The Gate

LU is focused guiding for seeing there is no real, inherent 'self' - what do you understand by this?
The feeling of being inside of your body and being the doer of actions is an illusion built on untested belief systems.

What are you looking for at LU?
Nothing specifically, just some guidance on seeing through the ego's illusion. The book is very straight forward and i hope to get a similar experience on the forum. No spiritual jargon or metaphysics, just pointing.

What do you expect from a guided conversation?
Just direct pointing to the centerless-ness of experience. I don't expect to gain any beliefs or gain knowledge of any kind. Ultimately i would like to shed the comfort of a guide and be able to do it on my own, but I think some guidance is what's most beneficial right now.

What is your experience in terms of spiritual practices, seeking and inquiry?
I've dabble with inquiry, mantra a teeny bit, and occasionally metta, but mindfulness is the only spiritual practice i consistently do on a regular basis.

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

Hi

I am glad to walk a bit with you to help you see through the illusion of a separate self.

There are some rules to agree with, before starting our dialog :

Read the disclaimer text here
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

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.

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

Put aside all other teachings, philosophies, rituals, practices, books, videos about this investigation.

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?

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."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=-fAToDNh9hQ

Best wishes

Warissem

Thank you very much! Sorry for the late reply, been a busy past few days.

How will life change?

I don't think my life will change that much if at all, at least initially. The only thing I think will change is my perspective. Not in a philosophical way but in a more direct sense. Maybe it would feel like there is a bit more space between everything? If that makes sense.

How will you change?

Again, I don't think 'I' will change that much. Maybe a new perspective would allow for some deprogramming (so to speak) which could change mental patterns and habits and what not but I don't think anything will change directly and if it does I can't imagine it would be anything too dramatic.

What will be different?

I honestly don't know. I've mentioned the word 'perspective' a few times but i don't know if anything would really change all that much. I think it's more like when you are looking at clouds and one of your friends tells you that one of the clouds looks like something else and it takes a second to see it but once you do, it's very obvious. The cloud itself doesn't change but clearly there has been a shift of some sort.

What is missing?

I don't know. I want to say nothing is missing but I don't think I would have read all those 'spiritual' books and created an account on this website unless I felt a lack of some kind. So I guess I would have to say that even though it feels like something's missing, I can't say what it is.

Hi (which name I can put here)

I apologize for the delay of my response. I just missed your post.

I am glad to read the answers about expectations and noticed your openness to what is happening. No expectations is the best starting point to what is going here.

During our dialog LOOKING AT direct experience is the clue to SEE through the illusion of a separate self.
Direct experience is : seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching or sensations. Thoughts are only used to communicate.
I will ask questions and give you exercises to practice. You have to look at the question and SEE the answer in full light.
Example : what is the color of the sky right now?
You can answer through memory of this morning (the last time you have looked at the sky) or guess the answer
OR open the window, look at the sky and see its color in live the report back the answer. This kind of looking is called direct experience here.

Let me know if you are clear about direct experience then we can move on.

Best wishes

Hello, no worries. You can call me Gavin, and yes I believe I am clear on direct experience.

Good morning

Here we are.
What is arising as thoughts, sensations, feelings when you read this :

There is no separate self, no you in any shape or form, there never was, there never will be.

Best for you

What is arising as thoughts, sensations, feelings when you read this :

There is no separate self, no you in any shape or form, there never was, there never will be.

When I read it there is an echo of the words appearing as thoughts, there is also the feeling of curiosity and confusion. There is a feeling that this is the missing puzzle piece that needs to be found in my life. I begin looking for the self but that quickly steers off into intellectual speculation of some kind, like it's a riddle that needs to be solved. I also get a slight anxiety, sometimes pretty strong. I also notice I'm trying very hard to find what i think will be a 'satisfactory' thought, sensation, or feeling instead of just looking at what is.

Good evening

When I read it there is an echo of the words appearing as thoughts, there is also the feeling of curiosity and confusion.

Confusion is a good sign, continue to look at that direction.

There is a feeling that this is the missing puzzle piece that needs to be found in my life.

It could be, it is not your life anyway.

I begin looking for the self but that quickly steers off into intellectual speculation of some kind, like it's a riddle that needs to be solved. I also get a slight anxiety, sometimes pretty strong.

Looking at a separate self is like looking at a tiger under your bed. The job is done through the five senses not through thinking.

I also notice I'm trying very hard to find what i think will be a 'satisfactory' thought, sensation, or feeling instead of just looking at what is.

Just stay with what is here now.

Here is an exercise for you :
Write the word "I" on a piece of paper. Look at the word, is that YOU?

Speak the word “I” silently; be aware of any sensations or responses to this word. Are any of these reactions in your body or mind by themselves YOU?

Now say the word “I” aloud. Is that sound YOU?

Is the combination of any of these, the word, the sound, the thought YOU?”

Is the thought, "I exist" you?

Is the thought "I" you?

Best for you