Seeking the end of seeking

[Bingameen]

LU is focused guiding for seeing there is no real, inherent 'self' - what do you understand by this?
That the "I" that I've always considered my"self" to be is a fictional character. The "I" does not exist. It is merely an idea.

What are you looking for at LU?
To help me get from an intellectual understanding of truth to the experiential knowing that is the liberation from imprisonment to this incessant addiction to constant attention to and belief of thought.

What do you expect from a guided conversation?
Having someone who at one point was also searching assist in pointing the way towards a complete letting go of all beliefs and the constant attention to thoughts. Other than that I truly have zero expectations.

What is your experience in terms of spiritual practices, seeking and inquiry?
I am not sure exactly how to answer this one. I don't have any specific practice other than trying to observe from the very base perspective of what "I" am as often as remember to. I rarely meditate anymore. I keep looking to see what I appear to be missing(I guess this is my "seeking"). I have had momentary glimpses of pure, unadulterated, pristine, unalloyed reality but those moments came and went as if a scent on a breeze. Once past I again seem magnetized to thought. 😞.

On a scale from 1 to 10, how willing are you to question any currently held beliefs about 'self?
11

[Anastacia42]

Hi,

My name is Stacy and I can be your guide, if you would like. You can do this, especially since you've had glimpses. Thoughts are just a habit.

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,

[Anastacia42]

By the way...

Vince's meeting is tomorrow.

There are 3 meetings & a set of 5 videos you're invited to attend:

Thursday Meetings.

Hi Guys,

we are Luchana & Lubo, guides at LU.

Here is an invitation for you:

Join us each Thursday, 6 pm CET, UTC+1
and let's explore together what is already here.
Let's enjoy together this beauty called Life
MEETINGS ARE ON ZOOM and LIVE on youtube.

To participate in the meetings, send a request to luchanauzunova@gmail.com

You will receive an e-mail confirming your participation and a link to join.

Looking forward to seeing YOU!
Luchana & Lubo
__________________________________________________

Meet up with vince (For LU seekers & guides)

Monday August 14

6 am Sydney (est) Australia
Every 2 weeks after that.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86991485768?p ... 12Um5DQT09

Meeting ID: 869 9148 5768
Passcode: 083035

Let him know if you want email reminders.

Vinceschubert@gmail.com

__________________________________________________

Ilona's Meetings

Next group meeting on Zoom is on the 4th of September. (There was one October 9. Not sure when next one is. )

To register send Ilona an email to

admin@ilonaciunaite.com

Looking forward :)


__________________________________________________

(videos)

Hi everyone.

Starting on 15th of October for 5 weeks I will post a new video of guiding sessions we had with Jim.
Here is a link to the first one.

https://youtu.be/gb6FwZ6PlI4

Liberation Unleashed Direct Pointing - The Gateless Gate

Ilona

__________________________________________________

Have fun with these. Looking forward to next reply.

Loving,

[Bingameen]

Hi Stacy,

Thank you for reaching out. After reading your message I have to be honest and say that although my intention would be to post every day I can't promise that I would always be able to. I typically work 12 hours M-F with a 1.5 hours total commute. I also have family responsibilities. I truly want to begin this deep looking but I don't want to frustrate you if my posts are not always as frequent as requested. If you feel that it may be better for me to work with another guide that's fine. Please let me know what works best for you.

Best,
Chris

[Anastacia42]

This request is for you to keep the momentum up. It helps .

How often do you think you can commit to ?

Thanks,

[Bingameen]

I am commit to every other day but my intention will still be to post daily as often as I can.
Would that be ok for us to go forward?

Thanks

[Anastacia42]

Yes.

So please answer the first 4 questions in my first post & we'll go from there.

Loving,

[Bingameen]

Thank you so much Stacy.

How will life change?

I do not expect life to change. I understand that life will continue on as it always has gone on. The ups and downs of life are simply that, the ups and downs of life.

How will you change?

"I" cannot change because there is no "I".

What will be different?

Going from a conceptual understanding of the reality that there is no me to it being a lived "experience", for lack of a better word.

What is missing?

I wouldn't say that anything is missing. It's more as if there seems to be something there that is stuck. Something that is preventing the "me" sense from letting go. I've looked and looked and looked. I can't find the me, but I also cannot find what it is that seems to prevent me from letting go completely. As I mentioned in the answer prior I understand it conceptually. I do not doubt that there is no me. I just keep getting stuck mentally in the "me" trap.

[Anastacia42]

Okay, good. Your expectations are reasonable.

What comes up when is read there is no separate "self," never has been & never will be? That it is all a made up story?

Loving

[Bingameen]

What comes up when is read there is no separate "self," never has been & never will be? That it is all a made up story?

When I read that there is a resistance that I can't quite place my finger on. It's not as strong as the first time I heard that statement but it's there nonetheless. It's as if there is a struggle between belief in there being no self and the long standing, life long belief that "I" am a separate individual self.
I don't want to believe. I truly want to be without any beliefs whatsoever. I've searched for truth for so long. I've tearfully prayed to find truth no matter the cost over and over again. This "I" that's prayed, this "I" that's searched... doesn't exist. I know that. I understand that it's simply another belief. But how to be rid of the belief is the trillion dollar question.

With heartfelt appreciation,
Chris

[Anastacia42]

You're welcome.

That's quite a story.

What you're labeling "resistance" is simply the lie feeling. Every time you lie you feel a contraction, usually in the gut or maybe the heart.

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,

[Anastacia42]

And here's the next thing:

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,

[Bingameen]

What is found?

It's ironic that this is the question you asked. When I was typing my answer to; "What comes up when is read there is no separate "self,"?", I actually typed that the resistance felt elastic. Then I deleted that part before I submitted my answer. It felt like an elastic contraction in the chest. Yes, it also has a heavy quality to it. I remembered a time I called out of work with a BS excuse and I felt that same sensation. Then I read where you said 1+1=14 and I got the exact same sensation. I've never paid attention to that before. It's actually kind of amazing how the body sensation can point us towards what is true by alarming us of the lie.

Do you see that?

Yes.


Thank you. Please continue.

[Bingameen]

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

Yes. I am clear on this. I will look directly without relying on past memory, or imagined future.

[Anastacia42]

Excellent!

Here's your next pointer:

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 word forms. Same order. EXACTLY.

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,