I’m not sure

[Aussie]

LU is focused guiding for seeing there is no real, inherent 'self' - what do you understand by this?
I get the concept intellectually but I struggle to see it

What are you looking for at LU?
I’m looking for a guide to help me see the reality of my ego being nothing more than a made up identity through thoughts and conditioning I feel like this is the right path for me because I’m not really that religious and for some reason this just sounds right

What do you expect from a guided conversation?
I’m not expecting anything to be honest but a chat and see wat happens I’m hopeful that i will be able to be pointed in the right direction to be able to see the truth for wat it is and start living a better life

What is your experience in terms of spiritual practices, seeking and inquiry?
Little bit of meditation lots of yt on awareness

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

[CherylVT]

Hi I'm Not Sure,

(is that what you prefer to be called?)

Welcome to Liberation Unleashed :)! It’s great to see you here!
My name is Cheryl, and I’ll be glad to be your guide if you like.

Here at LU we assist in the exploration of the idea of the separate self. This is a guiding based on experience that brings a shift in perception and is not a debate. It directly points to what IS through the use of exercises, questions and dialogue. What is expected from you is to LOOK carefully to what is being pointed at. It is this simple LOOKING (not thinking) that brings a shift in perception.

Here, we are LOOKING directly into the experience of the senses, which is actually here and now, with the thinking stripped away. It is also known as Direct Experience (DE) or Actual Experience (AE). In this way, we are aiming to discover what is truly happening without the story we tell ourselves. For this process to work you have to answer with 100% honesty, and not relying on thought, imagination or memory - just reporting your direct experience. That would also mean leaving spiritual teachings, philosophies and science away during the inquiry. If you have a meditation practice, please feel free to continue with it as usual – it might come helpful.

Also now is a good time to ask you to read through some important links and let me know if you are OK with everything before we get started.

1) The LU Disclaimer: http://www.liberationunleashed.com/register/disclaimer/
2) The LU Terms and Conditions http://www.liberationunleashed.com/register/terms/
3) What LU is not https://www.liberationunleashed.com/about/faq/#faq-1041

When replying to a question, please use the quote function to highlight the question being answered. Throughout this inquiry, please answer questions individually, not in a bundle. Please watch the below video to learn how to use the Quote function. This will assist us in having a clear dialogue around the questions and answers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fAToDNh9hQ

It is advisable that you copy and paste questions asked into Word, answer them there and then copy and paste them to your thread. It will save you time in the long run, if a glitch in the system wipes out your answer.

For the sake of the intensity of the inquiry let’s try to stick to a daily conversation. Of course, life happens, so if you need more time, please let me know. I will do so as well.

What time zone are you in?

I’m in the Eastern time zone of the United States—GMT-5

If you're okay with everything so far, we can start.

Love
Cheryl

[Aussie]

Hi cheryl
Looking forward to you guiding me
Kind regards Aussie
Ps I’m in South Australia so there maybe some delay in my replies hopefully that isn’t a issue, thanks

[CherylVT]

Dear Aussie,

I apologize for the delay in responding. I forgot to check the box Notify me when a reply is posted. Thank you for answering promptly.

First things first, let’s get your expectations out on in the open:


1. What will be different when you realize there’s no separate self?
2. What do you expect to happen as a result of this?
3. What do you want not to happen?
4. What are you hoping for?
5. What is missing?

I write the pointing questions that I want answered in blue to distinguish them from the rest of the
text.
You don’t have to use any other color, but please watch the video on quoting (link in my first message)
as this will assist us in having a clear dialogue around the questions and answers.
If you see a question in blue please answer it.

And one more thing for today

There is no separate self, never has been and never will be. That there is, is all just a made up story.

What reactions - from none to subtle to strong - come up when you read that statement?
Love,
Cheryl

[Aussie]

What will be different when you realize there’s no separate self?
Not much will be different except being able to clearly see that the ego and thoughts are not who i am.

What do you expect to happen as a result of this?
A shift from thinking to being

3. What do you want not to happen?
I don’t want my mind to not understand how this works

What are you hoping for?
I’m hoping that this does work for me

What is missing?
Clarity

What reactions - from none to subtle to strong - come up when you read that statement?
Medium to strong reaction of interest came up.

Hi cheryl
Hope this gives you something to work with and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to try and help me.
Kind regards Aussie

[CherylVT]

Dear Aussie,

Now, about expectations…
It can be challenging to become aware of what we really believe. The questions are a means to seeing what expectations you have, as everyone has some “idea” about awakening. There is so much information out there now with so many people sharing their experiences, and “teachers” preaching how it supposed to look and feel, that to have no expectations is almost impossible.

Your expectations are somewhat reasonable, but ultimately, expectations are a hindrance. They cling to an idea of how it is supposed to go, which is not necessarily correct, and this is why I asked you to read the FAQ’s of what Liberation Unleashed is NOT. When realisation happens, it can be very subtle and if there are expectations of any kind, then it can be missed and the guiding becomes very difficult.

I can promise you there will be no fireworks; it is just a subtle shift in perception! The only true expectation, that you can have, is that the seeking will end. If there are any other expectations, it's good to acknowledge them and then set them aside. It is all much simpler and ordinary.

Love
Cheryl

[Aussie]

expectations are a hindrance

Understood, I’ll drop any expectation

Thx Cheryl
Kind regards Aussie

[CherylVT]

Dear Aussie,

Fear serves to protect the imaginary self from harm. In this case, it protects “you” from changing and losing your ”humanity,” “your” memories, “your SELF”-expression.
But were they ever yours to begin with?

Life expresses itself - that's it! "We" are part of this expression. In some way, we get the idea that we are life and we do things such as writing, loving, caring etc.

Let’s be clear here… why would the absence of something that has NEVER existed cause a change in existing stuff?
You probably believed in Santa when you were little. There was magic and joy, and love, and giving, and caring. When you realised that Santa is not real (I hope you did :) ), did Christmas change? Did the spirit of Christmas disappear or just the belief in Santa?

Sit with this fear and allow it to be there. Examine it carefully. See what it is really protecting and if it is necessary.
Please let me know what you find.



Love,
Cheryl

[Aussie]

Hi Cheryl

But were they ever yours to begin with?

I guess not but I still feel if though they were mine.

why would the absence of something that has NEVER existed cause a change in existing stuff?

It would absolutely not change any existing stuff.

Please let me know what you find.

I believe the fear is trying to protect itself from dissolving

Kind regards Aussie

[CherylVT]

Dear Aussie,

Let's dwell on "your" response to this question for a moment.

your ”humanity,” “your” memories, “your SELF”-expression.
But were they ever yours to begin with?

You responded

I guess not but I still feel if though they were mine.

Locate that feeling of "mine" or "my" in the body.

Say the word “mine” loudly or quietly a few times.
Where do you feel "mine"? Where do you feel "my"?

You can also try out "I, I, I". Where is "I" felt in the body?
Or "me, me, me." Where is "me" felt in the body?

What do you notice?

Love,
Cheryl

[Aussie]

Dear Cheryl

Say the word “mine” loudly or quietly a few times.
Where do you feel "mine"? Where do you feel "my"?

You can also try out "I, I, I". Where is "I" felt in the body?
Or "me, me, me." Where is "me" felt in the body?

What do you notice?

It’s felt in the mouth as a vibration of sound nothing more

Kind regards Aussie

[CherylVT]

Dear Aussie,

You said

I still feel if though they were mine.

Where is that feeling of "mine" located?
Are your memories simply a vibration in the mouth when you say "my memories"? "Mine" and no one else's.

Please tell me what you find.

Love,
Cheryl

[Aussie]

Where is that feeling of "mine" located?
Are your memories simply a vibration in the mouth when you say "my memories"? "Mine" and no one else's.

The feeling of mine, me etc is in my head behind my eyes but when it’s vocalised it is nothing more than a sound/vibration

Regards Aussie

[CherylVT]

Dear Aussie,

The feeling of mine, me etc is in my head behind my eyes

Yes. This is very common. Thank you for clarifying.

What comes up when you read that there is no self, never has been, and never will be?

If you look for the I, what is there?

If I say there’s no doer, thinker, experiencer, decision maker, or a witness, what comes up?

Where exactly did you look?

What exactly did you find? Please describe in detail what appears – feelings, sensations, thoughts, anything.

Love,
Cheryl

[Aussie]

Dear Cheryl

What comes up when you read that there is no self, never has been, and never will be?

Feeling of doubt possibly some fear but also there’s a feeling of hope in the background

If you look for the I, what is there?

There is still a feeling of the i inside of my head
But there’s also a slight feeling of the i becoming a little bit smaller in influence if that makes any sense

If I say there’s no doer, thinker, experiencer, decision maker, or a witness, what comes up?

I seem to be getting stuck on this one I keep repeating it and all I get is blankness followed by asking myself the question again

Where exactly did you look?

I looked inside behind my eyes from where all the internal noise comes from

What exactly did you find? Please describe in detail what appears – feelings, sensations, thoughts, anything.

I may need some more time to ponder on this and get back to you.

Kind regards Aussie