The Gate

LU is focused guiding for seeing there is no real, inherent 'self' - what do you understand by this?
My sense of self is just a construct made out of thought

What are you looking for at LU?
I want to awaken..I am hoping for some help, a guide. I have meditated for quite some time. I am practicing enquiry but not certain if I am doing it correctly or not. I have questions about what I'm doing and maybe what mistakes I'm making.

What do you expect from a guided conversation?
Some answers or thoughts or analysis of where I am at. I'm looking at my mind quite intently but just a bit unsure of what I'm doing. It seems to me that there is tension and so on in my mind. I can feel it.

What is your experience in terms of spiritual practices, seeking and inquiry? Many years of meditation. A few months of trying to practice in earnest

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

I'm thinking through some of this and keen for someone's analysis. So, our fundamental mistake is that we see the looker as primary and then the looking as the output of the looker. But are you awake people saying that the looking is primary, the looker is a product arising from the looking and then the the looking from the looker is not really from the looker at all? It just feels like it is? But in reality there is just looking?

Why is it not possible that there is a looker and then looking occurs as a product of the looker?

When I try to look back at the looker I am unable to because I am also the looking. But wouldn't I also be unable to look at the looker if there was a looker that was primary?

I'm trying to be logical and questioning but am not sure I'm on the right track. Any help to clarify would be much appreciated. 🙂

Good morning, Patrick,

I may not be the best guide for you, because I don't have any doubts nor do I use logic to try to "figure things out," Why? It's hopeless that way. But let's see.

First, forget thinking. Forget analysis. Forget logic.

None of that will give you what you are LOOKING for. We LOOK with the body's eyes. We LISTEN with the body's ears. We FEEL with the body.

I will send you my usual introduction after we establish whether you are willing to LOOK and not "think" to find your awakening.

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. Can you agree to follow only Direct Experience?


Loving,
Stacy

Hi Stacy,
Yes I see what you mean and yes I agree to use only direct sensing/looking to pursue our goal here. Thanks so much for making contact and I am determined and keen to follow the directions that have proven to be most successful for this.
Patrick

Excellent. Then let's begin.

Here's my usual introduction:

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

One thing I want to make very clear up front is that with me, you must post every day. If you know yourself and your schedule are such that you cannot do this, tell me, "no," and someone else can guide you, please.

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

If you know yourself to be a skeptical person, prone to doubt, I may not be the best guide for you. I never had any doubt. I can connect you with one of our other guides who did & who can guide you better than I.

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,
Stacy

Hi Stacy,

I can post every day.

I want to engage thoroughly with the process of enquiry but I am not an overly skeptical person in terms of my belief about what is possible. By that I mean I accept that it is possible for people to wake up, I am not skeptical about that. I aim to explore or sense after the answers to the guiding questions as authentically as possible.

I have read the disclaimer document and the frequently asked questions document.

How will life change?

I am not sure. I am hoping for a sense of inner peace. I can definitely relate to the feeling described in the document about feeling things are not right.

How will you change?

I'm not sure about this either. If I see that I have no core self perhaps I will be able to go with the flow of events more naturally
Perhaps my suffering will decrease

.

What will be different?

I will understand what I am better than I currently do. Perhaps I will see things in the world more clearly, for example perhaps I will see or recognise "identity" differently in others.

What is missing?

I have less interest in normal achievements than I used to have. Life's goals that once seemed important seem less important now. I'm not saying I want that back but at present I feel as though I don't quite fit in as well with the rest of society. (Though I still function ok). Perhaps I'm looking for something to replace that? I'm not sure .....

What would you like for me to call you

?

Patrick

What time zone are you in, please?

AEST (GMT+10)

It is 11.49am here as I post this.

Thank you Stacy, I would really appreciate you being my guide if you are willing to.

Patrick

Hi Patrick,

Yes. Let's begin. I'm in the US Mountain Time.

Your expectations are pretty reasonable.

Next, what comes up when is read there's no separate "self," never has been & never will be? It's all a made up story.

Much love,

Stacy

Hi Stacy,

Next, what comes up when is read there's no separate "self," never has been & never will be? It's all a made up story

When I say the question to myself I feel a certain tightness or block. I leap to thoughts like "but what about all your history and what you've done...." It makes me feel sort of sad in a way. Maybe because I've put a lot of effort into selfing.... I'm not sure ... I guess I'm supposed to stick to direct feeling rather than thinking so I would say what comes up is a feeling of tightness.

Thanks so much for taking me on Stacy. 🙂

Patrick

You're welcome, Patrick.

That question checks for fears. Tightness indicates a lie in something you're thinking. We'll get to that shortly.

So, yes, we want you to stick with Direct Experience.likev the Colored Socks exercise.

Now try this:


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. Same order of words on each line. Same type of wording. Everything.

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,

~ Stacy

Hi Stacy,
Just going to bed now. I will do those exercises tomorrow and make some lists. Then I will report back at the end of the day. 🙂 Thank you.
Patrick

You're welcome.

Good.

Hi Stacy,
I found this challenging. I do so much interpreting all the time, I never realised this in an experiential way. It was hard to break it down like this, for example I wanted to say my feeling tired was more than just sensation....

Here are my lists. 🙂 I look forward to your feedback.

Post several of your own observations in a list *exactly* like the one above, please. Same order of words on each line. Same type of wording. Everything.

Seeing the road, simply = image, colour
Hearing the cars, simply = sound
Hearing my footsteps on the road, simply = sound
Hearing the waves on the river, simply = sound
Smelling the car fumes, simply = smelling
Seeing the river, simply = image, colour
Thinking about my mum, simply = thought

Hearing the water from the tap, simply = sound
Feeling the coldness of the water, simply = sensation
Tasting the water, simply = taste
Looking out the window, simply = image, colour
Looking at the glass of water, simply = image, colour
Thinking about my job, simply = thoughts

Talking on the phone, simply = sensation
Hearing my voice, simply = sound
Thinking of how to best explain something, simply = thought
Smelling smoke in the air, simply = smell
Looking at my phone, simply = image, colour
Hearing a door close, simply = sound
Feeling sad and worried, simply = sensation

Looking for crumbs, simply = images, colours
Holding the paper towel and wiping, simply = sensation
Thinking about the ants, simply = thought
Hearing the television, simply = sounds
Feeling tired, simply = feeling

Hi,

And still you were able to do the exercise perfectly. This distinction is essential to seeing there is no self.

I wanted to say my feeling tired was more than just sensation....

It is. It is Sensation plus Thought Arising with some content that is a made-up story.

One of the best ways to notice this is this: please list the Sensations, body sensations, of the emotion called, "fear."

Loving,
Stacy

Hi Stacy,

please list the Sensations, body sensations, of the emotion called, "fear."

This was tricky as I had to try to remember what it's like to feel genuinely frightened. So I'm not sure about my answer but,
body sensations of fear include:
feeling heart beat faster,
feeling breathing faster,
feeling a readiness to move quickly,
feeling alertness.

I know these last two are not granular and specific and involve "thought" but I was not able to break them down any further.

Thank you Stacy.

Patrick

Hi Potato k,

Those are good enough for right now.

Please next list the body Sensations associated with excitement.

Much love,

Stacy