Letting Go

[swsimons]

LU is focused guiding for seeing there is no real, inherent 'self' - what do you understand by this?
There is no "I", there is no "me", everything is just happening. Thoughts happen, hearing happens, seeing happens, tasting happens, smelling happens, touching happens, breathing happens, bodily sensations happen. Nothing that is being controlled by anything, but just happening. Since there is no "I/me", nothing needs to be fixed.

What are you looking for at LU?
I am done with seeking. Even as I write this, I continue to write I, so I know that I need some guidance to truly going through the gate and moving beyond the "I" and "me". I am looking for this guidance to get me through the gate.

What do you expect from a guided conversation?
Pointed questions that will continue to push the process of going through the gate. To truly understanding that there is no "I", that there is nothing that needs to be fixed and ultimately for an authentic life to be lived that is lived in the moment free of roles, just meeting life as it comes.

What is your experience in terms of spiritual practices, seeking and inquiry?
I have done a lot, starting with Christianity, Ekhart Tolle's A New Earth, various meditations, Hoffman process, Energy healing, Reiki, Emotion Code, Psych K and others. From these, it has always seemed as though something needs to be fixed, something is wrong with me that I need to work on, and it has pulled me away from living in the present moment.

On a scale from 1 to 10, how willing are you to question any currently held beliefs about 'self? 10

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[Anastacia42]

My name is Stacy and I can be your guide, if you would like.

One thing that is helpful is to come to this forum
& post every day. Sometimes the site goes down. It will be back. Just come back later.

Yes, if once in a while you must post later, please post a note telling me when you will return.

If you haven't already read the disclaimer, please read it now and just confirm to me that you have read it. Here is the link.

http://liberationunleashed.com/disclaimer-2/

Also please read “Liberation Unleashed is not …” in the FAQ’s of LU. Here is the link.

http://liberationunleashed.com/about/faq/#faq-1041

Some housekeeping guidelines:

1. Post at least once a day, or every second day. If you need more time, or are unable to post for several days, just write a quick post on your thread to let me know please.

2. There is no one judging answers given, so please be 100% honest in your answers and inquiry.

3. This exploration is based on actual experience (AE) - smell, taste, sound, sensation, color and observed thoughts. Long-winded analytical and philosophical answers are best avoided and may even hinder progress. This is not a self-improvement process. There is no ‘self’ to improve.

4. Put aside all other teachings, philosophies, rituals, practices, books/reading and so on for the remainder of this investigation. Really put all your effort and attention in to seeing this reality, as it is. If you have a daily meditation practice, it is fine to continue that but is not necessary for this exploration.

Technology is not perfect and sometimes there is a glitch which can wipe out your responses. It is advisable that you copy and paste questions asked into Word, answer them there and then copy and paste them to your thread. Always save a copy of what you have done, it will save time in the long run!

To begin with, so that we both become aware of what your expectations are about this exploration. In your own words (not from actual experience, but just honest answers), could you please answer the 4 following questions:

How will life change?
How will you change?
What will be different?
What is missing?

Throughout this exploration I would like you to answer all questions that I have written in blue text. Please answer all questions even if I miss using the blue text.

Please answer questions individually, remembering to use the quote function to highlight the question being answered.

Below is a link to the video with instructions on using the Quote Function. Please watch it. Use the PREVIEW button to make sure your text looks right before you hit "SUBMIT."

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=660

What would you like for me to call you? What time zone are you in, please?


Loving,

[Anastacia42]

https://youtu.be/wyNwhK2Ur1c?si=TZwuFEst-7Hsadpu

Loving

[swsimons]

I can be your guide, if you would like.

Hi, yes that sounds great.

How will life change?

Life will be less reactive and more open to receiving experience as it is and as it comes.

How will you change?

More loving of all life experiences, less taking personal responsibility for everything that happens, more joyful and happy.

What will be different?

Seeing, feeling, hearing, life experiences as they are. Noticing that sensations and thoughts are just happening and do not define life. Letting what happens happen without reacting and taking personal responsibility for the experience.

What is missing?

How to get through the gate, as much as it is understood, wanting to finally “get” it.

What would you like for me to call you?

You can call me Scott

What time zone are you in?

Mountain Standard Timezone

[Anastacia42]

Hi Scott,

I'm in Longmont, Colorado for another week then I'm moving to Texas, my husband's choice.

Your answers are fairly reasonable.

Now what comes up when reading that there is no separate self, never has been, and never will be? That the whole thing was a made up story that we believed.


Loving,

[swsimons]

Now what comes up when reading that there is no separate self, never has been, and never will be? That the whole thing was a made up story that we believed.

It is intellectually hard to believe that there is no separate self, that there is no “I” because it has felt like there is a me that is living and experiencing this life. It has always appeared that there has been a me, a me that doesn’t fit in, being judged, and having to show up everyday trying to live the way this world is telling me to live. It is a bit difficult to take that the whole world, everyone that I know has been living this life in a lie, believing that they are in control, while this whole time there never has been any self that is in control.

At the same time, reading this provides hope that the understanding there is no separate self will bring some ease to this life.

[Anastacia42]

Okay, good. These pointers will help you see the truth.

This is how to LOOK for no self in the exercises - we call them "pointers' - that we will be doing here:

Colored Socks

There is a big difference between knowing that there is nothing to give up and seeing that there is nothing to give up.

Here is an example to illustrate the difference:

If I ask you what color socks you are wearing right now you have two ways to come up with an answer:

• You can think about it, you can think back to this morning and try to remember putting your socks on, and you can probably tell me what color you think they are.

• Alternatively, you can take a quick look at your socks and tell me what color they actually are!

Hopefully you would agree that you can only be 100% certain by looking.

For the purpose of seeing this "no self" idea, it is very important that you are clear about this difference.

Knowing is about knowledge which is all in the mind and we are not interested in that

We are only interested in looking at and seeing what is actually going on in your present moment-to-moment experience. We are only interested in your Direct Experience in the moment..

Direct or Actual Experience is

Seeing
Hearing
Feeling (Sensation, not emotion. Emotion is Sensation plus made-up thoughts & labels)
Tasting
Smelling
Thoughts Arising (but not their content)

Please let me know if you are clear about this or if you would like any further clarification.



Loving,

[swsimons]

Please let me know if you are clear about this or if you would like any further clarification.

This is clear to me.

[Anastacia42]

Great. Show me.


Direct Experience - Labeling Daily Activities

Here's an exercise that I would like you to try as many times throughout the day as you can. Label daily activities simply color/image, sound, smell, taste, sensation, thought.

So for example, when having breakfast, become aware of:

Seeing a cup, simply= image/color
Smelling coffee, simply = smell
Feeling the warmth of the coffee cup, simply = sensation
Tasting the coffee, simply = taste
Hearing the spoon stirring the coffee, simply = sound
Thought about drinking the coffee, simply = thought

Just break down daily activities into these categories (which are all Actual/Direct Experience) and report back with lists exactly like the one above.

Post several of your own observations in a list *exactly* like the one above, please.

Refer to the green list of Actual/Direct Experience in the prior post if that helps. Those are the only items any experience can be.

Loving,

[swsimons]

Post several of your own observations in a list *exactly* like the one above, please

Fingers typing, simply = seeing image/ feeling sensation
Hearing HVAC hum, simply = hearing sound
Hearing office discussions, simply = hearing sound
Seeing words appear on computer screen, simply = seeing image
Sitting on chair, simply = feeling sensation
Tired eyes, simply = feeling sensation
Seeing travel mug, simply = seeing image/color
Hearing keys pressed on keyboard, simply = hearing sound
Seeing TV, simply = seeing image/color
Ringing in ears, simply = hearing
Laying on bed, simply = feeling sensation
Listening to movie on TV, simply = hearing
Hearing snow plow outside, simply = hearing
Watching kids play hockey, simply = seeing images/colors

[Anastacia42]

Good. Note that you wrote things like "feeling sensation " worn the example only has sensation, but that's okay. You kept to the 5 Senses.

Now this one:

Mind Labeling Experience

Here is an exercise which examines the way in which the mind labels experience - it takes about 20 minutes and you will need a pen a paper.

This exercise is broken into 10 minute lots. For each 10 minute period pay attention to any bodily sensation i.e. is there any tightening, or any relaxing?

For the first ten minutes write down what you are experiencing right now using the word “I”.

For example:

I am sitting on a chair,
I am hearing a clock ticking,
I am looking at a computer screen,
I am feeling hungry.

Get right to the point, no past or future fantasy, just a plain description of your experience right here and now.

Then for the next ten minutes continue writing down what you are experiencing but this time without using the word “I”. Just describe the experience as it is happening using verbs.

For example:

Sitting on a chair,
typing,
breathing,
blinking,
hearing the clock.

(Again, watch what is happening in the body.)

At the end of the twenty minutes compare the two ways in which the experience was labelled and answer the following four questions:

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one?

2. What is here without labels?

3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?

4. Did you notice any differences in the body?

Loving,

[swsimons]

1. Is one truer than the other, and If so, which one?

Yes, the second way, not associating/labeling an I with the experience.

2. What is here without labels?

What is here without the labels is only the experience of hearing, seeing, sensations, thoughts in the present moment.

3. Do labels affect the experience or just describe it?

Labels do not affect the experience in that the experience still happens regardless of if a label is placed on it, however, putting a label on it creates a feeling of ownership as if there is an I that is in control of what is experienced.

4. Did you notice any differences in the body?

What I noticed in the body is that when I labeled say a sensation with I, the sensation remained in the body, but when I didn’t label the sensation with I, the sensation disappeared.

[Anastacia42]

Great
.
Here's a follow-up on the body Sensation.

Here is how to distinguish truth from lies.

We often lie every day & don't realize it.

For example, the grocery clerk asks, "How are you?" You reply, "I'm fine." While, yes. there is a sense in which we are always fine, even in the middle of suffering, at that moment, you were grieving the death of your dog, you had a slight sore throat & you had a headache, but you didn't feel like sharing all of that with the grocery clerk, so you lied, "I'm fine."

Also, it matters none at all how "distant" the remembered lie is. Besides the fact that time itself is fictional, a kind if lie, as we recall the lie it becomes present in this moment, as if it were happening now. This brings the body Sensation that accompanies lying.

Lies can be intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious, even so automatic that we ourselves are fooled.

The story of a separate "self" is a lie.

This is the lie you came here to see through. Therefore, it is helpful to notice the body Sensation of lying as one of the tools for finding the truth of no self.

You want to be in touch with body Sensations & able to clearly express them in words. This will help.

Lies are usually felt in the heart or solar plexus as a contraction that we may label as tight, heavy or tense.

In contrast, truth is usually expansive. We may call it loose, light or relaxed.

First, can you remember a time when you lied to someone you loved?

Here we count anything, lies we think of as "big" or "small" that "matter" or don't "matter."

How are you? I'm fine. No, your knee hurts, but you don't feel like discussing it with the grocery clerk.

It's a lie. A seemingly "bigger" one will work better for this exercise.

Find the lie. I don't need the whole story, just a few key words to refer to it.

Then scan your body for any Sensation (DE or Direct Experience), particularly in the gut or maybe the heart. Check very closely.

What is found?

If you think the memory you used wasn't clear enough, find another one or lie to yourself right now, make something up.

1 + 1 = 14 is a lie.

I love eating worms is (probably) a lie.

Or call up a video of a lying politician & notice what Sensations arise as you listen.

I will give you a clue: it is not that peaceful Sensation you felt before when you omitted "I." (refers to an exercise I gave before this one)

Please report back with what body Sensations (not interpretations) you feel. Bodies can feel hot or cold, heavy or light, contraction or expansion, etc.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

Loving,

[swsimons]

I have struggled with this one.

The lie is a lie to myself, that I don't care what others think.

What is found?

I notice a burning sensation in my heart area, a feeling of heaviness. I want to call it guilt, but I know that is just a label.

Do you see that?

Yes, I do see that these interpretations/labels are just body sensations that come and go.

[Anastacia42]

Goo Syay aware of these sensations when you finally see clearly that there is no self you may have a very expansive light feeling of truth.

Next pointer:


Label-Reality Correlation

There is a belief that labels have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’. But there isn’t. Just like it is a generally accepted belief that labels like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are inherent characteristics of ‘things’. But actually, they are not.

When you look at the word label ‘GREEN' , what is the actual experience?

Is the color red ‘experienced’, or is the color green ‘experienced’ as the label suggests?

Does the label ‘GREEN’ have a one-to-one correspondence with ‘reality’? Or does the label suggest something else other than what is here now (red colour)?

Is 'green' associated in any way with the experience of the colour red; or is green just a label that overlays the actual experience of red?

If the label ‘GREEN’ is replaced with the label ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ , is the redness affected in any way as the labels suggests?

Does redness become ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or do the labels have no affect whatsoever on ‘reality’?

Let me know what is SEEN.


Loving