tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post6322543760310274440..comments2023-10-16T13:06:42.360+01:00Comments on Happiness of Being: The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi: Self-investigation (ātma-vicāra) is just the simple practice of trying to be attentively self-awareMichael Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-69755929354045965412019-02-20T23:31:18.511+00:002019-02-20T23:31:18.511+00:00THANK YOU. Ia m learning a lot from your site. I ...THANK YOU. Ia m learning a lot from your site. I appreciate you being here.The International Tasting Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12987645412571673623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-43036554566281212202019-02-18T06:29:26.217+00:002019-02-18T06:29:26.217+00:00The International Tasting Club, you ask, ‘What is ...The International Tasting Club, you ask, ‘What is purity and non purity in this regard?’ When our awareness is free of all contents it is absolutely pure, and to the extent it is filled up with contents this awareness is impure. What are these contents? These are all the objects we experience. These objects include not only the physical objects but also mental objects like thoughts, feelings, memories, ideas, emotions and so on.Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-10753373130880884902019-02-18T00:36:53.284+00:002019-02-18T00:36:53.284+00:00What is purity and non purity in this regard?What is purity and non purity in this regard?The International Tasting Clubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12987645412571673623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-63555745917098887392017-01-31T20:43:37.936+00:002017-01-31T20:43:37.936+00:00In my opinion/experience:
The main thing in our pr...In my opinion/experience:<br />The main thing in our practice of self-investigation is to keep the mind as much as possible free from all kinds of impurities.<br />Even after having an attack of impurity we should return always immediately to the state of purity/clarity of inner silence and peace.svayam-prakāśanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-9926179191481332412017-01-31T18:59:10.392+00:002017-01-31T18:59:10.392+00:00Celio Leite,
Sadhu Om has said that rather than b...<b>Celio Leite</b>,<br /><br />Sadhu Om has said that rather than being self-attentive for long periods of time, it is more effective to be self-attentive frequently, even if for very short periods of time.<br /><br />So, his recommendation was - while working - to be self-attentive whenever one has a period of time in between tasks.<br /><br />Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08444422146838072196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-80824049088130614292017-01-31T02:39:44.802+00:002017-01-31T02:39:44.802+00:00R Vishwanathan,
what you say is quite correct. Pe...R Vishwanathan,<br />what you say is quite correct. Performing of any work with wholehearted devotion/dedication is to a large extent of an equal standard.tāṉ aṟivu āhumnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-89465180038257492882017-01-31T01:25:21.331+00:002017-01-31T01:25:21.331+00:00"Is it possible to be self attentive in a cor..."Is it possible to be self attentive in a correct way in a office like that? Even, if I get self attentiveness in my work it can be whole and correct? In my work Part of me is always writing, part of me is always answering customers or part of my awareness is focused on reading law books."<br /><br />If one thinks that one is not able to be self attentive in the midst of mental or physical work, I feel that there still is an equally beneficial mode that can help one not lose the peace that accompanies self attentiveness: to perform the work whole heartedly without expectation (or suspicion) of positive (or negative) result or to offer immediately the feeling of elation (or depression) that one might get (upon completion of any work) to God or self. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />R Viswanathan https://www.blogger.com/profile/18066293987969833262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-69400832080193239902017-01-31T00:49:09.595+00:002017-01-31T00:49:09.595+00:00Thanks dear friends: Casablanca and Sanjay for the...Thanks dear friends: Casablanca and Sanjay for the feedback.celio leitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02274966067973017232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-88953329563742741222017-01-30T14:50:10.873+00:002017-01-30T14:50:10.873+00:00Casablanca, I agree. The undercurrent of self-inve...Casablanca, I agree. The undercurrent of self-investigation can be always flowing, even in the midst of a battle. Therefore it should be attempted even amidst our work and leisure. We can and should try to cultivate such an undercurrent. Bhagavan has explicitly talked about the need of such unceasing self-remembrance at many places. When somebody asked him: ‘when should I practice <i>atma-vichara?</i>’, Bhagavan answered: ‘always’. It is again beautifully stated in <i>Nan Yar?</i>: <br /><br />If one clings fast to uninterrupted <i>svarupa smarana</i> [self-remembrance] until one attains <i>svarupa</i> [one’s own actual self], that alone [will be] sufficient.<br /><br />If uninterrupted self-remembrance were not possible, Bhagavan would not have advised us to attempt such unceasing practice. <br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-75068715608001604342017-01-30T13:31:57.774+00:002017-01-30T13:31:57.774+00:00Celio Leite,
the "undercurrent" of self-...Celio Leite,<br />the "undercurrent" of self-investigation can be flowing always, even during writing on legal matters, studying laws/law books, talking with others, answering customers, albeit not completely and totally focussed on it.<br />That is at least my experience of working more than forty years in a revenue office.<br />Kindest regards.Casablancanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-58563316028925725492017-01-30T03:17:41.567+00:002017-01-30T03:17:41.567+00:00Dearest MichaelJI, I really love to feel my beingn...Dearest MichaelJI, I really love to feel my beingness, keep the inner feeling of 'I'. Maybe more than 30 years of meditation and spiritual ''work'' has helped me to know the important things and values in life. So - when I am alone or by myself - its easy and natural to be self attentive like you said. But I work in a lawyer company and pass circa 9,10 hours writing on legal matters, studying laws and talking with others. Is it possible to be self attentive in a correct way in a office like that? Even, if I get self attentiveness in my work it can be whole and correct? In my work Part of me is always writing, part of me is always answering customers or part of my awareness is focused on reading law books.. The remembrance of 'I' could be partial or to continue like a undercurrent in such chaotic situations? Love, Céliocelio leitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02274966067973017232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-78236226115344020272015-10-31T13:34:20.717+00:002015-10-31T13:34:20.717+00:00Anonymous, I have replied to your comment asking w...Anonymous, I have replied to your <a href="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2015/10/self-investigation-atma-vicara-is-just.html?showComment=1445289730053#c2132634163350219750" rel="nofollow">comment</a> asking whether this practice works in a new article that I have just posted: <a href="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/the-logic-underlying-practice-of-self.html" rel="nofollow">The logic underlying the practice of self-investigation (<i>ātma-vicāra</i>)</a>.Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-9030001898441278122015-10-26T01:24:13.603+00:002015-10-26T01:24:13.603+00:00I agree with you, Noob. What better motivator than...I agree with you, Noob. What better motivator than death, for us to persevere in trying to truly know ourself as the deathless, not as the body that dies?Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-50639357110389673032015-10-25T21:49:32.446+00:002015-10-25T21:49:32.446+00:00That's why it is important that we try to look...That's why it is important that we try to look into ourselves before the final moment comes. To practice, to get a feeling, to have a chance to avoid the confusion.Noobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12797750547512929881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-81606533587740827462015-10-25T21:17:51.873+00:002015-10-25T21:17:51.873+00:00The only thing that we are certain is that we are ...The only thing that we are certain is that we are going to die, therefore we should watch ourselves closely at that moment.Noobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12797750547512929881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-61024532119619612342015-10-21T07:03:58.510+01:002015-10-21T07:03:58.510+01:00Thank you Michael. Yes, what I was actually asking...Thank you Michael. Yes, what I was actually asking is, after realizing clearly that there is "something" that is aware/sees thoughts, if the practice îs to hold on to the seer... so yes, this is it...thank you (it was more of a personal confirmation). I wanted to get this as clearly as possible în my head so as to stop endless debating and reading. So, personaly, i realized that the first fundamental thing to realize is "i cannot be what i see/am aware of"(thoughts/senzations/emotions etc) there is always something that sees them and this seer is what is cucial. So i should put my attention/hold on to the Seer of what i experience. When i do that strong enough thoughts will subside along with the Seer himself (they were not real) and self realization will occur. So the Seer/Witness is esential... This is what i understood... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-65816116303675148842015-10-21T04:21:41.902+01:002015-10-21T04:21:41.902+01:00"Does this practice work? There are so many G..."Does this practice work? There are so many Gurus each offering a unique method - a method that might have worked for them. The real question is does it work for others? Michael, from your writings I gather you have been practicing this for more than two decades (?). What is your realization so far? Have you been able to achieve what Bhagavan describes? Honestly, if the answer is no, then I will be very skeptical of this method."<br /><br />Please see the following two videos. These are by another sincere Bhagavan's devotee like Sri Michael James - for many decades.<br /><br />Talks on Sri Ramana Maharshi: Narrated by David Godman - Self-Enquiry<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDVQC_uHRCI<br /><br />Talks on Sri Ramana Maharshi: Narrated by David Godman - Recognising Enlightenment<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBflwS3IzjM<br /><br />If the first video narrates the method, that the method does work can be known from the description about Sri Muruganar by Sri David Godman in the latter video.R Viswanathan https://www.blogger.com/profile/18066293987969833262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-89349826609837982612015-10-20T19:53:10.805+01:002015-10-20T19:53:10.805+01:00Anonymous, in answer to the question you asked in ...Anonymous, in answer to the question you asked in your <a href="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2015/10/self-investigation-atma-vicara-is-just.html?showComment=1445325339139#c6619359195437004493" rel="nofollow">comment</a>, while practising self-investigation (<i>ātma-vicāra</i>) our aim should be to be attentively aware of ourself alone. Asking ourself questions such as ‘who sees this?’ can be an aid insofar as it helps us to turn our attention back towards ourself, the seer or experiencer, but it is not the actual investigation, just as asking ourself ‘what is written in this book?’ is not actually reading the book. Only when we withdraw our attention from everything else (including all thoughts, sensations and questions) by trying to focus it only on ourself (our own self-awareness) are we actually investigating what we are.<br /><br />Therefore if what you mean by ‘That’ (when you write ‘trying to attentively see/investigate That,... is this what Bhagavan actually taught?’) is yourself, the one sees or experiences everything else, then yes, this is what Bhagavan actually taught.Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-58940432355859825062015-10-20T08:54:31.233+01:002015-10-20T08:54:31.233+01:00Anonymus,
as also a beginner I might advise you to...Anonymus,<br />as also a beginner I might advise you to try to focus your attention not on the mental movement of the thought "Who sees that ?" but totally on the awareness of the source of thoughts, sensations etc.<br />When your concentration fades start trying again to be attentively self-aware.<br />Direct your focus only in your "own house".<br />When thoughts begin to roam around start again and again.Monterossonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-64389587425864498412015-10-20T08:44:11.032+01:002015-10-20T08:44:11.032+01:00Yes, anonymous, we should turn our attention towar...Yes, anonymous, we should turn our attention towards ourself, towards the one who is aware of thoughts, sensations, etc. Asking oneself 'who sees that?' is not exactly what Bhagavan has asked to do, but we can ask such questions in the beginning if it helps us to turn our attention towards ourself. In other words, asking oneself mentally or vocally 'who sees that?' or 'who am I?' is not a necessary step, nor is it a essential step to bring our attention back to 'I' or 'I am'. <br /><br />Michael often says that if somebody asks us find out what is written in a book, do we do this by repeatedly asking ourself 'what is written in this book', 'what is written in this book', or we simply open the book and start reading it. Our practice of self-attentiveness is similar. It is a single step practice of trying to turn our attention towards ourself alone, as frequently as possible, and for as long as possible. Regards. Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-66193591954370044932015-10-20T08:15:39.139+01:002015-10-20T08:15:39.139+01:00If, as a beginner, I start asking myself "Who...If, as a beginner, I start asking myself "Who sees that?" while being aware of my thoughts, sensations, etc and then trying to attentively see/investigate That,... is this what Bhagavan actually taught?!<br /><br />Thanks...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-46946488850488021042015-10-20T06:59:10.893+01:002015-10-20T06:59:10.893+01:00Anonymous, you write, 'Does this practice work...Anonymous, you write, 'Does this practice work? There are so many Gurus each offering a unique method - a method that might have worked for them. The real question is does it work for others? Michael, from your writings I gather you have been practicing this for more than two decades (?). What is your realization so far? Have you been able to achieve what Bhagavan describes? Honestly, if the answer is no, then I will be very skeptical of this method'. <br /><br />Do you know of any other method which is guaranteed to work? If yes, please share it with us. Our sadguru had dissolved his ego by practising vigilant self-attentiveness, and he has convinced us that this method works. He used to say to sceptics something to the effect, 'Others have tried this method and it has worked for them, why do you think it will not work in your case?' Moreover Bhagavan is not asking us to gain or experience some unknown state which is not familiar with us, he is asking us to experience ourself as we really are, bereft of our deluded awareness of this body and mind. Do we not experience this state in our deep-sleep? We just have to experience a deep-sleep like state in our waking state. This is <i>atma-jnana</i>, or liberation or moksa or merging in God. Regards. <br /> Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-15009012374894769692015-10-20T06:36:02.946+01:002015-10-20T06:36:02.946+01:00Mouna, You write, 'The ego starts the process,...Mouna, You write, 'The ego starts the process, only Grace finishes it'. In a sense it is true, but Bhagavan has also said something to the effect:<br /><br /><b>Grace is the beginning, grace is the middle and grace is the end.</b><br /><br />How did Bhagavan and his teachings come to our life? Was it not purely due to Bhagavan grace? Likewise is not the same grace supporting our all our inward effort? Our manana and whatever little we have practised being attentively self-aware is only because of some clarity and happiness that we have gained by our practice. And as you write 'The "method" (being investigation or surrender) takes us only up to a certain stage and from there is the pulling in of Grace or the Guru (internal or external) that will complete the apparent "process"'. Our external guru will vanish as we approach our ego's end, and only the internal guru (the real Bhagavan) will remain, and only this inner presence will eventually consume us. <br /><br />To put it in simple words, our self-awareness always exists and we are constantly aware of it as 'I am' (though we may confuse it with our body and mind), and this self-awareness is the constant undercurrent of grace which is there from our very beginning and will remain until the very end of our sadhana. Without this presence of grace any sort of sadhana is not possible. We should respond to this grace by being attentively self-aware as much as possible. This is our response to grace, and this love to attend only to ourself is required, otherwise grace cannot complete its task of our ego's complete annihilation. Regards. <br /><br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-70192806654004324622015-10-20T02:53:32.479+01:002015-10-20T02:53:32.479+01:00Self-realization does not depend solely on "t...Self-realization does not depend solely on "the method" or how well and how often is applied. The other necessary component is Grace.<br />The "method" (being investigation or surrender) takes us only up to a certain stage and from there is the pulling in of Grace or the Guru (internal or external) that will complete the apparent "process".<br />That is what Master Ramana said and he is a good example of that.<br />The ego starts the process, only Grace finishes it.<br /><br />Yours in BhagavanMounahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02416580298727681711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-45973300319163272042015-10-20T02:20:37.632+01:002015-10-20T02:20:37.632+01:00Anonymous,
Any spiritual practice, if done with e...Anonymous,<br /><br />Any spiritual practice, if done with earnestness will “eventually” work. It has to, because the mind is withdrawn from objects repeatedly through practice, and eventually will have to subside. There is no such thing as a fallen yogi.<br /><br />As Ptolemais said, you have to try it for yourself and see whether this practice is suitable for you. With regards to time, I remember a story related to this.<br /><br />There were two devotees. God appeared before the first devotee and told him that he has 3 more lifetimes for liberation. The devotee got really upset. I have been practicing Sadhana my entire lifetime and you are telling me, I have to wait 3 lifetimes. Is this a joke?<br /><br />God then appeared before the second devotee and told him that he has to wait 100,000 lifetimes for liberation. The devotee got excited. He jumped up and down. He thanked God profusely. He was overjoyed that he has to wait just 100,000 lifetimes. That very second he got liberated.<br />Sivanarulnoreply@blogger.com