The Gate

Experiencing life living itself is quite liberating. No mind running the show. Thoughts, sensations coming and going. See er and seen don't feel like one. Hearer and heard don't feel like one. Any pointers greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Valerie,

I can be one guide that works with you. If you agree to the following we can get started.

There are a few ground rules, please respond to confirm:

1. You agree to post at least every day.
2. I will post questions, and you will answer them.
3. When you answer you answer 110% honestly,
4. and when you do answer, you answer from your direct experience (felt senses and observed thoughts). Long winded analytical and philosophical answers are not needed and may even hinder progress.
5. Put aside all other teachings, philosophies and such for the remainder of this journey. Really put all your effort and attention in to seeing this reality, as it is. If you have a daily and essential meditation practice, it is fine to continue that.
6. Please learn to use the quote function.

I don't know how to use quote function and haven't found instructions yet.
I will post and answer questions from direct experience everyday with 100% honesty.

Thank you.

Is there a way to be notified by e mail when there is a new post? Can someone help me with the quote function?

Hey Valerie,

refer to this link to learn how to simply use the quote function:
http://liberationunleashed.com/nation/v ... ?f=4&t=660

Also refer to the bottom of this thread, on the left, click "Subscribe topic". It should already notify you by e-mail when there is a new post right?

So...

let's do the basics first.

What are your expectations for Awakening from the illusion of separation?

My expectation for awakening is to c no separation. Experience no separation. I expect to c everything as one w no dividing lines. Today while resting silently about still feeling separate "not feeling like the see er and the seen r one. It occurred to me in a flash "this is only another thought". I believe life will b the same, yet more ease because there will b no me to attach meaning to. Thank u.

Alright Valerie,

so just remember that any Expectations are attachments to an imagined future and self, and will NOT serve you. Drop them as you notice them, and if they come up again, then drop them yet again.

So we are going to refer to your Direct Experience as a way to investigate the illusion of the separate self. To make this clearer let's figure out a way that we can investigate experience that we can both agree upon. We can agree that honey is sweet, and grass is green, and soon we'll agree that there is no separate self whatsoever.

Confirm for me that we can break Experience down in to 3 basic components:
1) thoughts
2) sensations x 5(feeling [kinesthetic+tactile], hearing, seeing, tasting & smelling)
3) sense of aliveness (presence, or being... that unmistakable sense)
Take some time to check in your experience... during different activities... sitting, standing, eating, talking to a friend, typing. Confirm for me that we can always break down Experience in to a combination of these components.

Yes, i agree thoughts, sensations, being. That is my experience. [
quote][Expectations are attachments to an imagined future and self, and will NOT serve you. Drop them as you notice them, and if they come up again, then drop them yet again./quote] .
I Will drop expectations as they arise.

Valerie,

awesome. Let's get started.

See er and seen don't feel like one. Hearer and heard don't feel like one.

LOOK directly at this. Find the line or point of separation. LOOK @ IT DEEPLY. Where is it and what is it like? Report with respect to direct Experience.

And explain what you mean by "don't feel like one" ?

I am checking in for today. Not much insight from rest. I was able to be conscious about dropping any thoughts about future events. I have looked at your last post w questions but have not sat with it long enough. I did notice a fear/anxiety sensation arise as I stared at the post. I just noticed and let it pass. I will look into your questions more tomorrow.

[quoteSee er and seen don't feel like one. Hearer and heard don't feel like one.
][/quote] This just feels like a mind concept. Can't find a line of separation. Still looking deeply. Mind seemed to be in overdrive today at times. You asked me to explain "don't feel like one". I thought there would b this seeing or bodily sensation of wholenesss like a flowing picture with no edges. Idk , that's what is here now.

Hey,

This just feels like a mind concept. Can't find a line of separation. Still looking deeply. Mind seemed to be in overdrive today at times.

What 'mind'... is there a mind? or is there simply a stream of thoughts, and sensations, here & now, as there always is?

You asked me to explain "don't feel like one". I thought there would b this seeing or bodily sensation of wholenesss like a flowing picture with no edges. Idk , that's what is here now.

As you must realize by now, this isn't about thoughts, thinking, or what you think :) whatever is Experienced, is Experienced, it IS. That's it. Regardless of any sensation, or any label you put on sensations with "omg it feels like one" or "im separate oh poor me", it's just simple Experiencing. It's just Life. Drop the labels and welcome whatever comes. Your work is to investigate, not try to change What-Is or to search for some Experience. Feelings of Oneness may come only later, after initial Insight in to no-self has been realized. However, this is the most important thing that I recommend you focus on with all of your energy. The core to suffering is this illusion, and that's why we run this service. Don't worry about trying to achieve a certain feeling state. It will get you nowhere, fast. I know this, very well.

In Experience, there is just this Experience.
1) thoughts
2) sensations x5 (seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling [tactile+kinesthetic], tasting)
3) presence/being (an unmistakable sense of aliveness)

We can break down Exp. in this way.

is there a separate self in any way in any form?

Answer with respect to a clear investigation of direct here&now Experience. Refer to the 3 aspects above as ways to break it down and report. Feel free to do a few different activities in different places/contexts and look it and pin point it. Break down ANY assumptions about pretty much anything using the 3 aspects if you need to.

Look forward to it.

What 'mind'... is there a mind?

I read this first thing this morning and thought it was pretty funny and started laughing. Thank you. I spent most of the day dropping labels and thoughts.

is there a separate self in any way in any form?

I want to say no, but it doesn't feel gut level true. OK, so there is truly only experience happening, I can say that. I did not intentionally try 3 different activities today w respect to experience, but hope to focus some time on that tomorrow. Thank you cosmic.

One more thing tonight. I can drop viewpoints, thoughts, whatever continuously and I can see my body doing whatever all day without a me involved, but i think I am identifying on some level with the body maybe. Thats all for now. Thank you.

Hey Valerie,

I read this first thing this morning and thought it was pretty funny and started laughing. Thank you. I spent most of the day dropping labels and thoughts.

What is reading? What spends most of the day dropping labels and thoughts?

(and remember, these questions are not looking for your intellectual response, it points you to here&now experience, so intellect is only used to accurately experiential reflect, that is all.)

I want to say no, but it doesn't feel gut level true. OK, so there is truly only experience happening, I can say that. I did not intentionally try 3 different activities today w respect to experience, but hope to focus some time on that tomorrow. Thank you cosmic.

Just be honest 110%, that is the key here.

what is "gut level true"? is that another image of what this should be like?
in your present moment experience, how is it NOT true that there is no separate self?
is this 'gut level true' just another judgement and label on Experience?

e. OK, so there is truly only experience happening, I can say that. I did not intentionally try 3 different activities today w respect to experience, but hope to focus some time on that tomorrow. Thank you cosm

As you say, there is just this Experiencing, the same Experiencing that is the reading of this sentence...(read slow now) 1 ... 2 ... 3.... see? :) So... the 3 aspects of Experience simply help break down any assumptions, and the key unchallenged assumption we are always breaking down, is the assumption of "the separate self" or doer/watcher/listener/feeler/thinker/perceiver/experience-er. The three aspects always return us to the simple basic aspects of Experience, with no added on bullshit.

One more thing tonight. I can drop viewpoints, thoughts, whatever continuously and I can see my body doing whatever all day without a me involved, but i think I am identifying on some level with the body maybe. Thats all for now. Thank you.

Again... What is dropping such things?

What is seeing 'the body'?

Okay... so you are identified with "the body". Alright, so let's use our 3 aspects of Experience, and let's investigate this.

Does Experience come from the body? or does the body come from Experience?

Does the body perceive? or is the body simply a part of perception?

Is there really a body? or is there sensations of feeling (tactile+kinesthetic) which are mostly labelled "body"?

Put hand on keyboard. Look and feel hand against the keyboard... Is there a 'hand' and 'keyboard' or just sensations of touch and vision thus divided and conceptualized in to a separate 'hand' and 'keyboard'.

Feel your body against the chair and legs against the floor... Is there really a "body" and "floor" and "chair" and "computer"... or is there just Experience, just sensations, just a sense of Aliveness, and just some thoughts that label this Experience.

Is there a 'body' separate from anything else? or is there just Experience labelled in a habitual way "body" "me" "what i see" "the outside world" "objects" "keyboard" "lengthy annoying writing by cosmiK" ?

The 3 aspects I have given are there for you to ruthlessly examine any assumptions of self, agency, doership, separation, duality. Break it all down if there is any assumption. If there is no assumption, then just look simply @ the here & now. Is there anything looking? or is looking just happening. Is there a seer? perceiver? or only the perceived?

Is there any separation?

Take your time to work with these exercises and really look in to Direct Experience, and then, and only then, write me back with answers that reflect that experiential insight. Again... this is not about thinking about oneness, or non-duality, or yada yada... it's about really pointing attention back in to simple here&now moment2moment Experiencing. Do this and get back to me.

I have high expectations for you. Don't disappoint :)