I have an email in my inbox I want to answer, and notice some resistance.
Since I am just learning how to do the Living Inquiry, I thought I would try it on this situation.
I notice an image of R. who sent me the email. In my mind, I put it in a frame and up on the wall and make it bigger. I notice it is an image. Is there a real and not imagined threat in that image?
My body reacts so there is a “yes” there. I notice a more abstract shape – a dark blog – in my throat and chest area. I put this in a frame and up on the wall. Is there a real and not imagined threat in that image? No.
I return to the image of R. Is there a real and not imagined threat in that image? No.
I bring attention to the sensations in my body that come when I think about the email, and allow the images to be set aside. I notice they are sensations. Is there a real and not imagined threat in those sensations? No.
I find an image of a me that relates to the email and replying to it, and put this image in a frame up on the wall and make it bigger. Is there a real and not imagined threat in that image? Is that image a real and not imagined me? Yes. (Again, the yes points to an underlying belief.)
I notice an more abstract image of a blob in the head and neck area that seems to be a me. I put this image in a frame up on the wall. Is there a real and not imagined me in that image? No.
Is there a real and not imagined me in the (previous) image of me? No.
After doing this, the “stickiness” of this situation is less and I went an answered the email.
One thing I like about this form of inquiry is that I can (a) notice there is an underlying belief (notice body reaction), (b) identify the underlying belief (an image, often more abstract for me), (c) inquire into that underlying belief, and (d) check it by returning to the initial image. Another is that I get to work with these often a bit blurry and abstract images, which has a very real impact when combined with sensations and the two form an apparently real and solid object.