Awakening in London UK

[Adam2271]

Typo! Should be 'breaking down experience' in my first answer

[Anastacia42]

Good morning

There is a definite difference in Sensation in the body to look for.

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,

[Adam2271]

Hi Stacy

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?

When my mum asks me how I am and I lie saying I'm fine, because I don't want to worry her, I feel a twisting contraction around my heart.

"Peaceful" is an interpretation of a body Sensation, not the Sensation itself, for example.

Do you see that?

Yes I recognise the difference between an interpretation and the actual sensation. I would interpret the twisting contraction as alienation from my heart, from reality.

Thanks

Adam

[Anastacia42]

Okay, good.

twisting contraction as alienation from my heart, from reality.

Just keep it simple: it's a lie.

Now brings this together:


Actual/Direct Experience - Apple

Have a look at an apple (or any fruit you like.) If you have a ‘real’ apple, you can use it for this exercise. Google for a picture of an apple.



When looking at an apple, there's color; a thought saying ‘apple’; and maybe a thought saying, "I'm looking at an apple."

What is known for sure? Color is known and thoughts are known.

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

Actual experience does not refer to thoughts ABOUT something…because that is only just more thought.

Actual experience is sound, thought, color, smell, taste, sensation and the fact of thought arising, but not its content.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

While these thoughts are known, what they talk ABOUT can't be found in actual experience.

This is what is meant by "looking in actual experience." What you know for sure, and, is always here.

Taste labeled ‘apple’ is known
Color labeled ‘apple’ is known
Sensation labeled ‘apple’ is known (when apple is touched)
Smell labeled ‘apple’ is known
Thought about/of an ‘apple’ is known

However, is an apple actually known?

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

Loving

[Adam2271]

Hi hi

What about the content of thoughts, what they describe?

The content of thoughts are not known through direct experience in the now, only through thought.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT ‘apple’?

Only colour, the cool hard sensation of the object in my hand, and the thoughts about an apple.

Can ‘apple’ be found in actual experience?

I have a round cool green object I bought which was labelled an apple by the shop, and by appearance it seems similar to other apples in memory. The concept 'apple' holds many thoughts, memories, knowledge - all thoughts. But apple as a general concept does not exist in direct experience, only the actual object in front of me.

However, is an apple actually known?

The concept of apple is not known directly, only the object in front of me can be known through direct experience

Have fun and let me know what you find out.

The concept of apple is a convenient label for a collection of various thoughts. The actual object has various sense qualities which can be experienced directly. Which is similar / the same as my concept of 'Adam' of 'I'!

The apple is being eaten now. It tastes good :)

Thanks

[Anastacia42]

Which is similar / the same as my concept of 'Adam' of 'I'!

Yes! Exactly.

How does it FEEL to see this?

Loving,

[Adam2271]

How does it FEEL to see this?

I tune into feeling not thinking

The feeling in my body is spaciousness, like I am less dense/heavy inside, a feeling of expansion. I notice a very high pitch tone, at the very limit of hearing. There is a sparkling feeling, of something bubbling almost.

Thanks

Adam

[Anastacia42]

Excellent!


Palm Flipping Exercise

1. Hold a hand in front of you; palm turned down.

2. Now turn the palm up. And down...and up and so on.

Watch like a hawk.

Don't go to thoughts – examine your direct experience.

Do this as many times as you like, and each time inquire:

How is the movement controlled?

Does a thought control it?

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

How is the decision made to turn the hand over? Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over and the hand turns over immediately.

Who or what chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

Loving,

[Adam2271]

Hi hi

How is the movement controlled?

The movement is initiated by intention

Does a thought control it?
No there are no individual thoughts of flip up, flip down each followed by a movement, it's more flowing, more like breathing

Can a ‘controller’ of any description be located?

The is an intention to change state (flip up or down) and the state changes seemingly immediately.

How is the decision made to turn the hand over? Track any decision point when a thought MADE THE DECISION to turn the hand over and the hand turns over immediately.

I can't find this

Who or what chose which hand - the left or right hand for the exercise?

I have my phone reading the exercise in my right hand so that's why left hand is doing it

Can you find a separate individual or anything that is choosing when to turn the palm up or down?

No it feels more like a reflex in the body. Like once the concept of hand turning has been accepted, the body can just get on with it, I can't find individual decisions/thoughts in experience telling the hand to flip.

Thanks

Adam

[Anastacia42]

Mostly, good.

Let's look more closely at the thought story called "intention."

Please describe exactly how a thought story causes anything.


Loving

[Adam2271]

Hi hi

Please describe exactly how a thought story causes anything.

The hand didn't flip until after I read the invitation to flip it, so the flipping isn't spontaneous/random. There is some translation happening between reading the words 'flip your hand' and the hand actually flipping. I have called this translation 'intention'. But now I reflect on it I think translation might be a better word

Thanks

Adam

[Anastacia42]

And how does this "translation " happen, exactly.



Loving,

[Adam2271]

Morning,

And how does this "translation " happen, exactly.

I see the words 'flip hand' and the arm moves to flip the hand. I can't find any 'flip hand' specific decision, it all happens too quickly for a decision.

Thanks

Adam

[Anastacia42]

So you can't find anything specific "translation?" Like everything else, it just happens? You don't know how, right?

Intention doesn't do it. That's a story.

Loving,

[Adam2271]

So you can't find anything specific "translation?"

No I can't find anything specific

Like everything else, it just happens?

Yes

You don't know how, right?

Yes it's a mystery. I know about nerves and brain signals etc as thoughts but they aren't in my direct experience.

Thanks