[RamanaMaharshi] Self-Enquiry

[Guest guest]

Dear Venkat,

Good questions! I will pass this on to as well.

Sri Ramana has answered your questions at many different points. The focus

need not be on the head or the heart region but on the feeling awareness

of "I AM". It is simply the self-feeling awareness being aware of itself.

You do not need to try to locate that feeling-awareness in the body.

If the mind gravitates to some center, you need not worry about it and/or

struggle with it and can stay with the awareness of "I AM."

The Heart has several meanings at many different levels. Sri Ramana spoke

of the Spiritual Heart from many different perspectives and said that within

the body, it was the One Center on which all centers depend. Ultimately,

Sri Ramana emphasized that the Heart means Self, our very Being, that the

ancients called Sat-Chit-Ananda where the mind along with all its perceptions

subsides.

Once you start on the path, you will see what comes natural to you in terms

of practice. "Talks with Ramana Maharshi" is an important book because if

you are in tune with Sri Ramana, you will be guided and understand what is

the right form of practice for you.

Other books, for example, such as those edited by David Godman (although

they contain many of the important conversations from the original "Talks"

and other sources) are too structured and sanitized and may not give that

direct connection with Sri Ramana.

The original sources consist of the conversations with Sri Ramana written

down by devotees. At least, two books have captured that. One in the 1930s

and one in the 1940s. The recollections and the letters of the devotees can

be very helpful and there are several of those.

Love to all

Harsha

S Venkatraman wrote:

After years of an intellectual approach to spirituality, only recently

recently did I understand that that route does not take one too far. So I

have turned to more 'experiential' methods like meditation etc. While Ramana

was always been an inspiration to me, my approach to him all along has been

through the intellect. So much so that though born and brought up and living

in India, while I have read almost all written material by or about him,

I still haven't been to Tiruvannamalai. I hope to set this right soon.

 

So when I started meditating, after some months of observing the breath as

Ramana in a few places has advised, I am now trying to make a transition

to self-enquiry. It's here that I experience some problems and would be grateful to

list members for for whatever advise they can provide me.

 

When I try to find the source of the 'I' thought, I find that in my

case it seems to be located in the head and not on the right side of the

heart. And if I try to locate the 'I' in the heart, I find that the 'I' in

the head is trying to monitor the progress of the one in the heart to see

if he is securely resting there. Now there cannot be two 'I's. If I try to

investigare, I find that the 'I' in the head is the witness of the one in

the heart. That does not seem alright because it is contrary to Ramana's

teaching.

 

Has anyone faced a similar problem? or can anyone with more experience

in self-enquiry offer me some help. Many thanks and regards,

 

Venkat

[Guest guest]

namaskar Mr/Sri Venkat

 

i am Indian too.

 

Yes those qs also arose for me

 

but as a Sri Aurobindo sadhak

 

the essence is what matters [which is in Harsha's answer]

 

i have to keep reminding myself to be patient in my aspiration, when

God feels i am fit, that will be so. Till then i enjoy the journey,

hoping that karma/jnana/bhakti will help me and all the wise friends

i meet

 

 

at this very moment God laughs in the universe, and sometimes i am

deaf

at this very moment there is Vishvarupa, and i cover in fright

[reassured that noble Arjuna did the same]

 

'aparigraha' applies also to the spiritual quest

 

when i see Bhagavan's photo, tears come to my eyes

 

as Gopi Krishna has pointed out, why do spiritual learners feel they

have a right to instant nirvana when it has taken Buddha lifetimes

 

love and light to all

km

[Guest guest]

, Harsha wrote:

> Dear Venkat,

>

> Good questions! I will pass this on to as well.

>

> Sri Ramana has answered your questions at many different points.

The

> focus need not be on the head or the heart region but on the

feeling

> awareness of "I AM". It is simply the self-feeling awareness being

aware

> of itself. You do not need to try to locate that feeling-awareness

in

> the body.

>

> S Venkatraman wrote:

>

> > After years of an intellectual approach to spirituality, only

recently

> > recently did I understand that that route does not take one too

far.

> > So I have turned to more 'experiential' methods like meditation

etc.

> > While Ramana was always been an inspiration to me, my approach to

him

> > all along has been through the intellect. So much so that though

born

> > and brought up and living in India, while I have read almost all

> > written material by or about him, I still haven't been to

> > Tiruvannamalai. I hope to set this right soon.

> >

> > So when I started meditating, after some months of observing the

> > breath as Ramana in a few places has advised, I am now trying to

make

> > a transition to self-enquiry. It's here that I experience some

> > problems and would be grateful to list members for for whatever

advise

> > they can provide me.

> >

> > When I try to find the source of the 'I' thought, I find that in

my

> > case it seems to be located in the head and not on the right side

of

> > the heart. And if I try to locate the 'I' in the heart, I find

that

> > the 'I' in the head is trying to monitor the progress of the one

in

> > the heart to see if he is securely resting there. Now there

cannot be

> > two 'I's. If I try to investigare, I find that the 'I' in the

head is

> > the witness of the one in the heart. That does not seem alright

> > because it is contrary to Ramana's teaching.

> >

> > Has anyone faced a similar problem? or can anyone with more

experience

> > in self-enquiry offer me some help. Many thanks and regards,

> >

> > Venkat

> >

 

Dear Venkat:

 

I believe I know what you mean about the point in the head and the

attention there. I made the decision to force the attention from the

point between the eyes to the heart about four years ago and I am

glad that I did. It is a source of automatic meditation now.

 

Sri Ramana told us that there is no location for the "II". But if

you have to locate it somewhere in the body it is to the right side

of the chest as you said. I find it somewhere toward the back

instead of the front.

 

I think the reason the head seems to be the location most comfortable

for the vichara is the identification of the aham vritti with

the "II". The aham vritti is the reflection of the real self and the

mirror image produces a sense of presence where there is none.

 

An example is the feeling of change when one looks into a mirror in

the morning for several minutes in grooming. One easily takes the

image for oneself. If instead you look at the surface of the glass

instead of the image in it makes you must refocus the eyes. The

feeling of where you are changes back to standing in front of the

mirror instead of being the image in the mirror. The feeling of

change can be noticed as a feeling of greater 'reality'.

 

The truth has to be that the actual subject, the "II", cannot be seen

even by the mind. It will always be the seer. Looking for it is

futile, as it IS the looking.

 

Love

Bobby G.