Suffering pertains to identifying the Self with the non-self. Common misconceptions include “I am the doer,” “I am the controller,” and “I am the chooser.”

One way of disentangling oneself from these misconceptions comes through direct path experiments. Here are a few you can explore:

I. Doer

1. Thought–Experience #1: “I am doing X.”

• Abbreviated “E #1”

2. Action–Experience #2: [X = Moving the finger]

• Abbreviated “E #2”

3. Impulse–Experience #3: Some “doership spark”

• Abbreviated “E #3”

Explore:

• Case A: Do you find the thought (E #1) in the experience of moving the finger? (No.)
• Case B: Do you find the doership thought (E #1) behind, or in some “space” other than, the experience of moving the finger (E #2)?
• Case C: Do you find “some doership spark” in the experience of moving the finger?
  • Note: Case C is just a piece of charity. It’s not actually the case that there’s such a thing as a spark to begin with. But you’d do well to explore C because some people think that there’s an “ineffable something” that’s moving the finger.

II. Chooser or choosing function or decider

1. Thought–Experience #1: “Do I go with A or B?”

2. Thought–Experience #2: “Go with B.” (Or “randomly” go with A, then B, etc.)

Q: Where is the decider or choosing function?

Explore:

• Case A: Is there direct evidence for a decider or chooser in E #1? Obviously not. In E #2? Check!
• Case B: Is there direct evidence for a decider or a chooser between E #1 and E #2? Check!
• Case C: Is there direct evidence for a decider or a chooser after E #2? Check.
  • Note: There may be a post hoc thought following E #2. It’ll say, “I was the one who decided to go with B when experience #2 arose.” But then run through Higher Reason in this case.

III. Controller

1.  Thought–Experience #1: “I feel as if things are going in the wrong direction.” Or: “I don’t like that.” Or: “I don’t like how my wife [e.g.] is doing that.”

2. Thought–Experience #2a: “I’m going to do X about it.

3.  Thought–Experience #2b: “I can’t do anything about it, and so I feel powerless or control-less.”

Q: Where is the controller in direct experience?

Explore:

• Case A: Is there direct evidence for a controller in E #1? 
• Case B: Is there direct evidence for a controller between E #1 and E #2a (or E# 2b)? Check!
• Case C: Is there direct evidence for a controller in E #2a or in E# #2b?