When trying to go into the witness state, it would seem that I keep getting pulled into the experience of "having" all of these experiences. It is like I move back and forth between the observer and the individual.

Should it be a steady state? Or do I just flick it off and go back to observing?

Scott

Dear Scott,

When you say you are "having" the experiences, is that not witness?  You are not identifying with them, obviously, since you are aware of experiencing them.

From personal experience, I wouldn't worry about it being steady or not. Sometimes I get pulled in and start identifying with things, then experiencing the witness again. I've also found the the witness can't be forced. It's very natural awareness of what is in this moment. That's the beauty of it. I don't have to do anything about it... Just watch.  

Just watch the experience of getting pulled in. Just watch the "having" of experiences. Just watch it all. That's all it is.

Don't know if it helps, but that's how I experience it.

Namaste
Gustaf

: When trying to go into the witness state, it would seem that I keep getting pulled into the experience of "having" all of these experiences. It is like I move back and forth between the observer and the individual.

: Should it be a steady state? Or do I just flick it off and go back to observing?

: Scott

Thanks for your reply Gustaf,

It is difficult to express in words exactly what I was feeling when I was writing this.

The situation transmutes.

I always feel like phenomena enters my brain and it sits in my mind or my mouth. Strange impulses to blurt out things which make no sense. Its like the junk is just sitting there waiting to be let out. It is stuff that is not appropriate for the time and place.

Sometimes I have an incredible urge to just make a comment about something that is going on or that someone else is saying.

I guess that it is this choice on how to act that is discernment.

So much phenomena!

Scott

: Dear Scott,

: When you say you are "having" the experiences, is that not witness?  You are not identifying with them, obviously, since you are aware of experiencing them.

: From personal experience, I wouldn't worry about it being steady or not. Sometimes I get pulled in and start identifying with things, then experiencing the witness again. I've also found the the witness can't be forced. It's very natural awareness of what is in this moment. That's the beauty of it. I don't have to do anything about it... Just watch.  

: Just watch the experience of getting pulled in. Just watch the "having" of experiences. Just watch it all. That's all it is.

: Don't know if it helps, but that's how I experience it.

: Namaste
: Gustaf

: : When trying to go into the witness state, it would seem that I keep getting pulled into the experience of "having" all of these experiences. It is like I move back and forth between the observer and the individual.

: : Should it be a steady state? Or do I just flick it off and go back to observing?

: : Scott

>: It is difficult to express in words exactly >what I was feeling when I was writing this.

> : The situation transmutes.

>: I always feel like phenomena enters my brain >and it sits in my mind or my mouth. Strange >impulses to blurt out things which make no sense. >Its like the junk is just sitting there waiting >to be let out. It is stuff that is not >appropriate for the time and place.

Lol yeah! I've had that too. Very good with witnessing conciousness on that one. Without witnessing it, it would cause a lot of mental problems when the kundalini spontaneously manifests all sort of old stuff. Like the thought of shouting nazi obscenities in a public place with germans, or jumping up from a yoga nidra session and yelling in a room full of people. Usually the most obscene, wrong, bad, inappropriate thing possible. Yep, had those, and they can be viciously strong at times. Thank goodness for witnessing them.

>: Sometimes I have an incredible urge to just >make a comment about something that is going on >or that someone else is saying.

>: I guess that it is this choice on how to act >that is discernment.

Yeah! Discernment and witnessing tend to go hand in hand for me.

Dear Scott and Gustav

: From personal experience, I wouldn't worry about it being steady or not. Sometimes I get pulled in and start identifying with things, then experiencing the witness again. I've also found the the witness can't be forced. It's very natural awareness of what is in this moment. That's the beauty of it. I don't have to do anything about it... Just watch.  

By way of corroboration these are exactly my experiences also...

: Just watch the experience of getting pulled in. Just watch the "having" of experiences. Just watch it all. That's all it is.

And there we have it! Witnessing in a nutshell. Beautiful simplicity. Beautifully said. I would only add that in my experience mindfulness and witnessing seem to go hand in hand so developing mindful practices can help us return to witness more readily when sucked into a situation or event.

It's all mindfullness, the more we witness the more readily it is there....

: Don't know if it helps, but that's how I experience it.

Me too.

noco

   You guys are just wonderful. I love to read these posts and watch you growing, sharing your wisdom and experiences. Makes me feel very blessed to tend this sacred cyberspace. Thank you!

: Dear Scott and Gustav

: : From personal experience, I wouldn't worry about it being steady or not. Sometimes I get pulled in and start identifying with things, then experiencing the witness again. I've also found the the witness can't be forced. It's very natural awareness of what is in this moment. That's the beauty of it. I don't have to do anything about it... Just watch.  

: By way of corroboration these are exactly my experiences also...

: : Just watch the experience of getting pulled in. Just watch the "having" of experiences. Just watch it all. That's all it is.

: And there we have it! Witnessing in a nutshell. Beautiful simplicity. Beautifully said. I would only add that in my experience mindfulness and witnessing seem to go hand in hand so developing mindful practices can help us return to witness more readily when sucked into a situation or event.

: It's all mindfullness, the more we witness the more readily it is there....

:
: : Don't know if it helps, but that's how I experience it.

: Me too.

: noco

I suppose it%rsquos now or never%hellip I have to admit that I never really got it when it comes to the witness state. At our first contact, Mystress suggested that I was actually living in the witness state or had been. Therefore I probably went past that lesson much to fast, and did not worry so much when I did not manage to move my awareness to a spot behind myself and watching myself from there (is that just a metaphor as I first thought, or a literal instruction?). I might also have mixed it up with being in the now, which I have practiced a lot and which I previously thought was the same as the witness state. To me, being in the know is being actively aware of the sensory input and everything and watching it as it actually is. After reading the posts here and re-listening to the video lesson I understand, it%rsquos far from the same. So, if someone could tell me something that could make this easier, I would be grateful!

: I suppose it%rsquos now or never%hellip I have to admit that I never really got it when it comes to the witness state. At our first contact, Mystress suggested that I was actually living in the witness state or had been. Therefore I probably went past that lesson much to fast, and did not worry so much when I did not manage to move my awareness to a spot behind myself and watching myself from there (is that just a metaphor as I first thought, or a literal instruction?).

Actually, you have it mixed up. I tell people to step behind themselves when teaching to look for blockages within the energy body. A third eye thing.

 The Witness, move up up up above your head, high enough so emotions fall away and you are observing yourself with detachment. Once you get the hang of how it feels, you can be in Witness more spontaneously, while in the body but still detached from emotions and ego.

 If folks are having trouble with this lesson, we can schedule a chat class about it. I'm currently making up the new schedule anyhow. I'd suggest it for this afternoon but I dunno how often people check the chatroom.

: I might also have mixed it up with being in the now, which I have practiced a lot and which I previously thought was the same as the witness state.

A good and valuable state, but no, not the same as Witness.

:To me, being in the know is being actively aware of the sensory input and everything and watching it as it actually is. After reading the posts here and re-listening to the video lesson I understand, it%rsquos far from the same. So, if someone could tell me something that could make this easier, I would be grateful!

I decribed it as best I am able, in the lesson. Next step would be a session or chat.

  It will become more steady, with practice.

 What you describe is pretty normal for where you are at. Being able to move into the Witness at will is valuable, even if you cannot sustain it. I will flick into Witness for a few seconds, many many times a day... whenever I need to get more information about something. Go, look, bring back info.

 OK? Blessings!!

: When trying to go into the witness state, it would seem that I keep getting pulled into the experience of "having" all of these experiences. It is like I move back and forth between the observer and the individual.

: Should it be a steady state? Or do I just flick it off and go back to observing?

: Scott

Please! That type of mistake I seldom make. I just wanted to refer to the lesson (which says "somewhere behind the scenes up in a crane, way up behind you", %ldquoup and back, behind yourself%rdquo etc). I suppose you mean something similar to the NLP time line therapy, where you leave your body to watch you time line? I have some problems with such exercises, as I don%rsquot have the ability to make internal visual images but mostly have to rely on the kinaesthetic representational system (which tends to keep me firmly in my body).

Thank you Mystress!

:   It will become more steady, with practice.

:   What you describe is pretty normal for where you are at. Being able to move into the Witness at will is valuable, even if you cannot sustain it. I will flick into Witness for a few seconds, many many times a day... whenever I need to get more information about something. Go, look, bring back info.

:   OK? Blessings!!  

: : When trying to go into the witness state, it would seem that I keep getting pulled into the experience of "having" all of these experiences. It is like I move back and forth between the observer and the individual.

: : Should it be a steady state? Or do I just flick it off and go back to observing?

: : Scott

: Please! That type of mistake I seldom make.

OK.

: I just wanted to refer to the lesson (which says "somewhere behind the scenes up in a crane, way up behind you", %ldquoup and back, behind yourself%rdquo etc). I suppose you mean something similar to the NLP time line therapy, where you leave your body to watch you time line?

On the surface they look similar, but I would say they are not. The only similarity is that they both use an intention of moving consciousness up above the body.

 With time line you go farther up and back, even as far as the Sun, and the time line events often show up as symbols.
Whereas the witness does not define the location so specifically... the director's crane just rises high enough to create detachment, and can look at the drama from any angle, so to speak.. and see it as it is... It puts greater wisdom behind the eyeball's normal perceptions.

 Sorry if that does not make sense... but essentially, the time line is all visualization, imagination and intention to make free will changes to what Is. Changing the past or shaping the future.

 With the Witness, you use a visualization or intention to get there, to get into the state of mind... but it is a real-time experience, eyes open, focused on what Is, in the here and Now of that moment. The Witness has no will to change anything, it sees perfection.  It is when you bring the Witness perspective or insights back with you into the body, you have more informaton to make decisions or choices with... what to surrender.

 Blessings!

:I have some problems with such exercises, as I don%rsquot have the ability to make internal visual images but mostly have to rely on the kinaesthetic representational system (which tends to keep me firmly in my body).