Perhaps the greatest exponent of self-inquiry and Self-realisation is Sri Ramana Maharshi. The genius of his method, in it’s simplicity and power, is unexcelled.
Who is the knower? This is the fundamental question.
Who am I?
But remember, the answer to this question is experiential not conceptual.
So ‘look’, don’t think. Observe, don’t analyse. Experience, don’t imagine.
You ARE the answer.
Awakened mind is the impersonal sentience and not the contents of awareness. Even the sense ‘I am’ is known by this awareness. But who can say how this thing works? Getting into a technical analysis of the structure of consciousness and the nature of awakening becomes an exercise of intellect, and therefore true enough on…
What is This? Who am I? What am I? What kind of answers am I looking for? What could satisfy? Questions are beautiful, more illuminating than answers. Questions stop the mind. So if I told you “you are consciousness”, would that help? Would you be satisfied? Would your suffering diminish at all with that piece…
Our minds are so conditioned for complexity, engagement, entertainment. It’s often a challenge just to be willing and able to let go of all these outward drags, and instead allow the mind and being to settle down within itself. To just stop grasping and chasing and see what comes to take its place. To take…
You can’t find anything that exists outside of mind/consciousness. That’s a different claim than there *is* nothing outside of mind. But there’s zero evidence for anything *extra conscientiam* and the hypothesis there’s an *objective* world is unprovable. https://t.co/2b1TbrWjT2 — Martyn… (@martynwebber) March 28, 2024
The fourth state, turiya, pure consciousness, is present with all other states. But at first it’s perceived, as its name suggests, as one alternating with other states of consciousness. Until through repeated and consistent exposure it’s revealed to be the foundational and ubiquitous, singular reality.
Spiritually speaking, it doesn’t pay to be too rational past a certain point. Reason as a function needs to fail, leaving only the mystery. Of course dropping rationality in favour of embracing the mystery is itself a rational act. So there’s that. You could say it’s a higher rationality that transcends it’s own limitations. But…