Defining self

This Good Self, modified 12 Years ago at 8/30/11 10:54 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/30/11 10:51 PM

Defining self

Posts: 946 Join Date: 3/9/10 Recent Posts
Some random thoughts.

For me, self seems to reside in the head and heart, mainly the head.

My self owns my body, and there's not much distance between the two, because I feel like I am my body also.

On an intellectual level I can accept that the notion of self is created by thoughts, which is probably why I feel like I'm in my head.

What style of thought creates self? Surely only a certain types of thought? Can neutral thoughts perpetuate the idea of self?
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Tommy M, modified 12 Years ago at 8/31/11 5:17 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/31/11 5:17 AM

RE: Defining self

Posts: 1199 Join Date: 11/12/10 Recent Posts
For me, self seems to reside in the head and heart, mainly the head.

This is more typical of what gets called "the witness", the sensations implying that someone/something is observing this experience as it plays out.

My self owns my body, and there's not much distance between the two, because I feel like I am my body also.

If your self owns the body, who owns the self?

Describe the "distance between the two".

On an intellectual level I can accept that the notion of self is created by thoughts, which is probably why I feel like I'm in my head.

The impression of there being a self isn't created by thought alone, it's a misreading of every single sensation which presents itself in awareness, from "my" thoughts to "my" fingers tapping out letters on a keyboard. Intellectually understanding this isn't enough to do the damage, this needs to be seen and experienced in real-time to being it to an end.

What style of thought creates self?

What style of self creates thought?

Surely only a certain types of thought?

Certainly?

Can neutral thoughts perpetuate the idea of self?

They do.
This Good Self, modified 12 Years ago at 8/31/11 8:04 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 8/31/11 8:04 PM

RE: Defining self

Posts: 946 Join Date: 3/9/10 Recent Posts
Self owns the body. No one owns the self, it just exists. emoticon

Distance between the two - the head and heart feel more selfy than the body, but they are close in terms of selfy-ness.
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Simon T, modified 12 Years ago at 9/27/11 10:11 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 9/27/11 10:11 AM

RE: Defining self

Posts: 383 Join Date: 9/13/11 Recent Posts
What you do is a good thought experiment but defining the "self" in word is bound to fail. The reason for that is that you search for boundaries. Your body has been hanging around your consciousness since you are born. Still, only a handful of molecule that used to be part of your body when are born are still with you (and maybe none at all) (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus).

Do you consider the essential bacteria in your stomach to be part of you? What about your clothes? How conjoined twins define the boundaries between each others?

It's possible to experience the world without those abstracts boundaries. (Disclaimer: I didn't experience it yet). Some people even end up seeing the world that way all the time and remain functional (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Segal).
, modified 12 Years ago at 9/27/11 11:47 AM
Created 12 Years ago at 9/27/11 11:41 AM

RE: Defining self

Posts: 385 Join Date: 8/11/10 Recent Posts
Triple C!

For me, self seems to reside in the head and heart, mainly the head.

...

On an intellectual level I can accept that the notion of self is created by thoughts, which is probably why I feel like I'm in my head.
How did you determine that, for you, self seems to reside in the head?

Are there physical sensations? Is there anything outside of intellectual level generating your self? If you become, intellectually, mormon [just an example] today what does your self think about this?

[edit: brackets]

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