Body Stuff, Mind Stuff
Cosas del cuerpo, cosas de la mente
A gentle exploration of how the felt sense of "I" is made from ordinary sensations, and what happens when you look at them closely.
Body Stuff, Mind Stuff
The body is doing body stuff:
moving,
adjusting, itching,
tensing, relaxing,
pumping blood.
The mind is doing mind stuff:
sounds,
symbols, stories,
creating the I-sense.
The I-sense
A very particular mix
of sensations and thoughts playing.
This is me here.
I'm creating the sensations somewhere in this body.
That's not me over there.
Besides sounds,
thoughts about others,
that's really all that's appearing.
Body stuff,
mind stuff,
sensations,
sounds,
others,
and shapes.
How this I-sense is
so appealing,
treasured,
magnetic.
It's the sensations that you like calling "I,"
but it's sensations that feel intrinsically
like an I-sensation.
Staying with the felt sense of "I'm here"
Stay at the body-located
sense of "I'm here."
Me here.
Why are those sensations special?
It's somewhere in the head,
face, behind the face,
behind the eyes,
throat,
neck,
chest,
somewhere,
a core in the center.
Feet and center
Do the sensations in your feet have the same sense of
intimacy, "my feet"?
Notice sensations closer
to what you sense as "I":
face, your eyes, neck, maybe the chest,
that which feels very close to the I,
where it feels like you are seeing from.
Go back to sensations of the feet.
Still feel like mine,
but further
away, over there.
What's the difference?
Your feet, gently.
You can be very gentle.
Experience those.
My hands, my feet, but over there.
Now back to the sensations of the eyes, the
head, neck, chest.
Slowly, gently, move your
head or chest slightly
to the side, not quick. Notice
the experience of sensation.
Why is it different?
Is it not just me and me?
Be curious why some sensations are more special,
especially "me."
Is it not all just sensation?
Distance
Are some really closer, or some really further away?
Where is that distance?
Are sensations of your feet really further than sensations of your face or your hands?
All sensations appearing without distance.
Then, sudden thinking:
they exist in space
where the image of the body is,
the image of the legs and hands.
Without imagining the body, there are only just sensations,
without distance.
Same with sounds appearing without distance.
Thoughts appearing without distance.
Colors and shapes appearing without distance.
Breathing appearing without distance.
Space without dimensions.
Imagination, thoughts,
dimensions appearing.
Feeling tone
What is the feeling tone?
Emotions coming up.
Tensing or relaxing, expansion, contraction.
You don't need to see this in these formats,
just different textures and
colors.