption that there is linear time that started (if started at all) somewhere very far in the past and advances to the distant future. The present moment (now) is considered to be a very small fragment of time, or an event that is moving forward on a linear line, coming from the past and advancing to the future.

But.......LOOKING DIRECTLY is there actually an experience of the ’now’ moving along the line of time?



Any experience of one ‘moment’ giving way to the next?



Is there any actual or direct experience of one event following another?



How fast is the ‘present moment’ actually moving?



Just look at 'this moment', can you find a point where it began?



How long does the ‘now’ last?



Where does the ‘now’ start, and where does it end?



When does the ‘now’ exactly become the 'past'?



What is the ‘past’ in actual experience?



So is there actual experience of ‘time’ or thoughts about ‘time’?



Alan

Its me again Jerry

Christmas and New Year are here again so a quick note to give you a heads up on the situation over the next week or so at this end.

Christmas and New Year in Australia is also summer holidays when many businesses close their doors. People taking breaks and are on the move and our family does not seem to be exempt !

In the context of our exploration I would prefer to be in touch over this period, especially if life at your end made it possible for you. However over the next week or so my connectivity will be patchy to say the least. So at this end the practical approach is to take a break until January 1 when I’ll be back in connectivity range full time again.

And there are some wonderful ways to keep the momentum going in the meantime.
1. Going over the exercises already covered.
2. Going through other threads on the forum. A number of people over the years have seen the truth of no-self by doing just that.
3. Reading Gateless Gatecrashers. A free download available here
https://www.liberationunleashed.com/wp- ... ashers.pdf
4. Reading Liberation Unleashed (available on Amazon)
5. Continually FEEL and LOOK directly in day to day experience and recognize the way in which THOUGHT captivates our attention.
6. Family time over these festive times are a great opportunity to LOOK and SEE where this phenomena of a separate “me” appears and the reactions that can be evoked
7. And last but really it is the first thing to turn to – your own intuition, the Inner Guide - continually being aware of the incomprehensible (but so often oh so subtle) synchronicities of life and your response to them

Hopefully you will be able to make the most of this time.

How does all this sit with you Jerry?



I'm so enjoying our exploration together that I reluctantly am suggesting this break !!

I’ll respond to your next post before we take the break over this festive season which I trust you will thoroughly enjoy.


Alan

Hi Alan,

But.......LOOKING DIRECTLY is there actually an experience of the ’now’ moving along the line of time?

No

Any experience of one ‘moment’ giving way to the next?

No

Is there any actual or direct experience of one event following another?

No, there’s just events.

How fast is the ‘present moment’ actually moving?

It isn’t moving

Just look at 'this moment', can you find a point where it began?

No

How long does the ‘now’ last?

All I can say is that it’s lasting now

Where does the ‘now’ start, and where does it end?

There’s no starting or ending of the now seen here.

When does the ‘now’ exactly become the 'past'?

The now is not becoming the past

What is the ‘past’ in actual experience?

Thought

So is there actual experience of ‘time’ or thoughts about ‘time’?

There’s no actual experience of time, but there’s thoughts of it.

I would also prefer to stay in touch and should be available every day. I’ve been enjoying it a lot too, this entire experience being guided is incredibly surreal. We could play it by ear, no worries though if we have to wait until the new year to pick back up.

Also wanted to include that if you’re okay with it, I was wondering if we could talk over zoom or some other synchronous digital medium sometime in the future, intuition is saying it would help.

How does all this sit with you Jerry?

There’s a lack of worry, for I see theres all the time in the world to explore right now, January 1st is nothing but a thought of the future. It’s humorous to think of exploration in the future when the only thing that can be explored is here and not there.

Jerry

These responses to the exploration of time are so clear Jerry. Beautiful.

I would also prefer to stay in touch and should be available every day.

I'm feeling the tug in the heart Jerry !! So good ! Let's see what unfolds.

Also wanted to include that if you’re okay with it, I was wondering if we could talk over zoom or some other synchronous digital medium sometime in the future, intuition is saying it would help.

I'd love to do that too actually.
I'll send a PM to set up details

There’s a lack of worry.

Lack of worry. Wonderful.
Has that always been the case?

It’s humorous to think of exploration in the future when the only thing that can be explored is here and not there.

😊😊😊


Alan

Hello Jerry

Further to what we talked through here are some links to meetings that take place on a regular basis

You already have Vince's channel how ever here it s again for easy reference.

Vince Shubert runs one on the weekends. Write to vinceschubert@gmail.com for the link & schedule.
Here is Vince’s You tube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@vinceschubert

Luchana & Lubo run one on Thursdays. Write to Luchana at luchanauzunova@gmail.com

Ilona holds a monthly meeting. Write admin@ilonaciunaite.com for that link & schedule

So good to catch up live,

I'll be back in touch January 1


With love


Alan

Hello Jerry

It's really good to be back and I'm really looking forward to getting back to this exploration with you as 2024 gets underway.


Before we dive in I'm very interested if there anything that you would like to report from your experience over the break


With love


Alan

Hi Alan,

Before we dive in I'm very interested if there anything that you would like to report from your experience over the break

Over break it felt like things were solidifying a bit. It was clear that thought was overlaying the senses, and that’s still clear now by just looking around. There’s several memories of being in complete amazement at that.

Also saw desires as just thought which was and is a relief. Between that and past/future being seen as only thought, it feels like there’s unlimited time to look around and take a breather.

There’s memories of it all not being so clear, and memories of it even being more clear than it is now. But that’s seen as all thought

Jerry