Guest guest Posted April 2, 2002 Report Share Posted April 2, 2002 Hi ahamramana, The best description I have ever found of the way in which to do Who Am I meditation is given in the book 'The Path of Sri Ramana - Volume I' by Sadhu Om. If you can get hold of a copy of that book I would suggest you do so. Alternatively go here - http://www.nonduality.com/shankar1.htm and click on practical hints. SG >"ahamramana" RamanaMaharshi To: >RamanaMaharshi [RamanaMaharshi] help needed in >doing Atma Vichara Tue, 02 Apr 2002 08:14:14 -0000 > >Dear friends.. > >When i sit for doing vichara i start to watch my thoughts..but i get only a >blank..but after sometime when i am engrossed in thoughts i am not able to >watch my thoughts..i forget to watch the thoughts..this is my problem..am i >doing the correct way..please help me out > >Love > >ahamRamana > _______________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2002 Report Share Posted April 2, 2002 Dear "ahamRamana", I am surely not the most fit to give an answer to your question or offer help as I struggle with the same problems. I can assure you that you are not alone with this. As I understand the "blank" has nothing to do with the Self and is a state of the mind. So it must also be overcome or let behind in questioning "Who is experiencing the blank". When the concentration is lost and you are not able to watch wherefrom the thoughts arise - when you are lost in thoughts and feelings the Ramana-mantra is of great help to fix your concentration. Also of great help is simply watching the breath. Who can help you in doing Atma Vichara? Theoretical answers can only give hints. The grace of the Guru or the Self is the only real help. Without that nothing will be understood. If we surrender to him he will care. In Sri Ramana Gabriele PS: Be that: "Aham Ramana", the true Self! RamanaMaharshi, "ahamramana" <ahamramana> wrote: > Dear friends.. > > When i sit for doing vichara i start to watch my thoughts..but i get > only a blank..but after sometime when i am engrossed in thoughts i am > not able to watch my thoughts..i forget to watch the thoughts..this > is my problem..am i doing the correct way..please help me out > > Love > > ahamRamana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2002 Report Share Posted April 2, 2002 Thank you for yr hints, "Vic W" and "Bagavan ramana"..meanwhile see this peice Taken from 'Ramana Jyoti' - a souvinier in aid of sri Ramana Auditorium What Question? Who am I? Who is asking? I am. Is not that also the perfect Answer. - WEI WU WEI - Love aham ramana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2002 Report Share Posted April 2, 2002 Dear Seeker, A few comments on your question: First, Ramana advises that the seeker, when thoughts arise ask, "For whom is this thought?" The answer,"For me" naturally arises. Then one restarts the inquiry, "Who am I?" He advises to do this as soon as the thought is noticed, that you do not have to let the thought complete. After a while, the thoughts will seem to slow down, then stop. "A while" might be a few minutes or a few years. This depends on the seeker. Second, Self-inquiry is not going to provide a response that is any physical sensation or thought. The final result of Self-inquiry is Self-knowledge. This Self-knowledge is on the same level as your knowledge that you exist. Third, when you experience a "blank," then the inquiry can be, "For whom is this blank?" (Then again, "Who am I?") As I practice inquiry, I start the inquiry by first noticing that I exist. This seems to help me. Noticing the existance makes the inquiry stronger. "I know I exist. Who am I? From whence comes this existance? From whence comes this sense of "I?" This inquiry returns the attention to the "first" (first person, the I) and removes it from the "second" and "third." Second and Third refer to you, she, he, them, it, etc. One key to the inquiry is to notice who you are and who you are not. If you notice ANYTHING that is objective, that you can "look at," that thing is objective. You are he who knows the objective. When you notice something objective you can ask, "For whom is this?" (It is for me. Who am I?) One small but profound book I would also recommend is, "Who am I?" from Ramana. It is short, terse, and contains the deepest instructions on inquiry you can find. Read. Reflect. Meditate (inquire). RamanaMaharshi, "ahamramana" <ahamramana> wrote: > Dear friends.. > > When i sit for doing vichara i start to watch my thoughts..but i get > only a blank..but after sometime when i am engrossed in thoughts i am > not able to watch my thoughts..i forget to watch the thoughts..this > is my problem..am i doing the correct way..please help me out > > Love > > ahamRamana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2002 Report Share Posted April 2, 2002 Hi: Inquire thus: Who is seeing the blankness? Who is seeing thoughts sometimes? Who is not able to watch these thoughts and who is forgetting? No matter what arises or doesn't arise, inquire with attention, not just words into who is recognizing what is or isn't arising. You seem to be doing the correct thing but you need to practice getting to the source. No matter what arises or doesn't arise, who is noticing this? Mark Dear friends.. When i sit for doing vichara i start to watch my thoughts..but i get only a blank..but after sometime when i am engrossed in thoughts i am not able to watch my thoughts..i forget to watch the thoughts..this is my problem..am i doing the correct way..please help me out Love ahamRamana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2002 Report Share Posted April 3, 2002 > ahamRamana wrote > Dear friends.. > > When i sit for doing vichara i start to watch my thoughts..but i get > only a blank..but after sometime when i am engrossed in thoughts i am > not able to watch my thoughts..i forget to watch the thoughts..this > is my problem..am i doing the correct way..please help me out > > Love > ahamRamana If there is awareness of a blank then there is an observing subject. Perseverence with the practice of atma vicara will overcome it. Realising that you have been engrossed in thought is the Grace which provides impetus for continuing with atma vicara. 'One-pointed perseverence alone is essential in Self-Enquiry and that is done purely inwardly, all the time. Your attention on the Self within alone is essential.' (Ramana Maharshi) Ever Yours in Sri Bhagavan, Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2002 Report Share Posted April 3, 2002 Dear friends, let me share my opinion. As Sri Ramana has said, Vicara is not for everyone, but only for the ripe souls. who are, then, the ripe souls? They are the ones who have aquired some degree of self control, or mind control. Their awareness is strong, onepointed and sharp. They are not easily distracted and their power of concentration is huge. These will gain much benefit from the practice ov Vicara alone, and even attain liberation, which is destruction of mind/ego, and not only its restraint. Are we ripe souls? i dont know and is hard to say...its very personal and subjective, and everyone must be honest with themselves and see if they are making progress in the practice of Vicara. If progress is very slow or absent, if the mind is restless at all times and refuses to concentrate for more than a few seconds, if your practice is causing anxiety, laxity, or a form of blank that seems foggy and sleepy, then maybe one would do very well in engaging other practices that help clear the focus, raise awareness and develop strong, sharp, one-pointed concentration. Just as well, there might be energetic blocks in the body that need clearing before the Prana (energetic substract of the mind) can flow evenly, and better levels of awareness can be developed. Repeting Sri Ramana's words: "Breath control is the means for mind control". Therefore, is important to practice with breathing. Pranayama exercises must be done, as well as meditation on the breath (Vipassana meditation). But in order to practice Pranayama safely and with good results, one must also practice Hatha Yoga, that will help unblock the nadis (energetic chanels where the prana flows), balance them, and provide a strong sharp mind to the practitioner. I HIGHLY recommend taking Hatha Yoga or some of its variants like Ashtanga, Tai Chi, Qi gong, etc..it will boost your awareness and you will gain much more benefits from Vicara. I also HIGHLY recommend reading Maharshi books: Who am I?, Spiritual Instruction, Self Enquiry, and his biography If you cant find these books freely online, just ask me and i will email them to you. They are short, concise, brilliant. A must read! - Miles Wright <ramana.bhakta <RamanaMaharshi> Wednesday, April 03, 2002 7:40 AM Re: [RamanaMaharshi] help needed in doing Atma Vichara > > > ahamRamana wrote > > Dear friends.. > > > > When i sit for doing vichara i start to watch my thoughts..but i get > > only a blank..but after sometime when i am engrossed in thoughts i am > > not able to watch my thoughts..i forget to watch the thoughts..this > > is my problem..am i doing the correct way..please help me out > > > > Love > > ahamRamana > > If there is awareness of a blank then there is an observing subject. > Perseverence with the practice of atma vicara will overcome it. > > Realising that you have been engrossed in thought is the Grace which > provides impetus for continuing with atma vicara. > > 'One-pointed perseverence alone is essential in Self-Enquiry and that is > done purely inwardly, all the time. Your attention on the Self within alone > is essential.' (Ramana Maharshi) > > Ever Yours in Sri Bhagavan, > Miles > > > > > Post message: RamanaMaharshi > Subscribe: RamanaMaharshi- > Un: RamanaMaharshi- > List owner: RamanaMaharshi-owner > > Shortcut URL to this page: > /community/RamanaMaharshi > > Your use of is subject to > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2002 Report Share Posted April 4, 2002 One resource that all in this newsgroup needs to know about is a tape series, "Requisites of Realization." This series consists of audio (or video) tapes of a 10-week series of discourses based on Sankara's teaching. Each tape includes the discourse as well as questions and answers. The tapes cover (in order): Discrimination, Detachment, Peacefulness, Self control, Renunciation, Fortitude, Faith, Deep, profound meditation, Desire for liberation, Self-inquiry and the Requisites. This teaching was done by Nome and Russell Smith. Both are Self- realized through their own practice of Self-inquiry. They have been teaching Self-inquiry and Ramana Maharshi's teachings for 25 years. I have listened to this series again and again. It seems a precious resource for the serious practitioner of Self-inquiry. More information can be found on the SAT website at http://www.satramana.org/requisit.htm We are Not two, Richard RamanaMaharshi, "Edoardo Gonzales" <edoardosg@i...> wrote: > Dear friends, > > let me share my opinion. As Sri Ramana has said, Vicara is not for everyone, > but only for the ripe souls. > who are, then, the ripe souls? They are the ones who have aquired some > degree of self control, or mind control. Their awareness is strong, > onepointed and sharp. They are not easily distracted and their power of > concentration is huge. These will gain much benefit from the practice ov > Vicara alone, and even attain liberation, which is destruction of mind/ego, > and not only its restraint. snip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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