Grateful for any help

[jrm72]

Morning Sharon,

Yes, the shift happens when it happens.

How does this shift affect the view of responsibility?

❤️🖖

[SharMen]

How does this shift affect the view of responsibility?

There is no one to be responsible. Things happen.

[jrm72]

Morning Sharon,

It seems to me you've seen through self.

There's a set of questions that I can give you.
You're answers are then circulated amongst other guides to see if they agree you've seen through self.
They may come back with additional questions.

If all goes well, you then get access to additional parts of LU and a Facebook group.
We'll talk through all that later.

Would you like the questions?

❤️🖖

[SharMen]

Hi James,
There are some doubt thoughts but yes you can send the questions.
Thanks 🙏
Sharon

[jrm72]

Afternoon Sharon,

There are some doubt thoughts

My error in rushing you. Happy to explore these doubts first. For doubts can undermine anything.

Are you happy to share the doubts?

❤️🖖

[SharMen]

Hi James,
Answer questions? Ok
Share doubts? Ok
I just want to say ok to whatever comes up. Right now there is a lot of back pain and exhaustion. Ok.
So the doubts are thoughts such as - no you have not seen through self bc nothing is different. But I know there is no expectation of a dramatic shift. Then thoughts about noticing that things are calmer. I still react but it is quick and not held onto.
Doubts about losing my opportunity for guidance here on the forum if I haven't truly seen through the illusion. Then I'll never have the chance again blah blah blah.
There is almost an apathy about it really. Like its ok either way.
There is a thought that maybe I had already started to see through the illusion a long time ago and that is why it has not been a dramatic shift.

I keep having this thought that i don't know what else to say about any of this. Maybe i'm just really tired.
Goodnight,
Sharon

[jrm72]

Morning Sharon

Answer questions? Ok
Share doubts? Ok
I just want to say ok to whatever comes up. Right now there is a lot of back pain and exhaustion. Ok.

I struggle with the word ok, because for me it has an implication of fine or good. If, however, you are using it to indicate acceptance then yay, that works.

So the doubts are thoughts such as - no you have not seen through self bc nothing is different. But I know there is no expectation of a dramatic shift. Then thoughts about noticing that things are calmer. I still react but it is quick and not held onto.

A zen saying -
Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.

What was happening before seeing through self is still happening. As you have said you are calmer, reactions are not as prolonged or held onto. It would have been nice if after seeing through self there was a shimmering nirvana of endless bliss and all our needs were endlessly met, I know I has delusions along those lines.
My guide said to me, after I'd said I felt more peaceful, would that be enough if that's all there is. I wanted more (which is the whole problem to begin with) but peaceful was a much better place than where I started.
Nobody knows what the shift will be for you or what effect it will have.

Doubts about losing my opportunity for guidance here on the forum if I haven't truly seen through the illusion. Then I'll never have the chance again blah blah blah.

At least this is one I can give a straight plain answer to -
You will not lose any opportunity. Not only can you contact me anytime, you will have access on the forum to other guides and people who have been through this.


There's a group you might like to try. It's a bunch of people talking to guides in a zoom meeting -

Mondays 06:00 AM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney time
Please note that it's always the same time on the same link
You can convert time zones here; dateful.com
Click here to Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86991485768?p ... 12Um5DQT09
Meeting ID: 869 9148 5768
Passcode: 083035

There is almost an apathy about it really. Like its ok either way.

When experiences don't match up to our expectations, is it the experience thats wrong?

There is a thought that maybe I had already started to see through the illusion a long time ago and that is why it has not been a dramatic shift.

This could be true, but its also the case that for most people the shift is more an 'oh' than a 'wow'.

I keep having this thought that i don't know what else to say about any of this. Maybe i'm just really tired.

Thoughts and words get in the way and because of the effort we put in the process can be exhausting. Steps don't have to be big, just in the right direction.


❤️🖖

[SharMen]

Good morning James, thanks for all the helpful words.
Two days ago I noticed when I woke up in the middle of the night with pain in my back (very unusual for me), I wasn't in thought of "what am I going to do?" I knew that for now I would try to sleep and if I couldn't sleep then ok. (* ok for me means acceptance). And I knew that in the a.m. something would happen. A call to chiropractor or maybe go to urgent care if kidney related. I just knew that there is no planning or figuring out. There is no one really doing that, but thoughts thinking someone is doing that.
Something would happen. Things (life) are just happening. That is the noticing that is occurring a lot.

You can send the questions and we'll see what happens 😊😊
Sharon

[jrm72]

Hi Sharon,


Let's see what happens -

Here are the questions.


1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form?
Was there ever?

2) Describe how the illusion of an independent, self came into being by giving examples from actual experience.
Then give some experiential examples of how life changed for you after seeing through this illusion.

3) How does it feel to see this?
What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

4) Can you remember any specific inquiry that resulted in an epiphany? ..a before and after seeing the actuality of the Self. Was there a point when you ‘got it’?

5) a) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control. What makes things happen? How does it work?
Give examples from your own recent experiences to how these things happen and how they work.

b) What are you responsible for? Give examples from your own recent experiences to how this works.

6) Anything to add?


❤️🖖

[SharMen]

1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

No, there was never a Sharon entity. I did not get rid of it. It never existed.

2) Describe how the illusion of an independent, self came into being by giving examples from actual experience.

The illusion of a separate self was created by my family when I was young. They told me I was Sharon. They added labels to Sharon and this created a personality. For example, describing Sharon as a quiet helpful girl. There were lots of stories created by thoughts about Sharon’s life. For 50 years I believed this character was real. It is not real.

Then give some experiential examples of how life changed for you after seeing through this illusion.

How life changed - thoughts will still come up, for example “I'm angry”, “Why am I sick?” But I immediately can see that there is no I and an emotion is arising, or the body has a pain. There is no one to claim it as my experience. I notice it feels strange to call anything mine. My kids, my dog. There is no me to say mine.

3) How does it feel to see this?

Before, there was an expectation that there would be a WOW moment. But for me It feels natural. Not a big aha! but more of a "yeah of course”.

What is the difference from before you started this dialogue? Please report from the past few days.

Life seems easier. Situations are not easier. I still have a health issue. I still have a family member with addiction but there is no one this is happening to. There is no one that has to figure it out. Plans are made and discussions are had. There are strong reactions but they pass through quickly. There is still sadness about my dog dying but I allow the sadness and it moves on without going into a mental story about the situation.

4) Can you remember any specific inquiry that resulted in an epiphany? ..a before and after seeing the actuality of the Self. Was there a point when you ‘got it’?

Maybe the hand flipping exercise. I learned 20 years ago that scientists could pinpoint that the hand reaches for a glass of water a millisecond before the brain says I want a drink. I remember exactly where I was when I learned this because that was a big shift in my knowing. But for some reason the hand flipping really drove it home.
Also, James' question asking if seeing is different from thinking took me over. My thinking was really challenged and my thoughts kinda stopped for a bit. Then there was a shift in what I thought I knew. There was no sudden point that I got it which is why there were doubts that a shift even occurred.

5) a) Describe decision, intention, free will, choice and control. What makes things happen? How does it work?
Give examples from your own recent experiences to how these things happen and how they work.

James's answer to my questions about why things happen really helped me. The dialogue about decision, free will might have been the final question I had. I just really got it that things just happen. Now I see it all day long. I don't feel as much worry about a difficult conversation because there is knowing that words will be said. Waking up to pain in the middle of the night -no need to fret about what to do because I know something will happen in the morning. I will take meds, call my doctor, go to urgent care. Something will happen and any thoughts/worries that arise serve no purpose in what happens. Things are happening without a controller or someone to choose.

b)

What are you responsible for? Give examples from your own recent experiences to how this works.

What am I responsible for? I don't really feel I am responsible for anything and I don’t mean that I'm going to sit in bed all day and do nothing. I have a job. I get up and go to work. There are no thoughts involved with this decision. Today the body is sick, or there are sensations of ache and fever. There is no one making a decision “should I stay home or go to work”? Either will just happen. Same with feeding my pets, paying bills. These will happen or not but for whatever reason things will happen without an I to be responsible for it.

6. Nothing more to say. Thank you James for your time. These pointers and dialogues are an amazing service you are providing and I really appreciate the help. There is curiosity for what will happen next. 😊

❤️Sharon

[jrm72]

Morning Sharon,

Thank you for your replies.

They have been circulated amongst the guides.

One guide has a question -

Is your shift conceptual or experiential?

❤️🖖

[SharMen]

Is your shift conceptual or experiential?

my experience is there is no self. I cannot go back to believing a Sharon exists because there is already the experience that it does not exist.

[jrm72]

Beautiful

❤️🖖

[jrm72]

Morning Sharon,

A couple of other guide questions -

1) Is there something that is being assumed to be you when you are NOT consciously examining what is there in direct experience? If yes, what? Can you describe it as experience near as possible? Not break it down at first, but rather describe it as close to how it feels as possible.

2) If the answer was yes to (1), now please look what that experience actually is and what it refers to?

❤️🖖

[jrm72]

And -

Is it true that there is no self? Do you know this for a fact?

❤️🖖