Anyone practicing Self Inquiry?

[blissfulpeace]

Is there anyone practicing Self Inquiry here? Focusing on the Self? What's your experience so far?

For me, until now I just reached a point where I can keep my concentration on the Self for several minutes until the monkey mind starts again its play. I find it incredibly refreshing to stop my thoughts and enjoy the inner silence.

How about you? How did you discover self inquiry? (for me it was reading about Ramana Maharshi)

[fellow traveler]

For me the search for The Self, .. began and ensued during my many years working as a wilderness guide in Canada. ..... For me, the pure deep wilderness is the purest mirror there is.

One of the first important books for me was; "Seven Arrows" by; Hyemeyosts Storm ..... and "Johnathan Livingston Seagul" by; Richard Bach was a goody too.

[blissfulpeace]

Originally Posted by fellow traveler

For me the search for The Self, .. began and ensued during my many years working as a wilderness guide in Canada. ..... For me, the pure deep wilderness is the purest mirror there is.

One of the first important books for me was; "Seven Arrows" by; Hyemeyosts Storm ..... and "Johnathan Livingston Seagul" by; Richard Bach was a goody too.

I'll check those books. Thanks for sharing!

[xabir]

Originally Posted by blissfulpeace

Is there anyone practicing Self Inquiry here? Focusing on the Self? What's your experience so far?

For me, until now I just reached a point where I can keep my concentration on the Self for several minutes until the monkey mind starts again its play. I find it incredibly refreshing to stop my thoughts and enjoy the inner silence.

How about you? How did you discover self inquiry? (for me it was reading about Ramana Maharshi)

Hi,

I've compiled a 100 pages+ documents detailing my insights, experience and conversations related to self-realization and my practice of self-inquiry.

I can attest based on personal experience that Self-Inquiry is the direct path to self-realisation which occured 'for me' (only conventionally speaking) on the 9th of February this year a month+ before I turned 20 and having practiced self-inquiry for less than 2 years.

Here's a link to my document: Who Am I.docx - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Also, I suggest that rather than 'concentration on the Self' or 'concentration on Awareness', you do a form of non-conceptual exploration into the question 'Before birth, Who am I?' or 'Who am I?' - this in my experience is much more effective and direct in bringing about Self-Realization (I have practiced 'Awareness of Awareness' prior to that and have experiences but not the realization of Self). It is easier to have the experience, harder to have the realization.

There is a crucial difference between having an experience and having a realization (which I explained in the document), and self-inquiry is a direct path to the Realization of Self.

An excerpt from the document:

Hi,

Will do.

Btw, I just recently read a book by Adyashanti called 'True Meditation'.
Recommended.

In it he describes two methods which he says cannot be done without, cannot
take out either elements for true successful and insightful meditation.

One is a practice of surrendering and letting go of doership, the other is
spiritual self inquiry (Who am I?). Basically Adyashanti is a teacher of
self inquiry as well. Also, spiritual self inquiry is what led to
Adyashanti's awakening. Quite a good book and contains detailed instructions
for both parts of the meditation.

As for AWA, it is a pretty good method that leads to the I AM experience. It
is also a good method for those who have experienced the I AM to build up
meditative strength and samadhi/absorption in the Self. However, as I said
earlier, many methods lead to experiences and glimpses of recognition of the
I AM/Eternal Witness, but they do not lead to the realization. For
realization, you should practice self-inquiry.

Last year I asked Thusness:

(10:39 PM) Me: btw is it possible to experience I AMness without self
inquiry? for example the person who wrote "awareness watching awareness"
just focus on awareness alone then experienced I AMness. he didnt ask "who
am i". but i tink "who am i" is v useful
(10:43 PM) Thusness: it is possible but the sort it is a more gradual
approach. It will not have that sort of 'Eureka' factor.
(10:45 PM) Thusness: the next step (into non-dual) is to bring this into
the foreground by practicing bare attention of our body sensations.


The Eureka factor is very important part for Realization. Self Inquiry is
the Direct (not gradual) method to Self-Realization. The difference between
experience and realization is written in
Awakening to Reality: Realization and Experience and Non-Dual Experience from Different Perspectives

- when I had had glimpses and recognitions since 2007 or 2008 of the I AM,
those were not considered Realizations, not the realization of 'You' I
articulated in the Who am I document.


If you have a recognition of the Observer sort of experience, that is simply
recognition, but not the Zen sort of Satori which comes in a form of
realization - that is the I AM. An experience/recognition by itself does not
mean realization.

Regards
AEN

[AaronB]

Originally Posted by blissfulpeace

Is there anyone practicing Self Inquiry here? Focusing on the Self? What's your experience so far?

For me, until now I just reached a point where I can keep my concentration on the Self for several minutes until the monkey mind starts again its play. I find it incredibly refreshing to stop my thoughts and enjoy the inner silence.

How about you? How did you discover self inquiry? (for me it was reading about Ramana Maharshi)

You can't keep the mind out forever. It's just there. What I like to do is to subvocalize what my mind is saying. Anything that I can subvocalize I am consciousness of. Anything that I cannot subvocalize is still running me. I notice repetitive thought patterns that keep my mind trapped occur lightning fast. A thought and emotion that go together so quick that I almost don't noticing it happen. But if I can put it into words, it starts to loosen the tightness of that cycle. It's increasing the awareness of the mind by watching what it is doing which leads to the recognition that you are not the mind.

[Andrew Gubb]

I've done it a bit, these days I do vipassana but not much in the way of self inquiry - it comes in waves I guess.

I've had some interesting experiences with this meditation.

In general vipassana has more effect for me - or at least more immediate effect as I haven't found this Self thing yet

[Solipsist]

Originally Posted by blissfulpeace

How about you? How did you discover self inquiry? (for me it was reading about Ramana Maharshi)

Nissargadatta Maharaj did it for me, though, I've rather understood the concept of self-inquiry through the Roman Catholic "examination of conscience" and contemplative prayer when I was younger. The concept is the same, though the application and the principles underlying it are radically different.

[bluedragon]

I practice Zen meditation, the one without technique where you just observe your thoughts without trying to interfere. Self Inquiry is the main reason I do it, although it brings a beautiful feeling of peace and emotional balance during the days as a side effect. The only thing I am interested is liberation, is to find out who am I?, beyond this body, beyond identity, beyond form. I do not try to control my thoughts, but in the 10 days since I started doing the meditation (for 40 minutes each day), I have less and less thoughts, and they are less agitated than at the beginning.

Incidentally, I remember a beautiful metaphor Michael Neill mentioned on his show Supercoach, he said that if you walked through a river and the sand on the bottom of the river began whirling to the surface, you wouldn't try to take each grain of sand and put it on the bottom of the river, you would simply stop stirring the sand, and it would settle all on it's own. That's also what I do in meditation.

For all of you interested, I strongly recommend that you check out Dolano, Gangaji and Poonjaji, modern masters who follow the legacy of Ramana Maharshi.

I'm writing a journal of my own experiences with meditation on my Romanian blog, I'm thinking of posting about it on the forum as well.

[Andrew Gubb]

Incidentally, I remember a beautiful metaphor Michael Neill mentioned on his show Supercoach, he said that if you walked through a river and the sand on the bottom of the river began whirling to the surface, you wouldn't try to take each grain of sand and put it on the bottom of the river, you would simply stop stirring the sand, and it would settle all on it's own. That's also what I do in meditation.

Beautiful. Reps for that

[supertom]

How do i learn self-inquiry? I have the book "be as you are"

[xabir]

Originally Posted by supertom

How do i learn self-inquiry? I have the book "be as you are"

Ramana Maharshi's books are good guides... you have all the pointers you need in that book for self-inquiry practice.

But just an additional 2 cents from me:

You don't learn self-inquiry... it's not a technique that you master until perfection like visualization or yoga - self-inquiry is simply a tool, a question 'Who am I', that allows you to trace the mind back to its Source - and at that point the question itself dissolves. You do not need to master the thought 'Who am I' (what's there to master about it? it's just asking yourself 'Who am I', it's that simple!), you don't need to master the question or technique because the question/technique itself is not the point (though an important tool), rather, just allow the question to lead you back to the Source, to trace the radiance back to its Source as Zen Master Chinul puts it.

Ramana Maharshi puts it very well when he said: "By the inquiry 'Who am I?'. The thought 'who am I?' will destroy all other thoughts, and like the stick used for stirring the burning pyre, it will itself in the end get destroyed. Then, there will arise Self-realization."

It is simply an inquiry, an investigation, into 'Who am I?' And this investigation takes you to the core of your Being... it bypasses the mind and its conceptualizations - any mind made conceptual answer will ring hollow and are to be negated/dropped. All speculations, concepts, ideas have no certainty to it - it is merely theories of the mind and always have room for doubts - but the Essence of your Being that lies prior to the mind and the conceptualization rings with utter certainty and undeniability - when you realize who you are, you no longer can deny or doubt your Existence.

Notice that even Right Now... you are undeniably present, your being cannot be negated and is an irrefutable fact of existence. Pause all thoughts, and in that gap between thoughts, you are still effortlessly present and aware - your Being is nothing inert, it is pure aliveness, presence, clarity, vitality and intelligence. You cannot say you are not - undeniably, You Are...

So what is This? What is this sense of existence and presence? Who am I? The question is simply a tool to turn the light around, so that Awareness withdraws its identification with thoughts and forms... to realize ItSelf, it's true identity. The question is not meant to be repeated or recited verbally like a mantra, rather it is simply a non-conceptual exploration, looking, investigation into the fact of your Being... your Existence... eventually all concepts and ideas and even the question 'Who am I' subside, and in that thoughtless gap You realize Who You Are... Self-Knowing, Self-Shining Presence-Awareness reveals itself as your true identity, and there is no more doubts about - only utter thoughtless certainty, authentication, still and unmoving ground of being and knowing.

[blissfulpeace]

Originally Posted by supertom

How do i learn self-inquiry? I have the book "be as you are"

Here's how I began practicing it DragosBlog.com: How To Practice The Vichara (Self Inquiry)

As you progress you'll intuitively know what to do.

Peace

[supertom]

@xabir & blissfulpeace

Thankyou

[Unearthed]

Originally Posted by supertom

How do i learn self-inquiry? I have the book "be as you are"

Hi:

Self-Inquiry is not something you 'learn' per say. It is something you realize through Self-Experience. Thus, the suggestion would be to acquaint yourself with yourself -- observe your thoughts, feelings and emotions -- who are you -- what have you accepted and allowed yourself to become through these thoughts, feelings and emotions. Are you guiding you as one and equal with who you are as Self within and as your Natural State or is it the mind dictating your life. What is mind in the first place you may ask and how do you discern from what is Self and what is mind? The answer is: any misconstrued thoughts, feelings and emotions that you have accepted and allowed to control you is mind generated. Hence, the first step would be to dissolve these misconstrued thoughts, feelings and emotions that have hijacked your attention for so long. Self-Honesty is key here and that's when things will start to unfold for you -- as you get closer and closer to your real Self -- as one and equal with your Natural State (Natural State = physical body + Inner Self -- therefore the mind is no longer there).

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by AaronB

You can't keep the mind out forever. It's just there. What I like to do is to subvocalize what my mind is saying. Anything that I can subvocalize I am consciousness of. Anything that I cannot subvocalize is still running me. I notice repetitive thought patterns that keep my mind trapped occur lightning fast. A thought and emotion that go together so quick that I almost don't noticing it happen. But if I can put it into words, it starts to loosen the tightness of that cycle. It's increasing the awareness of the mind by watching what it is doing which leads to the recognition that you are not the mind.

Great self-awareness. Great recognizing repetitive thoughts and breaking the cycle. I see this as spirituality in motion. It inspires optimism in me. Thankyou.