Self-enquiry

[Guest guest]

About practice of self-enquiry a snip out of an article by Dr. Sarada

(The Ramana Way, March 2002):

 

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What constitutes the practise of self-enquiry?

 

1. Paying attention to the 'I'-thought and only to the

'I'-thought until it merges in its source.

 

2. Recognising that the source of the 'I'-thought is the

spiritual heart and focusing attention on the heart.

 

3. As and when attention moves away from the ''I'-thought

to other thoughts, raising the doubt about the 'I' thought

the question 'Who am I?' and thus drawing attention back.

 

4. Keeping attention merged at the source of the 'I' until

such attention becomes natural.

 

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What self-enquiry is not:

 

1. It is not a repetition of any thought, not even of the

question 'Who am I?' This question only serves the

dual purpose of preparing one for self-enquiry and

drawing attention back to it whenever it moves away.

 

2. Self-enquiry is not any concept, affirmation or

negation, no expectation either. It is total attention.

 

3. Self-enquiry is not the watching of thoughts. On the

other hand, it is shifting of attention to the thinker.

 

4. Self-enquriy is not trying to be rid of thoughts.

Thoughts are simply ignored and hence die a natural

death as it were.

 

5. Self-enquiry is not the attempt to reach any goal.

It is absolute tentativeness. It is a readiness to question

earnestly and thereby drop everything that is familiar

and known. It is readiness to remain in total, patient

waiting in perfect tentativeness until the truth reveals

itself unclouded by conceptions.