seeking_brilliance

@EvilAngel oh good.... Although I'm also looking forward to his answer

What is pain? Does anything actually hurt? Or does the nerve signal that is triggered only signal a thought that there is pain? If there were no nerve endings, there would be no signal to signal a thought of pain. You see this in people who have problems with that from damage or born that way. All suffering, whether physical or emotional, is a thought. Nothing more. Now are thoughts real? That's a different subject and for you to decide.

It might help if you try and define suffering, and where it comes from and how it's experienced

@winterknight ok, ok, I hate that I need so much reassurance... (hmm good topic for therapist lol)

@winterknight thanks so much... I've been doing lots of 'check - ins' throughout the day and in formal sittings (which unfortunately never last long)... I suppose this is just something that cultivates over time. I'll say that I'm looking for the feeling of me, but it really just feels like I'm getting in the present moment, which is something this mind is definitely not used to... I'll notice my breath and try to keep them slow and deep, which seems to help me center on this feeling of being me, right here, right now, experiencing this moment. Then I say : "this is not me, this is a thought of me." Does this sound like good practice? I keep expecting this strong feeling of me, to be located somewhere in the body like the head or chest, but it's more of a subtle thing, huh?

@winterknight sorry, I edited my post i guess after you were answering... Also, it seems that the point of self inquiry is to live in (or at least come to) the paradox of : that's me because it's in my awareness, and it's not me because it's in my awareness. Can you explain again to me why it's the not me, it's because all of those things are only thoughts, and there is no thinker of thoughts? I see thoughts as an interpretation of reality. Which means everything I experience, which are only thoughts, are only an interpretation and therefore not 'it'

(sorry can't delete the quote box, it's a phone bug) @winterknight was there a point in your illusionary self-inquiry journey, where this feeling of me became to be more than the body, more than objects and people around you, more than your surroundings, the world itself, the universe, reality itself.... And did you have a drive to get to that point just so you can inquire it? Also, it seems that the point of self inquiry is to live in (or at least come to) the paradox of : that's me because it's in my awareness, and it'snot me because it's in my awareness. Can you explain again to me why it's the not me, it's because all of those things are only thoughts, and there is no thinker of thoughts?

@winterknight I have been toying with an anology of oneness, or no separation. (and yes, let's add all those "within the illusion of Maya disclaimers") --- It is like a large jello mold (and then imagine that the jello mold is all there is). In a jello mold, you can find many cubes of different colored objects(fruit, candies, etc) , but once the mold is made, it's all jello. The bits of fruits can't move around inside the jello mold, not because they are stuck, but because they literally ARE the mold. In a similar sense, we think we move around in empty space called air, but the air itself is also part of the mold. There is no room to move around. We are in fact still, while thoughts say that there is movement.

@winterknight I loved your website's post on self-inquiry. I finally put two and two together that self inquiry is to go from an intellectual knowing of no-self, straight to the direct experience. No need to sit around waiting for the experience, there's actually an interesting and fun way to draw it to you. You don't even need to encourage concentration practices, because it is of itself a concentration practice, and any attention given to another concentration practice takes away from time to do self inquiry. Also, no need to meditate. Stop focusing on those chakras unless you just really enjoy doing it! Self inquiry is a great meditation! All of this has been said before in this thread, I know, but it's funny how the mind doesn't want to accept things unless it thinks its it's own idea. I've found myself doing self inquiry randomly throughout the day, except for when I am really busy or irritated. I hope for more "check-ins" (we'll call them) through these more difficult times. Your help (and shout out to @Preetom@Preetom) on understanding self inquiry has been the biggest blessing, because I couldn't wrap my head around it and so chose to ignore it. (by the way, that's a huge bad tendency that I'd love to work on with therapist.) Much thanks and love ( if you can find a you to accept it)!

question: (sorry, I didn't watch your video on this) is it ok to blink whenever I want, or am I supposed to hold off blinking? I just know that in trataka you're not supposed to blink...

Gotcha. Absolutely.

@winterknight well I wish we could go more into this free will topic, Because like @SoonHei , I have recently come upon this insight, seeing that there is no me, no thinker, no one choosing the thoughts. They just seem to appear, and things happen. And it seems that I'm wrestling with myself over whether I should do this or that, when it's actually just thoughts that arise about wrestling with myself. I loved his example about drinking the pepsi, because I feel a similar way. It seems that the whole 'no free will' thing is easy fodder for justifying when you do something wrong, or are lazy, or anything the thoughts appear as negative. But when you see there's no chooser of actions, it seems like these things just happen, including the thoughts of wrestling with oneself over to do a certain thing or not. It would seem that in the end, if I were to drink a pepsi, it was always going to happen that way, and there was never a question of if I wasnt going to drink the pepsi. And vice versa, with no way to tell beforehand what the outcome will be until the action is already underway. But all that being said, I need to contemplate more on the answer you gave.

No resistance... I quite enjoyed it. I'm hoping self-explosion is immenent ???

@winterknight the universe has smiled upon me.... I've found two psychoanalysts in my insurance network! Now just to see which one can work around my work schedule...

Can't wait. But will.

Of I get it.... When there is realization that nothing is ever lost... Do the two realities of losing ~(infinity symbol) finding (S)elf, and knowing nothing is lost, coexist? But nothing exists.... Like what the hell?

@winterknight I'm noticing that the path of enlightenment seems to follow a trend of : finding myself > losing myself > finding (M)yself again. With a possible 'losing myself again' tacked on at the end. If there is such a cycle, does it ever end? Would I want it to?

@winterknight is there a difference between the brain of the human body and the mind of a human body? (if one were to pretend either of these things exist?)

Wow that was exactly what I needed, (not surprised...) Thanks so much!

@winterknight does memory exist outside of Maya, or is the correct answer: 'nothing exists outside of Maya (Maya doesn't even exist.)'

@Preetom pure gold, thank you so much! What's funny is that I'm sure I've heard all this before, but this is the first time this mind is putting it together and comprehending. I finally get self inquiry. I know exactly what to do now! @winterknight thank you so much for letting me hijack your thread for a minute... was totally worth it!

Or maybe he was giving a reality check to the poster ? jk... It's just my main reality check in my dreams and I usually have 6 or 7 fingers

@Preetom sorry, I edited my post a couple times, wasn't sure if you read the full thing

Unless you know for sure, you don't know. Doesn't mean it's not likely to be true. But to say you know it means you have to know without a shadow of a doubt. But how does one come to that conclusion when direct experience can't even be trusted when filtered by mind /ego?

@EvilAngel yes and it feels great. Doesn't stop me from contemplating, but at the end of the day it's refreshing to know that I don't know anything.