EPISODE · Oct 5, 2023 · 1H 48M
Self-enquiry is just keeping our mind fixed firmly on ourself
from Sri Ramana Teachings · host Sri Ramana Center of Houston
In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang ([email protected]) on 1st October 2023, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings. Devotee #1: When doing self-enquiry, when asking in whom is this thought occurring, the answer is, in me. And when asking, who am I, you understand this is not a question to be answered but to be explored or investigated. But if I were to answer, would it be correct to say that I am the observer of the illusory mind/body Susan? To explain, I, Susan am walking down the street, I follow Ramana’s teachings and so I say to myself, I, the I, as in I am is observing Susan walking down the street, and I am now observing Susan stopping to by a cup of coffee. Devotee #2: No matter how much I try, I am unable to pursue the path of athma vichara with dedication. Firstly, it is very hard to practice self inquiry. Secondly, on those very few occasions when I actually sit and try and focus, I don’t know what to expect when I close my eyes and observe my thoughts because I am not sure how “self” even feels. Is the thoughtless state the actual self, because I am unable to go beyond that? How do I not fall into the trap of frustration and keep persevering? This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.
What this episode covers
In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang ([email protected]) on 1st October 2023, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings. Devotee #1: When doing self-enquiry, when asking in whom is this thought occurring, the answer is, in me. And when asking, who am I, you understand this is not a question to be answered but to be explored or investigated. But if I were to answer, would it be correct to say that I am the observer of the illusory mind/body Susan? To explain, I, Susan am walking down the street, I follow Ramana’s teachings and so I say to myself, I, the I, as in I am is observing Susan walking down the street, and I am now observing Susan stopping to by a cup of coffee. Devotee #2: No matter how much I try, I am unable to pursue the path of athma vichara with dedication. Firstly, it is very hard to practice self inquiry. Secondly, on those very few occasions when I actually sit and try and focus, I don’t know what to expect when I close my eyes and observe my thoughts because I am not sure how “self” even feels. Is the thoughtless state the actual self, because I am unable to go beyond that? How do I not fall into the trap of frustration and keep persevering? This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.
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Self-enquiry is just keeping our mind fixed firmly on ourself
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