Hi Vivien
Lie down onto a bed. Observer very carefully how the decision arises to get up.
Can a self be found making the body leave the bed?
Where does the "decision", the "command" to get up comes from?
What makes the body get up?
Is there a ‘you’ that commands the body?
When lying there, shout 'GET UP' internally as loudly as you can. Does that affect the outcome?
There isn't a self that can be found making the body do it. There isn't anywhere that the decision or command comes from. The body just 'gets up' And there isn't a 'me' commanding the body.
Shouting internally doesn't appear to be related to the actual act of getting up (now, you're gonna say this is speculation, of course).
But I cannot see any evidence that the internal voice results in the body automatically getting up.
Repeat this with sitting in a chair. Describe in detail the decision of standing up.
How does the decision happen exactly?
Does a self come in and take over, weighing pros and cons, looking at possible consequences?
Or does standing up just happen, or not, without any doer?
What makes the body to stand up?
There isn't a decision that can be observed, and a self doesn't come in and take over. The standing up happens on its own, without a doer. The standing up process.... just 'stands up'.
Now let’s investigate intention.
Sit in a chair and observe how the intention of standing up happens.
How is it known that there is an intention to stand up?
While sitting there, say internally several times ‘I intend to get up’. What happens?
What is it that made the intention to get up?
It is known, but I cannot say how it is known. It is different from just sitting there reading a book for example.
Saying it internally doesn't result in the actual standing up. (All that happens is I'm reminded of a similar exercise I did last year with another non-duality practitioner. It is familiar to me, this exercise).
Nothing that 'made' the intention to get up, that can be found.
Now, zoom onto the intention (of getting up) very closely. Look at the intention itself directly.
Stare at the intention itself. Not the thoughts of “I intend to get up”, but THE intention itself.
Can you locate THE intention itself?
How the intention is actually experienced?
Right, zooming in...
There is some activity in the head, like a tightening of muscle in the face, at the same time as the standing up begins.
I can't say if it can be said to be an 'intention'.
But there is activity present. There is awareness of activity.
There is definitely awareness that I am seeing.
Now, before you say I sound like I am saying there are little men inside, holding puppet strings....I have said nothing of the sort.
I have simply said that awareness is present. Knowing is present - knowing of when the standing up will happen.
Not a knower, or an awareness-er.
But knowing and awareness.
Chris
