Beoman Claudiu Dragon Emu Fire Golem:
when i say 'you' are 'your' feelings, i don't mean a separate, permanent you, that is hidden somewhere.. but that very feeling itself is you. that's what you have to look at..
so when you ask HAIETMOBA, the answer might be: as this anger, as this joy, as this etc...
does that help?
Hi Beo -
Thanks for response, it does help somewhat but there are a few points to consider.
1) In Direct pointing you are not feelings. So you would not investigate in such a manner to say “I am anger”, “I am joy”. The opposite would be true, this anger is not me.
2) You say “that is what you have to look at”. Non dual would not ask “you” to investigate. It would remind you, you are not the investigator. Right? You are a thought, a belief, not real in any way. No control, no deciding, no ability to think, no feelings. This is the constant drum at every moment, not me, nothing is me. This is the message that is heard all day in “my” head. Notice how the hand reached out for that coffee without “me”. Notice how all those words came out of the mouth without “me”. Notice the typing is happening without “me”. Technically it’s not even me noticing. It’s like a plea to the intellect to recognize this “me” isn’t doing anything. It’s not feeling, it’s not deciding, it’s not thinking etc…
This might have worked for Richard because he was non-dual when applying his AF method. I am currently “dual” (regardless of temporary states or insights into non-dual) trying to apply the AF method, taking into account the truth of non-dual experiences, but it doesn’t seem to work. The compatibility issue I’m talking about is more about sequencing. It’s like reading chapters in a book out of order. It doesn’t make sense that way.
Maybe the issue stems from starting AF with a very clear “belief” of what I was but now Direct Pointing has shaken that foundation and I am unclear what I am anymore? Applying the AF method in the same as before is not possible as the thing I saw myself to be is not the same anymore. But it’s still unclear what “I” am, so applying anything to a sense of self is confusing. This is not just limited to AF.
Does that make sense?
@ Nad -
Nad A.:
but then again nothing seems to work for me anyway.
I have often wondered what makes you keep reading here given nothing has worked for so many years. Don’t take that the wrong way. I appreciate your posts and their logical, practical nature. You don’t seem be trying to argue with people just to get them to see things your way. You seem to genuinely want to understand other views. Does it feel like there is a missing piece to the puzzle you’ll find here one day that will tie everything together? I ask because "my" issue is giving up too quickly and moving on. Whatever "you" have, "I" need.

@ Simon –
Simon L:
To be honest, I wouldn't worry about it. If you see that there is no such thing as a self, good. You've seen something that was already true and is good to know. If this affects your AF practice, you just have a new experience of being alive to apply the method to.
Thanks. Good feedback. As I responded to Beo, especially at the end, the crux is probably the shaken, unclear sense of self and how to proceed from here. So here is how that relates to your last sentence. Why would “I” want to continue to indulge the illusion of “me” investigating “my” experience? Wouldn’t it make more sense to just focus all effort on fully eliminating that illusion of self by directly and consistently reminding “myself” that none of this is “me”? Doing that cannot be done at the same time while asking “HAIETMOBA”.
Thoughts?
Thanks
Ed