The Gate

Greetings. For the sake of clarity "I" will use everyday language to describe this (brief) story.

It was this post that pointed out the gate to my awareness:

http://ruthlesstruthdotcom.blogspot.com ... shine.html

Specifically, the idea behind using basic human pattern recognition to see that the self was not in fact present in the moment. I simply sat in awareness for several minutes and attempted to find the pattern of "self/ego" existing. This subtly shifted "my" locus of attention from thought-processes to awareness. While this shift was felt as something "tiny", it's been expanding like a wave-front into my day today living. Present-moment awareness has been continuing (with plenty of lapses) since then.

The meditation practice I had started three months prior was immensely helpful in the process. I'm not sure that I would have been able to perceive "The Gate" without the focus that had been built up to that moment.

Ciaran from Liberation Unleashed helpfully provided some follow-up reading for the post-awakening experience. I've been listening to "Realizing the Power of Now: An In-Depth Retreat with Eckart Tolle" via audiobook. Having read his book "The Power of Now" many years back, it's amazing to have the ability to perceive what he is actually saying (instead of filtering via object-consciousness).

There is plenty more I could say, but that's a brief summary of where I'm at presently. Please, ask questions!

Welcome Pathfinder (or should that be NoPathFound ?)
Give us a name to call you.
Let's get straight to it...
1) Is there a 'me', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is, when it starts and how it works.

3) How does it feel to see this?

4) How would you describe it to somebody who has never heard about this illusion.

5) What was the last bit that tipped you over, that triggered the 'seeing' ?

The name's Erik, nice to meet you. Also, touché.

1. Awareness exists, that's it. The old patterns are still there but they subside into awareness when noticed. Specifically, there never was a separate self; just a very compelling story.

2. The story of self begins in childhood. This story grows layer upon layer with experience and begins to dominate awareness. One forgets there ever was awareness and becomes completely engrossed in the story. The story ends in awakening or death.

3. It is a profound feeling. It is a light feeling. It is a complete feeling.

4. I want to make the explanation complicated, but awakening is so simple. It is noticing that in the present moment that "nobody is home" so to speak. Here's an invented dialogue to express the concept to another person:

"John", the fact is that you don't exist. What you call "you" is a mind-pattern evolved throughout human history passed from parent to child for tens of thousands of years. This pattern weaves a story over a persons awareness which eventually culminates in the full-blown ego experience that the majority of humans exist in today. This life-long story that you carry around in your head is just that, a story that is encoded in your neurons. The person you think of as "John" is simply a series of thought-patterns in your brain that utilize present-awareness to generate an on-going narrative of your experiences, likes, dislikes and so on. If you develop the ability to quiet your mind and focus your back to present-moment awareness, you'll notice that the story ceases. There never was any "you" John. There is no "you". Just this awareness.

5. This dialogue between Ciaran and the first person that he helped find "The Gateless Gate" without being a dick about it:

CIARAN yes
good
exactly what you need to think about
now i put this in clear conceptual terms
but the issue with that
is that it is very easy
to start seeing it
as a conceptual puzzle
and as i'm sure you know
it isn't
what it is
in its essence
is a kind of pattern
that's a very weird word to use
because yes
technically
it's more like the absence of a pattern
but let's no go down that road
and confuse ourselves
think of it like a pattern
a pattern in a tapestry
that you are looking for
i can tell you
that the pattern
is squiggly
and blue
and shaped like a monkey
but
i cannot see it for you
you have to find it
you have to just open your eyes
maybe unfocus them slightly
and try to see the pattern i describe
now we're lucky
because this pattern
is massively simpler
and we're also lucky
because pattern recognition
as a human faculty
is permanent
once you see that monkey
it doesn't matter if you walk off
and live for another fifty years
the next time you see that tapestry
you will see that pattern
this is like that
the idea
that there is no 'you' living life
but only life
in a real
and literal sense
is actually true
just as the pattern in the tapestry
is actually there
in real life
you can pretend
that you see the blue monkey
here
or there
but
that will always fade
and isn't real anyway
if you see it
you're done
and it takes
well
ten seconds?
maybe 30 to deepen it properly
now
scroll back up
and read that thing again
about the video
i'm off for another smoke

Eric, i need to get 3 others to confirm that you have passed through the gateless gate, then you will be invited to join a Facebook group where 'gatecrashers' support each other.

we have confirmation.

There are many new 'skills' to be considered as you are entering a whole new world now.
Anyway, lots of this kind of processing happens in Unleashed, so "friend" me on Facebook and i will invite you to join.(when confirmation occurs)
https://www.facebook.com/vince.schubert
Here is a small doc worth reading ; http://liberationunleashed.com/PDF/Awakened.pdf
and a great video here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Biv_8xjj8E