Best quotes pointing to not-self - Discussion
Best quotes pointing to not-self
Richard Zen, modified 5 Years ago at 11/9/18 10:56 PM
Created 5 Years ago at 11/9/18 10:55 PM
Best quotes pointing to not-self
Posts: 1665 Join Date: 5/18/10 Recent Posts
I've been on a Suzanne Marie kick of lately. In the below video you can see how hard it is to actually explain not-self:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kE0O4f37e0
What are your favourite quotes, opinions, and pointing instructions that have helped you?
This is where I am now:
"Rob Burbea’s description of measurement, what is good or bad for the self, measuring status, fearing rejection, is the self. We cling to outcomes and are concerned about outcomes. This manifests in wishes, and then quickly a concern about not getting this outcome, or losing it. Like Jung, there are multiple personality attitudes that are partly genetic, that aid survival, but there’s an awareness watching the personality associations, with no shape, colour, or location that is just aware of these selfing processes. Awareness without clinging. Daniel Ingram makes an insight that one type of thinking can’t be aware of other thinking, which is where many of us are stuck."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kE0O4f37e0
What are your favourite quotes, opinions, and pointing instructions that have helped you?
This is where I am now:
"Rob Burbea’s description of measurement, what is good or bad for the self, measuring status, fearing rejection, is the self. We cling to outcomes and are concerned about outcomes. This manifests in wishes, and then quickly a concern about not getting this outcome, or losing it. Like Jung, there are multiple personality attitudes that are partly genetic, that aid survival, but there’s an awareness watching the personality associations, with no shape, colour, or location that is just aware of these selfing processes. Awareness without clinging. Daniel Ingram makes an insight that one type of thinking can’t be aware of other thinking, which is where many of us are stuck."
Pepe ·, modified 4 Years ago at 4/28/20 4:11 PM
Created 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 7:00 AM
RE: Best quotes pointing to not-self
Posts: 737 Join Date: 9/26/18 Recent Posts
Hi Richard! Sorry for quoting myself, but my latest insight (and one-liner LOL) is that "Self is a playback singer".
Richard Zen, modified 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 8:04 AM
Created 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 8:04 AM
RE: Best quotes pointing to not-self
Posts: 1665 Join Date: 5/18/10 Recent PostsPepe:
Hi Richard (this is Pablo P). Sorry for quoting myself, but my latest insight (and one-liner LOL) is that "Self is a playback singer".
Yep I definitely have that one. It's a radio with songs I listened to last week!
Tashi Tharpa, modified 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 8:40 AM
Created 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 8:40 AM
RE: Best quotes pointing to not-self
Posts: 244 Join Date: 4/4/18 Recent Postsspatial, modified 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 9:15 AM
Created 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 9:15 AM
RE: Best quotes pointing to not-self
Posts: 615 Join Date: 5/20/18 Recent Posts
I don't know who said this originally, but I've always liked "Don't believe everything you think."
There's also a good exercise from "The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression", which goes something like this:
1. Pick a random adjective (e.g., "Competent", "Stupid", "Inadequate", "Kind", etc.)
2. Write a short paragraph describing how this adjective is a perfect description of you.
There's another similar exercise where you list events from your life and practice telling radically different stories about yourself based on the same factual data. The point of all of that is to learn to see how the mind generates the concept of self rather arbitrarily.
There's also a good exercise from "The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression", which goes something like this:
1. Pick a random adjective (e.g., "Competent", "Stupid", "Inadequate", "Kind", etc.)
2. Write a short paragraph describing how this adjective is a perfect description of you.
There's another similar exercise where you list events from your life and practice telling radically different stories about yourself based on the same factual data. The point of all of that is to learn to see how the mind generates the concept of self rather arbitrarily.
Jordi, modified 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 10:26 AM
Created 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 10:26 AM
RE: Best quotes pointing to not-self
Posts: 84 Join Date: 9/17/17 Recent Posts
Hi,
For me one of the key word to understand no-self is distance.
We usually say what is near us as "my". Like:
My country
My city
My friends
My family
Me
My body
My emotions/feelings
My thoughts
My perception/attention
So when meditate u can see the distance of phenomena like pointing it/tracing a line... its up or down? I feel more near or far? Right or left? It feels me or not? How strong is attachment or disattachment of what I percive? The feeling of I on it.
Daniel ingram book anology of the alien game is helpfull to understand this.
For me one of the key word to understand no-self is distance.
We usually say what is near us as "my". Like:
My country
My city
My friends
My family
Me
My body
My emotions/feelings
My thoughts
My perception/attention
So when meditate u can see the distance of phenomena like pointing it/tracing a line... its up or down? I feel more near or far? Right or left? It feels me or not? How strong is attachment or disattachment of what I percive? The feeling of I on it.
Daniel ingram book anology of the alien game is helpfull to understand this.
Pepe ·, modified 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 10:38 AM
Created 5 Years ago at 11/10/18 10:36 AM
RE: Best quotes pointing to not-self
Posts: 737 Join Date: 9/26/18 Recent Posts
Loch Kelly gives 36 exercises (Glimpses) in his great book “Shift into Freedom: The Science and Practice of Open-Hearted Awareness”. Glimpse #2 is key IMO and clear to understand (others ones have some lingo)
Glimpse 2 - Awake Awareness Is Aware without Using Thought
The everyday mind needs an object to remain central. When awareness looks to space, we are free of the everyday mind. Ego-identification needs to look to thought, and from thought, to create a subject. When awareness makes awareness its subject and object, there is no longer a subject (self) that is made of thoughts. Awake awareness has become the primary way of knowing and the ground of Being.
1) Simply close your eyes while allowing your awareness to remain open and be within. Begin to feel your breath from within your body. Feel your whole body from within while breathing is happening by itself for three breaths.
2) Take a moment to see what is here now. Notice how your body is feeling. Is it uncomfortable, comfortable, agitated, relaxed, tired, or neutral? Just let your body be as it is without changing anything.
3) Now simply notice the awareness that is already accepting your body as it is. Feel the awareness in which these sensations are happening.
4) Become interested in activity of your mind and thoughts. Just be aware of whether your thoughts are agitated, calm, tired, emotional, anxious, or neutral. Without changing anything, allow your mind and thoughts to be as they are.
5) Now notice the space in which thoughts are moving. Be interested in the awareness instead of the thoughts. Notice how awareness allows your mind to be as it is without changing anything.
6) Begin to notice that awake awareness is alert, clear, and nonjudgmental. See also that awareness is not tired, anxious, or in pain. Notice that awake awareness is all around and inherent within your body and within your mind. Instead of being identified with the states of your body or mind or trying to accept or change them, simply become interested in what is aware and accepting.
7) What is awareness like that is already accepting of things as they are—right here and now? Notice the awareness of the next sound you hear. Does awareness have a location or size? What is it like to be aware of experiences from this pain- and thought-free awareness?
8) Now simply be aware of the awareness that is free from the contents of your mind and the sensations in your body. Hang out as awareness without going up to thought or down to sleep. Be the awareness that welcomes your sensations and thoughts. Notice that awareness is not separate from thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
9) Just let go of focusing on any one thing. See everything without particularizing. Rest as the awareness that is aware without using thought. Can you see how no thought or feeling is solid? Can you see that awareness does not come and go?
10) Simply let be and remain uncontracted and undistracted without effort.
Glimpse 2 - Awake Awareness Is Aware without Using Thought
The everyday mind needs an object to remain central. When awareness looks to space, we are free of the everyday mind. Ego-identification needs to look to thought, and from thought, to create a subject. When awareness makes awareness its subject and object, there is no longer a subject (self) that is made of thoughts. Awake awareness has become the primary way of knowing and the ground of Being.
1) Simply close your eyes while allowing your awareness to remain open and be within. Begin to feel your breath from within your body. Feel your whole body from within while breathing is happening by itself for three breaths.
2) Take a moment to see what is here now. Notice how your body is feeling. Is it uncomfortable, comfortable, agitated, relaxed, tired, or neutral? Just let your body be as it is without changing anything.
3) Now simply notice the awareness that is already accepting your body as it is. Feel the awareness in which these sensations are happening.
4) Become interested in activity of your mind and thoughts. Just be aware of whether your thoughts are agitated, calm, tired, emotional, anxious, or neutral. Without changing anything, allow your mind and thoughts to be as they are.
5) Now notice the space in which thoughts are moving. Be interested in the awareness instead of the thoughts. Notice how awareness allows your mind to be as it is without changing anything.
6) Begin to notice that awake awareness is alert, clear, and nonjudgmental. See also that awareness is not tired, anxious, or in pain. Notice that awake awareness is all around and inherent within your body and within your mind. Instead of being identified with the states of your body or mind or trying to accept or change them, simply become interested in what is aware and accepting.
7) What is awareness like that is already accepting of things as they are—right here and now? Notice the awareness of the next sound you hear. Does awareness have a location or size? What is it like to be aware of experiences from this pain- and thought-free awareness?
8) Now simply be aware of the awareness that is free from the contents of your mind and the sensations in your body. Hang out as awareness without going up to thought or down to sleep. Be the awareness that welcomes your sensations and thoughts. Notice that awareness is not separate from thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
9) Just let go of focusing on any one thing. See everything without particularizing. Rest as the awareness that is aware without using thought. Can you see how no thought or feeling is solid? Can you see that awareness does not come and go?
10) Simply let be and remain uncontracted and undistracted without effort.