Guest guest Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Though I had been studying the literature of Sri Ramana Maharshi for a long time the technique of Vichara somehow eluded me. It is only of late that I have understood a bit of it.As elaborated in many pages of day by day with Bhagavan ,it involves finding the source of your I thought or ego.The starting point is our body where we can try to make this search.Though some people have said that Bhagavan has not said to look within one's body ,actually in many pages of day by day withh Bhagavan it has been clearly indicated and instead of who am I Bhagavan has also said a better description of the search would be Whence i am I. The effort is to keep avoiding other thoughts from intruding and focussing on a search of the source of I. Bhagavan has indicated that the above is the direct method and has strongly advocated it. Hope other readers would add or correct the above as necessary. With warm regards, Anand sundaram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Hi Anand, I also share your thoughts. It took a full 2 years (and 6-7 visits to Tiruvannamalai) for me to get to the " Who am I " enquiry after I had first read about it. When I first read about, I couldn't make either head or tail of it. I used to be irritated with Bhagawan's way of answering people's queries in Silence. But deep within myself I had a strange attraction to Sri Ramana Maharshi. The name itself was music to my ears. And this attraction worked its magic on me 7-8 months back when I was on a 5-day visit to Tiruvannamalai. I just sat down in the meditation hall and the enquiry " Who am I " gripped me all of a sudden. It was really Bhagawan's grace which descended on me that day. Along with " Who am I " , I also practise " Not this " of Adi Shankaracharya and " I am " of Nisargadatta Maharaj. I am just a baby in the path of self-enquiry. So I keep switching the method of enquiry according to the feel of the moment. Om Tat Sat , " anandsundaram123 " <anandsundaram123 wrote: > > Though I had been studying the literature of Sri Ramana Maharshi for > a long time the technique of Vichara somehow eluded me. > > It is only of late that I have understood a bit of it.As elaborated > in many pages of day by day with Bhagavan ,it involves finding the > source of your I thought or ego.The starting point is our body where > we can try to make this search.Though some people have said that > Bhagavan has not said to look within one's body ,actually in many > pages of day by day withh Bhagavan it has been clearly indicated and > instead of who am I Bhagavan has also said a better description of > the search would be Whence i am I. > > The effort is to keep avoiding other thoughts from intruding and > focussing on a search of the source of I. > > Bhagavan has indicated that the above is the direct method and has > strongly advocated it. > > Hope other readers would add or correct the above as necessary. > > With warm regards, > Anand sundaram. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Dear Rajesh and Anand, Thanks for your posts. Anand, I am a bit confused when you say the starting point is our body. What exactly does that mean.. Thanks Much!!Vijaya Sai Thotapalli--- On Mon, 1/19/09, Rajesh <gabbardaaku wrote: Rajesh <gabbardaaku Re: technique of vichara Date: Monday, January 19, 2009, 1:06 AM Hi Anand,I also share your thoughts. It took a full 2 years (and 6-7 visits toTiruvannamalai) for me to get to the "Who am I" enquiry after I hadfirst read about it. When I first read about, I couldn't make eitherhead or tail of it. I used to be irritated with Bhagawan's way ofanswering people's queries in Silence. But deep within myself I had astrange attraction to Sri Ramana Maharshi. The name itself was musicto my ears. And this attraction worked its magic on me 7-8 months backwhen I was on a 5-day visit to Tiruvannamalai. I just sat down in themeditation hall and the enquiry "Who am I" gripped me all of a sudden.It was really Bhagawan's grace which descended on me that day. Along with "Who am I", I also practise "Not this" of AdiShankaracharya and "I am" of Nisargadatta Maharaj. I am just a baby inthe path of self-enquiry. So I keep switching the method of enquiryaccording to the feel of the moment. Om Tat Sat , "anandsundaram123"<anandsundaram123@ ...> wrote:>> Though I had been studying the literature of Sri Ramana Maharshi for > a long time the technique of Vichara somehow eluded me.> > It is only of late that I have understood a bit of it.As elaborated > in many pages of day by day with Bhagavan ,it involves finding the > source of your I thought or ego.The starting point is our body where > we can try to make this search.Though some people have said that > Bhagavan has not said to look within one's body ,actually in many > pages of day by day withh Bhagavan it has been clearly indicated and > instead of who am I Bhagavan has also said a better description of > the search would be Whence i am I.> > The effort is to keep avoiding other thoughts from intruding and > focussing on a search of the source of I.> > Bhagavan has indicated that the above is the direct method and has > strongly advocated it.> > Hope other readers would add or correct the above as necessary.> > With warm regards,> Anand sundaram.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Dear > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli, When we try to identify where our sense of I or the ego arises (this happens every moment of our life for every interaction since the ego is involved in every activity of ours )we find that this perception orignates somewhere in our chest -where our breath originates. We have to abide in that perceived source.When thoughts try to intrude we should immediately ask who is thinking these thoughts and revert to the perceived source of it - you may say it is abiding in our sense of being.(this is a feeling not a mental idea and everyone can easily experience this since this is natural to all of us).The period of such abidance extends by practice . The abidance is itself the goal and the Sadhana is to make the abidance permanent eliminating the possibility of thoughts ever again intruding . Regards, Anand sundaram. In , Vijay Thotapalli <tvsai wrote: > > Dear Rajesh and Anand, > Thanks for your posts. Anand, I am a bit confused when you say the starting point is our body. What exactly does that mean.. > > Thanks Much!! > > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli > > --- On Mon, 1/19/09, Rajesh <gabbardaaku wrote: > > Rajesh <gabbardaaku > Re: technique of vichara > > Monday, January 19, 2009, 1:06 AM Hi Anand, > > I also share your thoughts. It took a full 2 years (and 6-7 visits to > Tiruvannamalai) for me to get to the " Who am I " enquiry after I had > first read about it. When I first read about, I couldn't make either > head or tail of it. I used to be irritated with Bhagawan's way of > answering people's queries in Silence. But deep within myself I had a > strange attraction to Sri Ramana Maharshi. The name itself was music > to my ears. And this attraction worked its magic on me 7-8 months back > when I was on a 5-day visit to Tiruvannamalai. I just sat down in the > meditation hall and the enquiry " Who am I " gripped me all of a sudden. > It was really Bhagawan's grace which descended on me that day. > > Along with " Who am I " , I also practise " Not this " of Adi > Shankaracharya and " I am " of Nisargadatta Maharaj. I am just a baby in > the path of self-enquiry. So I keep switching the method of enquiry > according to the feel of the moment. > > Om Tat Sat > > , " anandsundaram123 " > <anandsundaram123@ ...> wrote: > > > > Though I had been studying the literature of Sri Ramana Maharshi for > > a long time the technique of Vichara somehow eluded me. > > > > It is only of late that I have understood a bit of it.As elaborated > > in many pages of day by day with Bhagavan ,it involves finding the > > source of your I thought or ego.The starting point is our body where > > we can try to make this search.Though some people have said that > > Bhagavan has not said to look within one's body ,actually in many > > pages of day by day withh Bhagavan it has been clearly indicated and > > instead of who am I Bhagavan has also said a better description of > > the search would be Whence i am I. > > > > The effort is to keep avoiding other thoughts from intruding and > > focussing on a search of the source of I. > > > > Bhagavan has indicated that the above is the direct method and has > > strongly advocated it. > > > > Hope other readers would add or correct the above as necessary. > > > > With warm regards, > > Anand sundaram. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Dear Anand, Thanks for the explanation. I have practiced that for a while in the recent past. But did not follow it longer, as I did not feel any positive change and was not knowing if I was doing it correctly in the first place. Also, I did not know if I was eligible to practice such an enquiry as I heard later from well educated sources that 'Self Enquiry' is a technique given by Bhagavan for evolved or elevated souls. RegardsVijaya Sai Thotapalli--- On Tue, 1/20/09, anandsundaram123 <anandsundaram123 wrote: anandsundaram123 <anandsundaram123 Re: technique of vichara Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 7:55 AM Dear > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli,When we try to identify where our sense of I or the ego arises (this happens every moment of our life for every interaction since the ego is involved in every activity of ours )we find that this perception orignates somewhere in our chest -where our breath originates.We have to abide in that perceived source.When thoughts try to intrude we should immediately ask who is thinking these thoughts and revert to the perceived source of it - you may say it is abiding in our sense of being.(this is a feeling not a mental idea and everyone can easily experience this since this is natural to all of us).The period of such abidance extends by practice .The abidance is itself the goal and the Sadhana is to make the abidance permanent eliminating the possibility of thoughts ever again intruding .Regards,Anand sundaram.In , Vijay Thotapalli <tvsai wrote:>> Dear Rajesh and Anand,> Thanks for your posts. Anand, I am a bit confused when you say the starting point is our body. What exactly does that mean..> > Thanks Much!!> > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli> > --- On Mon, 1/19/09, Rajesh <gabbardaaku@ ...> wrote:> > Rajesh <gabbardaaku@ ...>> Re: technique of vichara> > Monday, January 19, 2009, 1:06 AM> > > > > > > Hi Anand,> > I also share your thoughts. It took a full 2 years (and 6-7 visits to> Tiruvannamalai) for me to get to the "Who am I" enquiry after I had> first read about it. When I first read about, I couldn't make either> head or tail of it. I used to be irritated with Bhagawan's way of> answering people's queries in Silence. But deep within myself I had a> strange attraction to Sri Ramana Maharshi. The name itself was music> to my ears. And this attraction worked its magic on me 7-8 months back> when I was on a 5-day visit to Tiruvannamalai. I just sat down in the> meditation hall and the enquiry "Who am I" gripped me all of a sudden.> It was really Bhagawan's grace which descended on me that day. > > Along with "Who am I", I also practise "Not this" of Adi> Shankaracharya and "I am" of Nisargadatta Maharaj. I am just a baby in> the path of self-enquiry. So I keep switching the method of enquiry> according to the feel of the moment. > > Om Tat Sat > > , "anandsundaram123"> <anandsundaram123@ ...> wrote:> >> > Though I had been studying the literature of Sri Ramana Maharshi for > > a long time the technique of Vichara somehow eluded me.> > > > It is only of late that I have understood a bit of it.As elaborated > > in many pages of day by day with Bhagavan ,it involves finding the > > source of your I thought or ego.The starting point is our body where > > we can try to make this search.Though some people have said that > > Bhagavan has not said to look within one's body ,actually in many > > pages of day by day withh Bhagavan it has been clearly indicated and > > instead of who am I Bhagavan has also said a better description of > > the search would be Whence i am I.> > > > The effort is to keep avoiding other thoughts from intruding and > > focussing on a search of the source of I.> > > > Bhagavan has indicated that the above is the direct method and has > > strongly advocated it.> > > > Hope other readers would add or correct the above as necessary.> > > > With warm regards,> > Anand sundaram.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Honestly, I have only just started practicing in the method suggested by Bhagavan and hence cannot say by personal experience about the efficacy of the same. However if you read the works of Muruganar and in fact Bhagavan himself advocated the technique strongly since all other methods are indirect while in this the source of ego itself is searched and it is only reaching this source repeatedly - the practice may be even for an infinitesimal amount of time - can scorch all our vasanas . I feel thus even a few minutes of the enquiry daily can help to ultimately progress into deeper levels of enquiry. Bhagavan's grace will sustain us from the beginning to the end- this much we can be rest assured.Even the so called limited period which you had practised would have defintely helped and would definitely have been acccompanied by Bhagavan's grace. So the effort if in the method as advocated by Bhagavan should definitely be continued -other methods can be added for only one's self satisfaction.Somehow I have confidence that practice over period should yield positive results but unfortunately this process is not like a scientific experiment which can be quantified . Our motivation in this method should only be that Ramana will always be guiding us. Regards, Anand sundaram. , Vijay Thotapalli <tvsai wrote: > > Dear Anand, > Thanks for the explanation. I have practiced that for a while in the recent past. But did not follow it longer, as I did not feel any positive change and was not knowing if I was doing it correctly in the first place. Also, I did not know if I was eligible to practice such an enquiry as I heard later from well educated sources that 'Self Enquiry' is a technique given by Bhagavan for evolved or elevated souls. > > Regards > > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli > > --- On Tue, 1/20/09, anandsundaram123 <anandsundaram123 wrote: > > anandsundaram123 <anandsundaram123 > Re: technique of vichara > > Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 7:55 AM Dear > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli, > When we try to identify where our sense of I or the ego arises (this > happens every moment of our life for every interaction since the ego > is involved in every activity of ours )we find that this perception > orignates somewhere in our chest -where our breath originates. > We have to abide in that perceived source.When thoughts try to > intrude we should immediately ask who is thinking these thoughts and > revert to the perceived source of it - you may say it is abiding in > our sense of being.(this is a feeling not a mental idea and everyone > can easily experience this since this is natural to all of us).The > period of such abidance extends by practice . > The abidance is itself the goal and the Sadhana is to make the > abidance permanent eliminating the possibility of thoughts ever > again intruding . > Regards, > Anand sundaram. > > In , Vijay Thotapalli <tvsai@> > wrote: > > > > Dear Rajesh and Anand, > > Thanks for your posts. Anand, I am a bit confused when you > say the starting point is our body. What exactly does that mean.. > > > > Thanks Much!! > > > > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli > > > > --- On Mon, 1/19/09, Rajesh <gabbardaaku@ ...> wrote: > > > > Rajesh <gabbardaaku@ ...> > > Re: technique of vichara > > > > Monday, January 19, 2009, 1:06 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Anand, > > > > I also share your thoughts. It took a full 2 years (and 6-7 visits > to > > Tiruvannamalai) for me to get to the " Who am I " enquiry after I had > > first read about it. When I first read about, I couldn't make > either > > head or tail of it. I used to be irritated with Bhagawan's way of > > answering people's queries in Silence. But deep within myself I > had a > > strange attraction to Sri Ramana Maharshi. The name itself was > music > > to my ears. And this attraction worked its magic on me 7-8 months > back > > when I was on a 5-day visit to Tiruvannamalai. I just sat down in > the > > meditation hall and the enquiry " Who am I " gripped me all of a > sudden. > > It was really Bhagawan's grace which descended on me that day. > > > > Along with " Who am I " , I also practise " Not this " of Adi > > Shankaracharya and " I am " of Nisargadatta Maharaj. I am just a > baby in > > the path of self-enquiry. So I keep switching the method of enquiry > > according to the feel of the moment. > > > > Om Tat Sat > > > > , " anandsundaram123 " > > <anandsundaram123@ ...> wrote: > > > > > > Though I had been studying the literature of Sri Ramana Maharshi > for > > > a long time the technique of Vichara somehow eluded me. > > > > > > It is only of late that I have understood a bit of it.As > elaborated > > > in many pages of day by day with Bhagavan ,it involves finding > the > > > source of your I thought or ego.The starting point is our body > where > > > we can try to make this search.Though some people have said that > > > Bhagavan has not said to look within one's body ,actually in > many > > > pages of day by day withh Bhagavan it has been clearly indicated > and > > > instead of who am I Bhagavan has also said a better description > of > > > the search would be Whence i am I. > > > > > > The effort is to keep avoiding other thoughts from intruding and > > > focussing on a search of the source of I. > > > > > > Bhagavan has indicated that the above is the direct method and > has > > > strongly advocated it. > > > > > > Hope other readers would add or correct the above as necessary. > > > > > > With warm regards, > > > Anand sundaram. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 p.s I do not believe that Ramana's technique is only for elevated souls.I feel that it is definitely helpful for those for whom surrender is difficult and who have a strong " I sense " (and this strong i sense need not be restricted to only powerful or sucessful people even so called unsuccessful people may still have a strong " I " sense which makes surrender difficult for them ) which makes enquiry a better sadhana till ultimately all the vasanas are scorched by the enquiry process and surrender becomes possible. Regards, Anand. , Vijay Thotapalli <tvsai wrote: > > Dear Anand, > Thanks for the explanation. I have practiced that for a while in the recent past. But did not follow it longer, as I did not feel any positive change and was not knowing if I was doing it correctly in the first place. Also, I did not know if I was eligible to practice such an enquiry as I heard later from well educated sources that 'Self Enquiry' is a technique given by Bhagavan for evolved or elevated souls. > > Regards > > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli > > --- On Tue, 1/20/09, anandsundaram123 <anandsundaram123 wrote: > > anandsundaram123 <anandsundaram123 > Re: technique of vichara > > Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 7:55 AM Dear > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli, > When we try to identify where our sense of I or the ego arises (this > happens every moment of our life for every interaction since the ego > is involved in every activity of ours )we find that this perception > orignates somewhere in our chest -where our breath originates. > We have to abide in that perceived source.When thoughts try to > intrude we should immediately ask who is thinking these thoughts and > revert to the perceived source of it - you may say it is abiding in > our sense of being.(this is a feeling not a mental idea and everyone > can easily experience this since this is natural to all of us).The > period of such abidance extends by practice . > The abidance is itself the goal and the Sadhana is to make the > abidance permanent eliminating the possibility of thoughts ever > again intruding . > Regards, > Anand sundaram. > > In , Vijay Thotapalli <tvsai@> > wrote: > > > > Dear Rajesh and Anand, > > Thanks for your posts. Anand, I am a bit confused when you > say the starting point is our body. What exactly does that mean.. > > > > Thanks Much!! > > > > Vijaya Sai Thotapalli > > > > --- On Mon, 1/19/09, Rajesh <gabbardaaku@ ...> wrote: > > > > Rajesh <gabbardaaku@ ...> > > Re: technique of vichara > > > > Monday, January 19, 2009, 1:06 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Anand, > > > > I also share your thoughts. It took a full 2 years (and 6-7 visits > to > > Tiruvannamalai) for me to get to the " Who am I " enquiry after I had > > first read about it. When I first read about, I couldn't make > either > > head or tail of it. I used to be irritated with Bhagawan's way of > > answering people's queries in Silence. But deep within myself I > had a > > strange attraction to Sri Ramana Maharshi. The name itself was > music > > to my ears. And this attraction worked its magic on me 7-8 months > back > > when I was on a 5-day visit to Tiruvannamalai. I just sat down in > the > > meditation hall and the enquiry " Who am I " gripped me all of a > sudden. > > It was really Bhagawan's grace which descended on me that day. > > > > Along with " Who am I " , I also practise " Not this " of Adi > > Shankaracharya and " I am " of Nisargadatta Maharaj. I am just a > baby in > > the path of self-enquiry. So I keep switching the method of enquiry > > according to the feel of the moment. > > > > Om Tat Sat > > > > , " anandsundaram123 " > > <anandsundaram123@ ...> wrote: > > > > > > Though I had been studying the literature of Sri Ramana Maharshi > for > > > a long time the technique of Vichara somehow eluded me. > > > > > > It is only of late that I have understood a bit of it.As > elaborated > > > in many pages of day by day with Bhagavan ,it involves finding > the > > > source of your I thought or ego.The starting point is our body > where > > > we can try to make this search.Though some people have said that > > > Bhagavan has not said to look within one's body ,actually in > many > > > pages of day by day withh Bhagavan it has been clearly indicated > and > > > instead of who am I Bhagavan has also said a better description > of > > > the search would be Whence i am I. > > > > > > The effort is to keep avoiding other thoughts from intruding and > > > focussing on a search of the source of I. > > > > > > Bhagavan has indicated that the above is the direct method and > has > > > strongly advocated it. > > > > > > Hope other readers would add or correct the above as necessary. > > > > > > With warm regards, > > > Anand sundaram. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.