Hi,

I saw in a different thread that someone thought I was also another user on this forum. I can assure you this isn't the case.

The last time I posted, I had some serious concerns about AF. I have been able to let them go. If one is virtually free, one can decide if AF is something they want or not anyway.

So I have been practicing the method. First I went through the explanation of the method thoroughly. Now I'm practicing as much as I can.

Each time I ask "how am I experiencing this moment of being alive?", usually two things happen.

It's not a binary thing, meaning that each time they happen in the same order. But the two things that happen are:

1. I focus on the actual world. How it feels. Like, for example, the way the wind feels on my skin.
2. I notice my emotions and feelings, and the moment I notice them from the haietmoba frame of mind, a shift seems to occur. I feel freeer, more in the world. It tends to trigger pce like experiences. It's like the haietmoba question diminished the experience I notice.

It's been only a short while and I feel so much more relaxed. I'm not "there" yet, in fact, I'm just starting out. But just applying the method tends to make me feel better every day.

So much more relaxed, confident, more energy, clearer perceptions.

I'm working on making the haietmoba a wordless, continuous attitude towards everything, and often this happens on it's own.

More and more this attitude slips in, and if I forget, getting back into it, immediately makes me feel better.

Anyway, I know I have presented myself poorly in my initial post. But I'm going for it. I apologize. And no, I am not this other person on this forum.

Btw, one thing I realized just now is how ridiculous, even laughable the social insecurities are. Guess that's progress.

I'd appreciate any input!

Rich.

you'll know way before virtual freedom, whether you like whats happening with HAIETMOBA.


Bingo!! How free do you want to get? How much of this magnificent world do you want to experience as pure senses without any disruptions? (rhetorical questions, just saying). Also, these are not pce experiences but experiences where less self interrupts the purity of the actual. On the road to AF, life keeps getting better and better and more relaxed as you get to explore the actual and take away the parts of the self that disturb you until one day, you find yourself in a VF and then AF. But for fair warning, it does take effort like anything else you want to accomplish except the rewards are greater than anything else you can accomplish, imo.



and it keeps getting better!!



Yup! You'll see that with the af method, progress occurs constantly and continually. Everyday, with application of the method, you'll learn new things and find new discoveries. Richard calls this serendipity, where through contemplation with the method, you just discover insights about the self and the actual world that you then apply to dive into the actual world further. As you continue, definitely read and reread the AFT site. Sometimes words just spark a realization that you then apply for further progress.

Adam,

One thing I can say is that I look forward to waking up each and every new day, knowing that I'll feel better than before. OR, hit a big block that gets resolved. That's a far stretch from the depression I used to live in. I've even been forgetting, and simultaneously not missing my meds. That is huge for me, because it used to be misery.

I used to want AF immediately. Because I was so miserable. Now I enjoy the process.

Just as I was writing this, haietmoba came up and I just saw the beauty of the words (non-selfishsly anyone could have written then). I feel pleasure in noticing the actual.

It reminds me of when I was younger and every once in a while would get utterly fascinated with a lamppost, not because of anything, just perceiving it.

This actual world being there is the most wonderful perception one can have.

I wonder what it's like in AF, when there is no self to experience it, just the pure, complete experience.

I'm planning to find out. If it takes 5 or 10 years, I don't care.

Btw, what is the average duration?

Adam,


When doing haietmoba, try to get back to that experience, seeing the lamppost with fascination, remember it and try to get into that mode with where you currently are. Once you pce, or ee, you use those experiences in the future to get back to that same enjoyment. You want to live those experiences as often as possible. Its about being happy and harmless and stopping/understanding anything that gets in the way so you can get back to happy, harmless, and sensuous. As this process repeats, more is understood and explored to utter satisfaction.



I agree




hmmm, well it depends on the ambition in which you apply the method. Its up to you how long it takes. I know thats cliche but like the more you concentrate and are consistent with haietmoba, then the quicker the process will pick up speed, and pick up speed exponentially. At the same time, don't try for so hard progress. Its about enjoying whats already here, the actual world, its just the self has an agenda for you to follow so it stops you from noticing the actual's inherent perfection. you just need to notice it not search out for it in order to run away from any resentment or issue. The self wants you to run, to ignore it in order to survive so you won't kill it through the power of attentiveness and sensuousness. Its a very cunning identity. If an issue arises, its simply objectively examined, and then through sensuousness and attentiveness absolved again happy and harmless.


For duration, people have done it within a year, within 6 months, even one person that I know in about 3 and a half months. Its a matter of intensity, continuous dedication, effort but the rewards daily are great.

Great idea about using the lamppost experience. I have several others as well, but this one is particularly strong.

I just remembered doing haietmoba and noticed that I was caught up in thinking, after which my focus immediately got focused on the external world. I saw the sunshine on my window and had a mini PCE right away.



I'm beginning to appreciate it more and more as I practice more.




What you say reminds me of Richard saying something along the lines of approaching it with a sense of humor.

Actually, it's important, I'll see if I can find the exact quote:

"You need to have a keen sense of humour. This business of becoming free is not – contrary to popular opinion – a serious business at all. Be totally sincere ... most definitely utterly sincere, as genuineness is essential. But serious ... no way. An actual freedom is all about having fun; about enjoying being here; about delighting in being alive. All that ‘being serious’ stuff actively works against peace-on-earth. One has to want to be here on this planet ... most people resent being here and wish to escape. This method will bring one into being more fully here than anyone has ever been before. If you do not want to be here, then forget it."

This was until now a problem for me I guess. I was not doing it with a sense of humor. I was completely serious about it.

I can now see how that can get in the way.

So, on to having fun then!

Ok, so far, some interesting things have been happening.

As I am using the method and asking the question, I've seen through the ridiculousness of many social manners and responses. There is no freedom in them at all. Just automatic responses. It's actually quite hilarious to see. And it gives one the ability to interact more freely and genuinely.

As I keep doing the method, I keep coming up to responses that are from the instinctual self. Not much is happening there yet, although one moment a response I hadn't even examined fully yet dropped away and I felt a light, pleasant feeling.

All in all, this seems to be progressing quite nicely.

The one challenge I'm having is in applying the method with relatively intense or heavy responses. Responses like grief, being very tired, being sick, or just really scared. In essence, they are all the same kind of stuff, but the intensity and heaviness of them makes it really difficult to apply the method to begin with, and when I do, I can't keep it up for very long. Like I can't maintain the energy.

Yet, gradually it is getting easier and I guess that the heavy stuff will reduce bit by bit as I keep working on it.

PCE like experiences are becoming more common, and more understood.

Anyway, just my experience so far.

If and when you have any comments, I'd love to hear them!

Rich.

Right on track!

You'll soon find you can be pretty well in situations that used to cause you upset.

Then you'll find you can feel excellent in those situations.

(don't make these skills part of your identity, that prepares troublesome extra layers of frustration / mental dialogue later on)

The deeper I went, the scarier it became... don't worry about that if it happens to you, just more stuff to get out of the way.

Stuff comes back again and again until one day *poof* they're gone; or they shift into something different.

If progress ever stagnates, let us know, there are always dozens of things you can try (usually some different way to practice, or some kind of meditation).

Thanks Bruno!

I like the part where you warn against making these skills part of your identity. Never thought of that possibility.

And if it stagnates, I'll let you know.