The Gate

Nice!

It won't be 24/7, as you saw in the videos.

Every time we believe an untrue thought, tension arises & knocks us out of clear seeing. That's why learning to question thoughts with The Work of Byron Katie or some other method is so important.

How do I stay with the space before “I”?

Keep looking. Keep questioning your thoughts, but watch out for unrealistic expectstions.

Is it just a habit to read something and then create a story around it? .

Yes

Is the story just happening?

You tell me. Can you control it or does it just arise?

Will this habit fall away if I label it as “thinking”?

Labeling isn't the important part. It might be a tool that helps. Give it a try & report back.

Loving,

Remember, you can LOOK wherever you are.

Happy Turkey Day!

Hello,

I hope you had a nice holiday. Just wanted to update that I am looking every day and the IAM meditations have been super helpful to me. I am still struggling with believing in the stories in the mind. I feel the glue of the emotions, and I get sucked up into it. Any pointers would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Yes. Good.

Report your FEELINGS, your experience, not your thoughts & opinions about the pointers.

What do you SEE?
What do you HEAR?
What do you FEEL (body Sensation, not emotions)
TASTE?
SMELL?


Re-read Colored Socks to get the difference.

Loving

What do you SEE?
What do you HEAR?
What do you FEEL (body Sensation, not emotions)
TASTE?
SMELL?

I SEE fingers typing this.
I HEAR the heater.
I FEEL tension in my whole body.
I TASTE saliva.
I SMELL Christmas tree.

It feels like I’m identified with the tension. There is an automatic process that happens in me. For example, when checking smell, instead of just smelling, my body tenses, like I’m efforting to smell and relying on my mind/body tension to decipher my senses.

There is hesitation and fear in doing it wrong.
Maybe I’m looking for things to be clearer and I just have to accept this is the way my body is.

Exactly. "Self" is tension that we label "I."

You must be relaxed to wake up & see.

Accepting helps you relax.

Loving,

Thank you. Do you have any tips for how I can remain unmoved while a hurricane is happening within me?

Yes.

Have I sent you these?

Listen to the Introduction. Then find Repairing opposites.. You're looking for the fulcrum of the pendulum. It's like the eye of the hurricane

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/k1ph01pt ... g8fex&dl=0

Loving

Are you still there?

Did you listen to what I sent?

Loving,

Yes, I have been listening every day. Thank you. I do have more space than I’ve ever had. I just keep practicing. Rinse and repeat.

Great. I asked you to post responses to each one please. I can't guide if you don't post what is happening.

Glad you have more space.

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

Loving,

Yes, sorry about that. You had sent me the meditations previously and I was posting every day. So now I am going back through them.

I can see there is no separate self. The “me” that I believe to be me points to a habit of tension and “trying”, but there is awareness that is aware of that happening. I have to be very conscious to notice because I still tend to get lost in the me. Going back through the meditations is helping.

Thank you 🙏🏼

Great.

What happens when you try this?

Palm Flipping Exercise

1. Hold a hand in front of you; palm turned down.

2. Now turn the palm up. And down...and up and so on.

Watch like a hawk.

Don't go to thoughts – examine your direct experience.

Do this as many times as you like, and each time inquire:

How is the movement controlled?

Does a thought control it?

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

How is the decision made to turn the hand over?

Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over and the hand turns over immediately.

Who or what ​ chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

Loving,

How is the movement controlled?

- The movement isn’t controlled, it just happens

Does a thought control it?

- Thought does not control it. There are thoughts happening separate from it.

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

- No, there is no controller. I read the words and followed the instructions.

How is the decision made to turn the hand over?

- I don’t know. It just happens. Something just knows what to do.

Who or what chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

- Nobody chose. It was automatic.

Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

- No, it’s not separate from reading the instructions and taking action based on understanding.

Yes, exactly.

How does it FEEL to see this?

Loving,