For the past few days, I have been entertaining the idea that when I see something, or hear or taste something, etc., even if I am actively doing something, that the only reason I think it is I who experiences and does those things is because I think there is a separate person here. I THINK there is a separate person here, and I have always believed that, so that is how my life is experienced, through the lens of this separate person.

We have been brought up to believe (the key word here) that there is indeed a separate person here, and that as a separate person, it is we who are living this life.

Does the “I” exist only in the realm of thought? Does it really have no other existence except as a concept? That would mean our entire story is a work of fiction – no wonder everyone seems as if they are acting! No wonder I have caught myself acting from time to time! But if there is no separate person, then a fictional character is busy chasing happiness, success, fulfillment, enlightenment, etc.

The five senses are operating, and sensations, thoughts, emotions are experienced, but there is no central, separate person here to experience them. That is just another thought! Astounding!

These thoughts, sensations and emotions are just happening, and are noticed in awareness, but they are not happening TO someone. Just try to find that separate someone! Good luck with that!

Have you ever actually looked for this separate person? I have, and all I have found are a bunch of thoughts, as well as images, shapes, colors and sensations that have appeared to comprise the body of this separate self. But the eyes don’t think, do they? (Thank you, Scott and Carin!) They just see stuff! The senses are just operating, and there are thoughts, sensations, and emotions seemingly velcroed on to what our senses pick up. We become convinced that what we are experiencing is “our” body! Maybe that’s not what we’re seeing at all. Maybe if it weren’t for the thought, “I exist as a separate person,” our experience would be quite different.

If there is no separate someone, then who in the heck am I, anyway? Maybe who we all are is inseparable from anything else, that all there really is here is One.

Maybe life simply isn’t personal – maybe it”s just happening!

It seems to me that the suffering that occurs here is all a result of our belief in this separate entity, “I”.”

What happens to “choice,” if there’s no one here to choose?
There would be no such thing as “free will.”

I will continue to observe “my” experiences today, and going forward, and follow this thread to see where else it goes. In the meantime, my major goal here is to learn how to use pronouns without always using quotation marks!