Since last night when I read some of Nikolai's "down the rabbit hole" blog, I think I may have finally developed the capability for apperception, or at least what I'm thinking is apperception. When I look at things I sort of feel that what I'm aware of isn't the physical object, but the seeing of that object. It's different than before when I'd feel something or hear something or see something and think of that sense data as an object, now it's sort of just sensation [1]. It's definitely pleasant, and there is more of a quality of everything being right here. This seems like consciousness of sensing, it's not that I'm aware of physical things, it's that I'm aware of the sensing of things. But it's not really "I" being aware, it's more like just that awareness is just there. When I think about it it seems more natural to describe it as "this" awareness instead of "my" awareness.

But... I've seen it written in Richard's essay "attentiveness, sensuousness, apperceptiveness" that apperceptivity happens of its own accord and I feel like it's sort of something I can do just with a little effort... and I've heard that apperceptiveness is PCE, if you are experiencing apperceptiveness you are experiencing a PCE, and I feel like this isn't a PCE, for one thing because I can just make it happen with a few seconds of effort and it sort of feels like "I'm" making it happen. Also there is a feeling of pleasure which is really hard to pinpoint, it feels like whenever I turn my attention to any part of consciousness it's there, but it doesnt seem like it's in any physical space, physical space seems "there" this feels "here." Is this affective? I'm not really sure...

So yea, it has all these qualities that seem PCE, but there is that pleasure, it seems too effortless, and it's like via will it's happening. It's not like I trip some mode into action and then it just goes, it's more like effort is making it happen, but it (the mode of perception) is the effort that is making it happen. So is this PCE? Is there some way to test whether it is PCE? Is this even the right direction at all? It's happy, harmless, and clear so I'm gonna stick with it if possible.


[1] If I forget I revert to sensing things normally again, it's not a permanent change, just a developed capability.

What you are developing is a pure intent. An intent to experience this moment of being alive as amazing as possible. Attuning to this new mode of sensuousness and attentiveness will allow you to harness naivete, or a happy and harmless state, and experience a higher standard of moment to moment living. A PCE is often confusing to decipher because your "self" judges it and can have multiple opinions about it. A moment of peace and perfection while attuning to sensuous attention is the best way to determine an EE or a PCE, although after the "fact" the self will judge it in a variety of ways.

Yes, the method is really this easy and is just incremental steps toward becoming more and more happy, harmless, and sensuous through self-immolation.

What your doing is correct but you should read the AF site to learn how to harness the specific skills that will accelerate progress.

What exactly do you mean by harnessing naivete?
I've read most of the AF website, what skills should I be learning? Just a better and better attentiveness to sensuousness and a stronger and stronger pure intent?

Is apperception PCE? If I'm experiencing apperception, is my experience PCE? What exactly is apperception, if not having awareness of sensation/consciousness of sensory data?

It seems like I'm already experiencing peace, and anyway don't PCEs last longer than a moment?

What exactly do you mean about the self having different opinions about the PCE? I don't really feel that I'm having opinions about it, it's more that while experiencing it there are some thoughts about whether this experience is truly lacking identity or whether thoughts should even be there at all...

"attuning" to sensuous "attention" seems like the mind being aware of awareness, is attentiveness to sensuousness apperception?

I'm trying to figure out whether I should just enjoy that mode, simply being aware of sensate consciousness, or if I should try to do something else on top of it. Should I keep looking at this sort of "movie" of consciousness or should I start trying to add something to it

Yes, learning how to apply pure intent, attentiveness, and sensuousness as well as what its like to be happy and harmless. Fostering naivete is an important physical state to harness in order to maintain felicity/innocuity.

http://dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/1681328

Read Beoman's Posts



This is the self asking questions about the experience aka opinion/beliefs. I mention this because sometimes one can get caught in analyzing the experience instead of just trying to get back and enjoy sensuous attention.




http://actualfreedom.com.au/library/topics/apperception.htm



I would definitely enjoy that mode and learn to apply it regularly. Yes, it does watch like a movie. I sometimes see it as an interactive painting lol. Ask each moment again "How am I experiencing this moment of being alive" (HAIETMOBA), which will continue "raising the bar" on how you experience and through pure intent, which develops through HAIETMOBA, and sensuous attention, you'll gain deeper understandings about the self, the instinctual passions, and the already present actual world including its inherent joy, pleasure, magnitude, benevolence etc.


Even though you've read most of the AF site, when you experientially understand more of it, the words will open up, make much more sense, and you'll be able to endlessly learn from the material.

Yes, as Richard defines it.



PCEs can be any amount of time as far as I know. Mine was a second or two in duration. Based on my experience, you would probably know if you were in a PCE, it's like an lsd or magic-mushroom 'trip' in terms of how different it is to normal experience. Unless you're constantly used to being radically-sensate and constantly bordering on a PCE, then any PCE should stand out clearly as an extreme experience.