The Gate

Hi Sarah,

Previous
I have no idea where thoughts come from. None. They come, they go. Look yourself. What wants answers here? What wants to explain? What happens if no answer can be found ....
There doesn't need to be an answer so nothing happens if there is not one ...

How does this feel?

The feeling changes each time 'I' check throughout the day ... sometimes expansive ... sometimes constrictive and fearful ... still thats not real, its just sensations... there is acceptance even when there is discomfort

mikenew wrote:
It seems mostly there is noticing ... and the practice of looking is very complimentary to the video ... still all the things in the video do not exist but it presents a form of looking

And is there smiling? How do you feel now?

I feel spaciousness, it is a sensible explanation for a phenpmena in the realm of the unreal - mind always likes a sensible explanation ie one that mostly fits its existing beliefs
There is smiling when 'I', read the word smiling!

mikenew wrote:
Experience is always changing ... the arguing causes suffering ...

And how about thoughts – are you ok with thoughts doing thoughty things?

'I'm OK right now ..... 'I' accepts that thoughts do thoughty things ... thoughts seem more fluid ie more space around them in general

How do you feel about thoughts that aren’t pleasant and are frustrating? Is there space around this now?

Yes there has been.


======================

Love, Mike

Hi Mike

The feeling changes each time 'I' check throughout the day ... sometimes expansive ... sometimes constrictive and fearful ... still thats not real, its just sensations... there is acceptance even when there is discomfort

What is ‘real’?
Ebb and flow, contraction and expansion. Do you see it? How is the fearful now? Has it changed, is there space round that too?

I feel spaciousness, it is a sensible explanation for a phenomena in the realm of the unreal - mind always likes a sensible explanation ie one that mostly fits its existing beliefs. There is smiling when 'I', read the word smiling!

Do you feel the illusion of self has been revealed now? Has there been a shift?

'I'm OK right now ..... 'I' accepts that thoughts do thoughty things ... thoughts seem more fluid ie more space around them in general

Keep questioning when not OK - is it true.

Space around thoughts.

Yes there has been.

Are you still expecting space to stay continuously? Does anything stay?
Love, Mike

Sorry - Love Sarah! xx

Hi Sarah,

Did you not go on holiday?

mikenew wrote:
The feeling changes each time 'I' check throughout the day ... sometimes expansive ... sometimes constrictive and fearful ... still thats not real, its just sensations... there is acceptance even when there is discomfort

What is ‘real’?
Ebb and flow, contraction and expansion. Do you see it? How is the fearful now? Has it changed, is there space round that too?

By real 'I' ment - there is only sensations, thoughts and awareness .. so all that ' I' said were thoughts labelling, judging, showing preferences, (ie all not 'real')
'I' see the ebb and flow, contraction and expansion ...
The fear comes as I read that question ..... interrupted and now no fear, ah there it is, well its not fear just a sensation that thoughts label 'fear' ... definitely space around it

mikenew wrote:
I feel spaciousness, it is a sensible explanation for a phenomena in the realm of the unreal - mind always likes a sensible explanation ie one that mostly fits its existing beliefs. There is smiling when 'I', read the word smiling!

Do you feel the illusion of self has been revealed now? Has there been a shift?

The illusion has shifted - it now comes and goes between "I'm in here, everything else is out there" to "It's all me with 'actors' outside the body ie sensations being interpreted and when people interact with me it's me interacting with me - In Lak'ech Ala Kin"
There is a sensation labelled 'fear' ... Its not just fear of self being an illusion, its everything being an illusion.
Certianly if the word self ( and hence words like I,me,my,you,others, they) is to be used in any trueful way then self is not mind, its not body, its not mind/body ... it may be awareness or a combination of awareness/mind, awareness/body or awareness/mind/body ... probably simply awareness with the overlay of mind/body perspecitve - my perspective, your perspective
Looking just shows one experience .

mikenew wrote:
'I'm OK right now ..... 'I' accepts that thoughts do thoughty things ... thoughts seem more fluid ie more space around them in general

Keep questioning when not OK - is it true

will keep questioning ...... looking says OK doesn't exist - again its just thought preferences
logic from our discussion on looking says thoughts are not true and don't do anything ... though there is the whole belief system (law of attraction, the secret, positive thinking, manifestation etc... ) that thought is prayer that it creates your reality, so thoughts that are about undesired things may be creating these undesired things, hence may not be useful ... and vice a versa for postive things .... even Jed McKenna -recommended by liberation unleashed says thoughts are prayer and manifest ..... 'My' looking has not shown this 'thought creation' to be true but maybe its not seen yet. Looking has shown some evidence, for example when I read the word 'smile' yesterday I smiled, when I read the question about fear above then I felt fear ... more looking required.

Space around thoughts.... mikenew wrote: Yes there has been.

Are you still expecting space to stay continuously? Does anything stay?

'I'm not expecting anything ... 'I' preferences would prefer an easier time but does not expect it.
In looking so far nothing stays except awareness and some kind of changing sensation....

Love Mike

Ah ... its good to know I love myself :-)

======================

Love, Mike

Hi Mike

The illusion has shifted - it now comes and goes between "I'm in here, everything else is out there" to "It's all me with 'actors' outside the body ie sensations being interpreted and when people interact with me it's me interacting with me - In Lak'ech Ala Kin"

Are you saying here that there is still a belief in ‘I’ sometimes? A feeling of ‘me-ness’? That it comes and goes? Then the experience is that it is all awareness? But that too comes and goes? This is experienced and seen? What else is there to see, to know, to experience?

There is a sensation labelled 'fear' ... Its not just fear of self being an illusion, its everything being an illusion.

Is this experienced – that everything is an illusion? Why is the fear attached to this? Is there something specific being protected here?

Certainly if the word self (and hence words like I,me,my,you,others, they) is to be used in any truthful way then self is not mind, its not body, its not mind/body ... it may be awareness or a combination of awareness/mind, awareness/body or awareness/mind/body ... probably simply awareness with the overlay of mind/body perspective - my perspective, your perspective. Looking just shows one experience .

Yes. What else do you need to know?

logic from our discussion on looking says thoughts are not true and don't do anything ... though there is the whole belief system (law of attraction, the secret, positive thinking, manifestation etc... ) that thought is prayer that it creates your reality, so thoughts that are about undesired things may be creating these undesired things, hence may not be useful ... and vice a versa for postive things .... even Jed McKenna -recommended by liberation unleashed says thoughts are prayer and manifest ..... 'My' looking has not shown this 'thought creation' to be true but maybe its not seen yet. Looking has shown some evidence, for example when I read the word 'smile' yesterday I smiled, when I read the question about fear above then I felt fear ... more looking required.

What do you need that you don’t have? What is not given to you?
Do you see that thoughts dictate reality? What if thoughts were not heard/believed?
The Jed McKenna bit is about ‘Intent’ and manifestation. How did you find LU? What led you here?

In looking so far nothing stays except awareness and some kind of changing sensation....

Yes. The changing sensations – are they thoughts too?
Love Sarah xx

Hi Sarah,
Welcome back  Hope you had a great break
I’m now back at work with a full time job ... so looking will be a bit different 

mikenew wrote:
The illusion has shifted - it now comes and goes between "I'm in here, everything else is out there" to "It's all me with 'actors' outside the body ie sensations being interpreted and when people interact with me it's me interacting with me - In Lak'ech Ala Kin"

Are you saying here that there is still a belief in ‘I’ sometimes? A feeling of ‘me-ness’? That it comes and goes? Then the experience is that it is all awareness? But that too comes and goes? This is experienced and seen? What else is there to see, to know, to experience?

Yes there is still a belief in 'I', feeling of 'me-ness' that comes and goes.
Yes it is awareness and that too comes and goes. It is seen during or later.
'''I' don't know what else there is to experience. Looking only shows sensations, thoughhts and awareness that are changing.
Content wise there are other things that 'I' would like to see and experience - new love, travel, learning, connection etc...

Previous
There is a sensation labelled 'fear' ... Its not just fear of self being an illusion, its everything being an illusion

Is this experienced – that everything is an illusion?

No - only sensations,thoughts and awareness are experienced
'illusion' is just a tought

Why is the fear attached to this?

'I' don't know why fear is here- maybe see answer to question below
It's just a sensation.

Is there something specific being protected here?

It is the 'I' thoughts protecting the 'I's self importance, need for control

mikenew wrote:
logic from our discussion on looking says thoughts are not true and don't do anything ... though there is the whole belief system (law of attraction, the secret, positive thinking, manifestation etc... ) that thought is prayer that it creates your reality, so thoughts that are about undesired things may be creating these undesired things, hence may not be useful ... and vice a versa for postive things .... even Jed McKenna -recommended by liberation unleashed says thoughts are prayer and manifest ..... 'My' looking has not shown this 'thought creation' to be true but maybe its not seen yet. Looking has shown some evidence, for example when I read the word 'smile' yesterday I smiled, when I read the question about fear above then I felt fear ... more looking required

What do you need that you don’t have?

Nothing in an awareness, sensation, thoughts perspective.
A million dollars would be good  from a content perspective 

What is not given to you?

Yes it all ‘comes from somewhere’ – it is all ‘given’ to me...

Do you see that thoughts dictate reality?

No
Do I see they don’t dictate reality – some or all of reality? No
Though reality is just a thought ...

What if thoughts were not heard/believed?

Can a thought go unheard? I’ve kind of seen that ... felt the thought ‘coming’ but it did not ‘form’
Thoughts can be not believed – at least not believed in my looking – so I can only conjecture what would happen if they all were not believed... but that’s just thoughts and not direct looking...

so conjecturing if not heard ‘I’d say that life would continue exactly as is but just without thoughts which would make it more peaceful ie less thought noise. No judgements. ..... If not believed then it’d be just like a radio playing in the background in the room .... oh there’s that voice – it’s not real ..

The Jed McKenna bit is about ‘Intent’ and manifestation. How did you find LU? What led you here?

In the fourth book “theory of everything” last or second last page he says “thought is prayer” and yes I agree – he’s talking about intentional manifestation.
I found LU when I was looking at a Jed McK book on Amazon and saw the gateless gate book.... It’s my intent and interest and actions to be enlightened that got me there ... Intent Theory says “my intent is to be ‘enlightened’ so life will present me with whatever I need to achieve that so LU is one such thing” ..

Certainly if the word self (and hence words like I,me,my,you,others, they) is to be used in any truthful way then self is not mind, its not body, its not mind/body ... it may be awareness or a combination of awareness/mind, awareness/body or awareness/mind/body ... probably simply awareness with the overlay of mind/body perspective - my perspective, your perspective. Looking just shows one experience .

Yes. What else do you need to know?

There is nothing 'I' need to know.

In looking so far nothing stays except awareness and some kind of changing sensation....

Yes. The changing sensations – are they thoughts too?

The could be, but looking shows sensations and thoughts distinctly ...
Could it be that the sensation is the precursor or gives birth to thought? Yes .. can I see this is the case in looking? No.
Could it be that sensation is one form of thought and what I call thought is another form of thought? Yes ... all it requires is a change in my definition of the word thought and its true sensations are thoughts ... but that’s just a thought! Or similarly expand the definition of sensation and its all sensation....
For me sensation is something felt/seen/heard/tasted/smelt/sensed/intuitive feeling .... thought is something – a voice in the head - that has language ... so it’s really the language part that makes it a thought.
I can accept that thought is sensation... I’m finding it difficult to accept that sensation is thought...



======================

Love, Mike

Hi Mike

'''I' don't know what else there is to experience. Looking only shows sensations, thoughts and awareness that are changing.

The illusion has shifted - it now comes and goes

So you are waiting for …..? A flash, a bang, an Ah ha moment….. What? If there is nothing else you need to know then………?

Yes there is still a belief in 'I', feeling of 'me-ness' that comes and goes.
Yes it is awareness and that too comes and goes. It is seen during or later.

How can awareness come and go?

For me sensation is something felt/seen/heard/tasted/smelt/sensed/intuitive feeling .... thought is something – a voice in the head - that has language ... so it’s really the language part that makes it a thought. I can accept that thought is sensation... I’m finding it difficult to accept that sensation is thought...

Acceptance will either happen or it wont – just question and look. Is the voice really in your head? Without labels wouldn’t it all just be arising?
Love Sarah xx

Hi Sarah,

Previous
'''I' don't know what else there is to experience. Looking only shows sensations, thoughts and awareness that are changing.
The illusion has shifted - it now comes and goes

So you are waiting for …..? A flash, a bang, an Ah ha moment….. What?

‘I’m waiting for nothing. Nothing else needed to know.

If there is nothing else you need to know then………?

There’s no big bang.... ‘I’ don’t know.... awareness goes on ... life/arising/experience goes on ... (pick your favourite label)

mikenew wrote:
Yes there is still a belief in 'I', feeling of 'me-ness' that comes and goes.
Yes it is awareness and that too comes and goes. It is seen during or later.

How can awareness come and go?

Yes, sloppy description by ‘myself’ again. In my looking awareness is always there.
In my looking awareness is always there – the content of awareness changes ... the focus of the content can come down to purely thought with no real awareness of sensations, the body or physical environment, It can expand to no thought and feeling all around, and anything in between. The content can be pure ‘I’/’me-ness’ me in here everything else out there with no awareness(?) or and it can be awareness of ‘oneness’ with no me.
So when I said “awareness comes and goes” I really meant to say that ‘I’ focus and ‘oneness focus’ comes and goes. Or at least – what ‘I’ currently label these things to be comes and goes.

For me sensation is something felt/seen/heard/tasted/smelt/sensed/intuitive feeling .... thought is something – a voice in the head - that has language ... so it’s really the language part that makes it a thought. I can accept that thought is sensation... I’m finding it difficult to accept that sensation is thought...

Acceptance will either happen or it won’t – just question and look.

Yes questioning and looking – this

Is the voice really in your head?

No.
It seems to be when ‘I’m in ‘I’ identification. When not in ‘I’ identification then there isn’t a voice (from memory).
Though if we are using body centric spatial labels then that’s where it is.

Without labels wouldn’t it all just be arising?

Yes ‘arising’ ‘experience’ ‘life’ ‘oneness’ ‘what is’ ‘am-ness’ ‘is-ness’ whatever label word wants to be used.

======================

Love, Mike

Hi Mike

Nothing else needed to know.

Are we done then? Has the illusion of self been revealed? If so what remains?
Love Sarah xx

Hi Sarah,

Mike New:
Nothing else is needed to know

Are we done then?

‘I’ don’t know how to judge ‘done’. Are we done? ‘I’ don’t know.
How would ‘I’ know? Is it yes ‘I’ve seen through the illusion to a level where ‘I’m convinced of it? Or that the whole question become irrelevant? Or even can’t be understood? Or when there’s no more questions like these? Or something else?
In a way ‘I’ feel like it doesn’t matter – self or no self – life is presenting and there is no need to know. ... It’s the mind that wants to know, to categorise me, my status, the situation and move forward ... It’s the mind that is going if ‘I’ don’t know what ‘I’ am then how can ‘I’ function, especially with confidence, ‘I’ want to know, ‘I’ want to be valuable/good/enlightened/loved/etc ... All thoughts.

Has the illusion of self been revealed? If so what remains?

Illusion of self has been revealed.
What is left is awareness, sensations, thoughts.

======================

Love, Mike

Hi Mike

‘I’ don’t know how to judge ‘done’. Are we done? ‘I’ don’t know.

Have a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVCeCqwA ... ture=share

How would ‘I’ know? Is it yes ‘I’ve seen through the illusion to a level where ‘I’m convinced of it? Or that the whole question become irrelevant? Or even can’t be understood? Or when there’s no more questions like these? Or something else?
In a way ‘I’ feel like it doesn’t matter – self or no self – life is presenting and there is no need to know. ... It’s the mind that wants to know, to categorise me, my status, the situation and move forward ... It’s the mind that is going if ‘I’ don’t know what ‘I’ am then how can ‘I’ function, especially with confidence, ‘I’ want to know, ‘I’ want to be valuable/good/enlightened/loved/etc ... All thoughts.

Yes! Below are the confirmation questions we ask – you may recognise some! I used them to whittle out any further issues. When and if you wish to answer, and if the other guides agree, we will invite you to join our aftercare groups on Facebook. There may be other questions if you are OK to answer, if they see anything that may need clarification.

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

I'll send you private message with a bit more detail. OK

Im off for the weekend again – so take your time answering. If you can still check the post everyday that would be great. Thanks Mike. Talk to you soon.
Love Sarah xx

Hi Sarah,

Hi Mike

mikenew wrote:‘I’ don’t know how to judge ‘done’. Are we done? ‘I’ don’t know.

Have a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVCeCqwA ... ture=share

OK – this makes sense ...

mikenew wrote:How would ‘I’ know? Is it yes ‘I’ve seen through the illusion to a level where ‘I’m convinced of it? Or that the whole question become irrelevant? Or even can’t be understood? Or when there’s no more questions like these? Or something else?
In a way ‘I’ feel like it doesn’t matter – self or no self – life is presenting and there is no need to know. ... It’s the mind that wants to know, to categorise me, my status, the situation and move forward ... It’s the mind that is going if ‘I’ don’t know what ‘I’ am then how can ‘I’ function, especially with confidence, ‘I’ want to know, ‘I’ want to be valuable/good/enlightened/loved/etc , its the mind that wants something special to happen, an event, a realisation, physical/spiritual/emotional experience, a breakdown or rapture... All thoughts.

Yes! Below are the confirmation questions we ask – you may recognise some! I used them to whittle out any further issues. When and if you wish to answer, and if the other guides agree, we will invite you to join our aftercare groups on Facebook. There may be other questions if you are OK to answer, if they see anything that may need clarification.

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

No – there is just sensations, thoughts and awareness ... life presenting itself

Was there ever?

No - not in direct looking and the ‘I’ thoughts don’t know 

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 illusion of separate self is a bundle of thoughts centred around / creating the body that say “This is me”, they separate awareness into “I” and not “I” (and more sub-separations)

‘I’ don’t know when it starts from a lifecycle perspective, the memories don’t come i.e. does it start at 6 months old? Or at birth? Or in the womb? Or 18 months?

In direct looking it starts with a thought, a labelling thought e.g. “bird” (ie not “I”) or “I” thoughts (preferences, wants, identifications etc...)... in direct looking there’s just sensations, “what is” and then a thought comes in “nerves in my stomach” – bang separation....

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.

Sensations flow ‘more freely’, there is ‘space’, less ‘pressure’ or ‘stuckness’,
Thoughts flow more freely, are believed less, are identified with less
There is more ‘acceptance’, less demands on how things and ‘I’ should be

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

This process, desire for, dedication and commitment to truth,
There are thoughts holding onto the ‘I’, there are thoughts that are seeking truth, there are periods of no thoughts just sensations, gradually the truth seeking thoughts became the predominant thoughts, so that the ‘pain of ignorance’ eventually outweighed the ‘fear of truth’ and then one looks.

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

No. No.
From my experience, thoughts come that look like ‘decisions’, ‘intentions’, ‘choice’, ‘control’, etc. Where do they come from? When do they come? What makes them choose X instead of Y? ‘I’ don’t know... The thoughts certainly look like they are doing the deciding/intending/choosing/controlling but on closer looking (most of the time) shows that the thoughts are more commentating on and claiming responsibility for/ownership of what’s happening ie are “in response to” rather than “at cause for”. ‘I’ say “most of the time” as some times in ‘my’ experience closer looking hasn’t always shown through this illusion.

6) Anything to add?

Deep gratitude for Sarah and the whole of Liberation unleashed – Ilona, Elena, etc ...

======================

Love, Mike

Hi Mike
Thanks for that will let you know.
Sarah xx

Hi Mike
Welcome. Have passed on your details onto Admin and you should be contacted on FB to be invited to the aftercare groups. Let me know if you hear nothing.
Lovely working with you.
Love Sarah xx

Thanks very much Sarah.


Much respect, gratitude, appreciation and love