tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post7445617444110370464..comments2023-10-16T13:06:42.360+01:00Comments on Happiness of Being: The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi: Atma-vichara – the practice of 'looking at' or 'seeking' ourselfMichael Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-20116162015680913162017-02-23T17:35:29.358+00:002017-02-23T17:35:29.358+00:00I appreciate that you understood that my comments ...I appreciate that you understood that my comments weren't critics, but only my point of view. No judgements.<br /><br />Yes silence all of the time would necessitate a good cave !!!!<br /><br />IRU: This is a quote fron David Godman:<br />My own feeling is that when Papaji or Ramana says 'Summa iru' they are not asking you to do anything at all. They are issuing an order directly to your mind, and if the mind is receptive, it stops being busy. This order cuts out the middle man, the person who wants to 'do' something to 'attain' some state.<br /><br />Papaji himself occasionally wondered out loud on why some people got the experience he was pointing to, while others didn't. I heard him say that some people who seem to be ready don't get it, while those who looked to him to be ill-equipped would occasionally startle him by suddenly having direct glimpses of the Self. <br /><br />The Upanishad says, 'The Atman chooses whom it will'. Sometimes even Gurus are surprised by the Atman's choice.<br /><br />Sometimes Papaji attributed it to attentive listening to the Guru. He said that if you allow the words of the Guru to go directly into your Heart, without thinking about them or analysing them, they will manifest there as a direct experience. And who can do that, or allow it to happen? I don't know. Sometimes it seems to be a bit of a lottery."<br /><br />There are many mention to have the courage to accept the words of the Guru. Bhagavan quote: "A strong conviction is necessary that I am the Self, trancending the mind and the phenomena"<br /><br />Because as I wrote above, from Sri Annamalai on the Guru saying that you are the Self but almost all the disciple ask about a method etc... Curious isn't it that they do not trust, believe the words of the Guru???<br /><br />Sri Muruganar also said: "Unless THE THOUGHT the bliss of the Self has NOT BEEN experienced is completely destroyed, the experience of the Self is not revealed" This relate to conviction and faith in the Guru's words. Then why search for what is already there. Remember the story about the necklace?<br /><br />The teaching is only to turn the attention inward on the Self. That's the greatest gift of Bhagavan to "us". From lack of attention the mind will sink into the heart and then the cloud, the veil, the ego will be destroyed.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-35350394247004218102017-02-23T16:30:35.782+00:002017-02-23T16:30:35.782+00:00Anonymous, I agree when you say: 'heart of Bha...Anonymous, I agree when you say: 'heart of Bhagavan's teaching is: BE'. I think ‘be’ can be translated as <i>iru</i> in Tamil. Please correct me if I am wrong. ‘Be’ or <i>iru</i> is the simplest and the briefest teaching possible, but nothing can be a more profound than this teaching. We should try to ‘be’ what we really are. It seems paradoxical, but this is the correct practice of self-attentiveness.<br /><br />Yes, the best thing is to remain silent, but for most of us it does not seem possible now (at least, all the time), hence the second best option is to read and reflect on Bhagavan’s teachings. <br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-70577377789122384672017-02-23T16:04:39.038+00:002017-02-23T16:04:39.038+00:00I also agree on the indispensable words of Sri Mur...I also agree on the indispensable words of Sri Murugunar, Sadhu Om and Michael. In fact I don't know how I could have understood the heart of the teaching. For one thing the different answers that Bhagavan gave to disciples. He never argued with anyone and his answers reflected this in respect to the questionner. This at first doesn't make sense and unless you read the above mentionned, it is very difficult to sort things out.<br /><br />The most important for me was Sri Sadhu Om's book often mentionned by Sri Machael James.<br /><br />The conclusion that I was making is that the heart of Bhagavan's teaching is: "BE"<br /><br />Not this or that, not trying to attain a state. <br /><br />Sri Annamalai also mentionned in the same book: "The Guru may tell his disciples a thousand times, "You are the Self, you are not what you imagine to be," but none of them ever believes him. They all keep asking the Guru for methods and routes to reach the place where they already are." <br /><br />Since I am the Self, I don't need to reach It. I only have to get rid of the cloud hiding the Self. This is self-abiding, Vichara.<br /><br />For myself only...I noticed that it was very pleasant to discuss, read, talk about the teaching...in fact too much. All of that was for myself taking a lot of my attention outward, pleasant to the mind. I realised why some go into caves and as Bhagavan said the best thing to do is Mouna - Silence.<br /><br />Love to you all!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-25239383483694893172017-02-21T21:50:01.318+00:002017-02-21T21:50:01.318+00:00Sanjay, I completely agree with you
"Therefo...Sanjay, I completely agree with you<br /><br />"Therefore, according to me, the words of Sri Murugunar, Sri Sadhu Om and Sri Michael James are indispensable, if we want undistorted expansion of Bhagavan’s true teachings. Other writers or even speakers, who give talks, come nowhere near the writings of these three... "<br /><br />:)<br />investigation de soihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07785467481308543769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-65346125065666523782017-02-21T16:07:53.903+00:002017-02-21T16:07:53.903+00:00Jacques, to the best of my knowledge, Annamalai Sw...Jacques, to the best of my knowledge, Annamalai Swami did not converse with other devotees in English. I think he spoke only in Tamil. Therefore, there is bound to be inaccuracies in the recording of his words, as is the case with all recordings. <br /><br />However, I was just now trying to read, randomly and from different places, his other book <i>Annamalai Swami Final Talks</i> edited by David Godman. Obviously he was a good devotee of Bhagavan, and a sincere <i>sadhaka</i>. He had a wealth of knowledge about Bhagavan’s life and teachings. At places, he conveys Bhagavan’s teachings in its pure form, but at other places these are confusing, and at some places even misrepresented. It could be a faulty recording, but we have no means to verify this. <br /><br />Therefore, according to me, the words of Sri Murugunar, Sri Sadhu Om and Sri Michael James are indispensable, if we want undistorted expansion of Bhagavan’s true teachings. Other writers or even speakers, who give talks, come nowhere near the writings of these three. <br /><br />Of course, as Michael has been pointing out to us, Bhagavan’s direct words in <i>Nan Yar?, Upadesa Undiyar</i> and <i>Ulladu Narpadu</i> contain his teachings in a most clear and undiluted form. As Michael suggests, these three should be read and reread, and continuously reflected upon, until we understand the principles laid down in these works as clearly as possible. <br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-30343372387416992402017-02-21T12:55:21.772+00:002017-02-21T12:55:21.772+00:00I don't know if Annamalai Swami speaks english...I don't know if Annamalai Swami speaks english but from the introduction here an extract.<br /><br />Although Annamalai Swami likes to lead a reclusive life, he generally welcomes visitors who want to talk about Bhagavan and his teachings. For about nine months in 1986 an American sannyasin called Satya recorded and transcribed many of his conversations. This final chapter contains edited highlights of the exchanges that took place during this period. The questioners were all foreigners and most of them had come to Annamalai Swami for advice on how to meditate properly. Annamalai Swami responded by giving them an elegant and forceful summary of Bhagavan's teachings on spiritual practice.<br /><br />Each of the numbered talks that follows contains the teachings that were given on a particular day during this period. I have not been able to identify the questioners, but I should point out that on several days more than one person was asking questions. This accounts for some of the abrupt changes of subject matter and some of the apparent contradictions in the attitudes, practices and experiences of the questioners.<br /><br />Jacques Franckinvestigation de soihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07785467481308543769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-92145339919353345792017-02-21T07:05:33.138+00:002017-02-21T07:05:33.138+00:00jacques franck, yes, the extract from the book (as...jacques franck, yes, the extract from the book (as reproduced by you), <i>Living by the words of Bhagvan</i> by Annamalai Swami, doesn’t confirm with Bhagavan’s teachings. I am not sure how accurately these are recorded. I have no problems with what he says in the first three paragraphs, but the fourth paragraph: ‘If this method doesn’t appeal you . . . unaffected by transient thoughts’, does not at all corroborate with Bhagavan’s teachings.<br /><br />For example, he says, ‘Watch the mind wandering here and there . . . Ultimately, if we try hard enough, it gives us the ability to remain as consciousness, unaffected by transient thoughts’. If Annamalai Swami really said this, it is a gross distortion of Bhagavan’s teachings. We will certainly not ‘remain as consciousness, unaffected by transient thoughts’, by watching our thoughts.<br /><br />By watching or attending to our thoughts, we do not become detached from them, but on the contrary become attached to them. Thoughts are <i>maya</i>, meaning ‘what is not’, whereas we are <i>Ulladu</i>, meaning ‘what is’. How can we experience ‘what really is’, by attending to ‘what is not’? It is simply illogical, and incompatible with Bhagavan’s teachings. <br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-43881672344101721502017-02-20T10:02:42.528+00:002017-02-20T10:02:42.528+00:00Here is the full passage. But I think it is a litt...Here is the full passage. But I think it is a little in opposite with that Bhagavan said in his own writing <br /><br />Q: Can this happen at any time?<br />AS: Here and now you are already the Self. You don't need time to realise the Self, all you need is correct understanding. Each moment you identify yourself with the body and the mind, you are going in the direction of ego and misery. The moment you give up that identification, you are moving towards your real Self, towards happiness.<br /><br />Q: We are accustomed to making distinctions between things. You say 'Meditate that you are the Self'. If I try to generate this feeling 'I am the Self' it will not be the real thing. It will just be another idea in the mind. Can thinking about this idea really help me?<br />AS: When I say, 'Meditate on the Self' I am asking you to be the Self, not think about it. Be aware of what remains when thoughts stop. Be aware of the consciousness that is the origin of all your thoughts. Be that consciousness. Feel that that is what you really are. <br /><br />If you do this you are meditating on the Self. But if you cannot stabilise in that consciousness because your vāsanās are too strong and too active, it is beneficial to hold onto the thought 'I am the Self; I am everything'. If you meditate in this way you will not be cooperating with the vāsanās that are blocking your Self-awareness. If you don't cooperate with your vāsanās, sooner or later they are bound to leave you.<br />If this method doesn't appeal to you, then just watch the mind with full attention. Whenever the mind wanders, become aware of it. See how thoughts connect with each other and watch how this ghost called mind catches hold of all your thoughts and says 'This is my thought'. Watch the ways of the mind without identifying with them in any way. If you give your mind your full, detached attention, you begin to understand the futility of all mental activities. Watch the mind wandering here and there, seeking out useless or unnecessary things or ideas which will ultimately only create misery for itself. Watching the mind gives us a knowledge of its inner processes. It gives us an incentive to stay detached from all our thoughts. Ultimately, if we try hard enough, it gives us the ability to remain as consciousness, unaffected by transient thoughts.<br /><br />Annamalai swami : living by the words of Bhagavan.investigation de soihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07785467481308543769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-78096863568750583652017-02-19T18:13:42.909+00:002017-02-19T18:13:42.909+00:00Many years I have tried to resolve the I Am, Self ...Many years I have tried to resolve the I Am, Self abiding etc... and all the words used to explain the "practice". It was for along time a mind exercice trying to locate, zoom to, reach this "I" that I was supposed to "abide".<br /><br />Putting a lot of concentration energy, having headache and lots of frustration. Until I understood Annamalai Swamy..."When I say "Meditate on the Self" I am asking you to be the Self, not think about it." Or Ramana Do you have two Self, one looking for another. (not sure of the precice wording, from memory).<br /><br />Thus it is not anything else but the everyday Self, "I". <br /><br />Although necessary for a time, I think too much thinking about Vichara has to be gotten rid of, it is only the mind carrying our attention in numerous intellectual areas and consequently away from Vichara, The attention has to be directed on the "I", self abidence.<br /><br />Anamalai: " Here and now you are already the Self" There is nothing to attain, nothing new to get...only the attention on the I. Anything else just keeps our attention outward, away from the Self.<br /><br />My very humble comprehension, nothing else.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-19535121504802627562016-08-15T21:38:49.719+01:002016-08-15T21:38:49.719+01:00I live near where John Sherman gives his talks and...I live near where John Sherman gives his talks and have gone to a couple. When he teaches or writes there may be a discrepancy between his words and Ramana's, and he may make it unnecessarily complicated, but when he describes his practice it is thankfully just self-enquiry.<br /><br />He essentially says, once you've looked at yourself (I AM) once, that is all you need to start. Beyond that it is just a matter of training the mind to spend more and more time aware of I AM, by returning to it over and over.<br /><br />Sherman, and many other western Advaita teachers, also say that there is value in looking at the identity-feeling (I AM THIS vs I AM), and I have found that exercise useful too. <br /><br />By trying to hold on to the identification, turning it into an object, there seems to be a release (in the moment it dissolves, i.e. the moment you realize the snake is a rope) with the same intensity that you were trying to hold on to it.<br /><br />Seeing the I-thought as false, over and over again every time you look at it, seems to help increase the desire to find out what you really are.Zubinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02219788084356971947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-40475676972584941382016-07-22T12:35:40.397+01:002016-07-22T12:35:40.397+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Who?https://www.blogger.com/profile/07889807392007505053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-66921020738232772732016-07-21T23:00:04.920+01:002016-07-21T23:00:04.920+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Who?https://www.blogger.com/profile/07889807392007505053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-55562962670712518422012-08-19T23:41:29.139+01:002012-08-19T23:41:29.139+01:00
In an increasingly depersonalised world of face... <br /><br />In an increasingly depersonalised world of faceless internet forums and forms and unloved factories churning out unloved and unwanted plastic, it seems to me that the last thing we need is an ‘I am not a person and neither are you’ philosophy pretending to be the absolute truth yet devoid of basic human compassion; a philosophy that was originally imported from India and then totally misunderstood, warped, distorted and even abused by the western mind desperately trying to nourish its own already-depersonalised and faceless conditioning.<br /><br />Since when did spirituality, with all its beautiful and transformative potential, become about simply believing that you’re ‘not a person’<br />JFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-17629829831585465052012-08-11T06:00:53.721+01:002012-08-11T06:00:53.721+01:00The Hindu states that girivalum on the inner path ...The Hindu states that girivalum on the inner path in Tiruvannamalai will be banned because of previous forest fires. Will this be enforcable? I think not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-85676953758495462882012-07-28T01:16:15.410+01:002012-07-28T01:16:15.410+01:00"If I allow you to
interpret
Ramana's wor..."If I allow you to<br />interpret<br />Ramana's words<br />for me,<br />who will be found<br />to interpret<br />Ramana's smile?"<br /><br />BillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-88195889039037242422012-07-10T02:20:53.322+01:002012-07-10T02:20:53.322+01:00We all have people in our lives who are struggling...We all have people in our lives who are struggling and, though you probably can't solve all their problems for them, you can make their transit through the day, the hour, just a bit rosier.<br /><br /> <br /><br />By making that phone call, stopping to chat, following up with a person you know is up against it at the moment, you're also making the world a better place - pure and simple.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Another way to cultivate this instinct is to be in a constant state of surrender.<br /><br /> <br /><br />"You don't have to believe in a higher power, you just have to picture yourself as transparent to ANY power (higher or inner or whatever you want to call it) and simply ask (out loud if possible) 'What do you want me to do next?'"<br /><br /> <br /><br />"If you always ask, 'What you do want me to do next?' and you ask it with sincerity and without trying to control the answer, the answer will always come.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-56918265947360867382012-06-29T01:35:05.730+01:002012-06-29T01:35:05.730+01:00Thank you for pointing in the direction of John Sh...Thank you for pointing in the direction of John Sherman. I had never heard of him.<br />blessingsray brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08175396960796904117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-12795280481139756972012-01-31T08:58:53.475+00:002012-01-31T08:58:53.475+00:00This post is very funny..You have not freed yourse...This post is very funny..You have not freed yourselves of anything to take such polarizing views...It's in the "seeing" and it might take "time" for some.But pointing to the timeless Truth within,is what all the sages have "pointed" back too.Drop your concepts and just look..its the same message my friends!Tell me is IS the Atlantic ocean not just as salty as the Indian ocean? Please...hahahahahahaha...PeaceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-5710967591876017602009-11-22T09:07:42.700+00:002009-11-22T09:07:42.700+00:00Hi Alexander, what you have been listening to is ...Hi Alexander, what you have been listening to is neo advaita; nothing to be done etc. Both Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta<br />said effort was needed and earnestness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-52974536096677175992009-11-21T02:49:17.312+00:002009-11-21T02:49:17.312+00:00Found this post a little late.
You guys are welco...Found this post a little late.<br /><br />You guys are welcome to slice up every word and debate the brief outtakes off the site. And I see you wasted no time ;) But John Sherman's strength is bringing the message a little closer and a little simpler to the people through plain language.<br /><br />A little less intellectualizing and a little more practice.<br /><br />I listened to a lot of Advaita-Speak telling me to do nothing. Nothing is to be done. You already are that which is. You are eternity. Eternal conciousness. And so on. John was my first exposure to the message that there is actually something that can be done.<br /><br />His words may be a little different to Ramana's, but I think you'll find that the central message is identical.<br /><br />Youtube him - you'll see. Vid called "The Work".Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13238246445850486075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-79831883970026502412009-04-24T23:28:00.000+01:002009-04-24T23:28:00.000+01:00lately inquiry has taken on a bunch of different f...lately inquiry has taken on a bunch of different forms. watching Byron Katie, it's made sense in light of all the other ways the teachings are expressed. When thoughts arise, any thoughts, but particularly negative thoughts, fearful, sad, longing, etc., "Is this true?" No, it's a thought. disbelieving thoughts seems to go along way. As long as thoughts are believed they can't really be repressed. also disbelieving thoughts includes evidently, disbelieving the person having the thought, because the thought, is a thinker about something. Who am I? Is this true? deep questions like that, that dissolve imagination, really are it seems inquiry. there have been temporary states of immense egoic quietude. when I get really deep, there is an intense sense of bliss, and for me, waves sweeping over me, peaceful waves. thoughts about the world, and other people, it's pretty clear that the mind doesn't really know anything about the world. When the mind stops believing in it's beliefs about the world, other people is there a world apart from those beliefs, are there other people apart from thoughts about them, that is where all the verses of 40 verses start to make a whole lot of sense. So far, there is for me still an appearance of the world, and I couldn't tell you if I've experienced the Self in all it's glory, or if I could classify a certain state as samadhi. Except there is more and more an awareness, that in that state, no harm can come and that all harm, sorrow, is the mind, period. when I really lose sight of inquiry and am back on the attachment level, Lakshmana swami might call it the "sticky mind". I immediately set about getting off the attachment level, to get off of suffering. There is a strong feeling, that inquiry rather then external action is the solution to the problems, that Grace cures all, solves all.Losing M. Mindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08593870441560584967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-63138482131226860992009-04-21T09:36:00.000+01:002009-04-21T09:36:00.000+01:00Re: "The bliss of losing our individuality. The sa...Re: "<B>The bliss of losing our individuality. The sadhana, the attempt at Self-inquiry, is like the moth flying toward the light, but then the light does the work to do in the moth, and then there is just light, and no moth (lol) The light, is the Self, Brahman, God, or the Jnani. Since the Jnani, is only the light, and not the moth, the illusion of moth-hood having gone. Correspondence, contact with a Jnani, is again, flying toward the light.</B>"<br /><br />I am reminded of these two verses of Arunachala Aksharamana malai:<br /><br />102. Once I thought of you and your grace fell on me, you imprisoned me, tying me up and eating me out like a spider, Arunachala!<br /><br />And, the previous verse, <br /><br />101. I happened to think of Arunai, and got caught in your glance- would the net of your grace ever miss, Arunachala!<br /><br />And then there is the famous assurance of Bhagavan:<br /><br />"<B>Just as the prey which has fallen into the jaws of a tiger has no escape, so those who have come within the ambit of the Guru's gracious look will be saved by the Guru and will not get lost; yet, each one should by his own effort pursue the path shown by God or Guru and gain release.</B> "<br /><br />(Who am I?/ Naan Yaar?)baskarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-16344735152045503122009-04-21T04:50:00.000+01:002009-04-21T04:50:00.000+01:00Just one more thing:
We read often that Bhagavan ...Just one more thing:<br /><br />We read often that Bhagavan says that the obstacle to liberation is the thought that we are in bondage.<br /><br />From this I don't think we can conclude that those who don't generate the thought that they are in bondage are free.<br /><br />That would be ridiculous.<br /><br />There has to be some sort of insight, some sort of experience of the spiritual reality, some direct knowledge of our inner self. If that happens, then Bhagavan's teachings apply.<br /><br />Because someone who knows bliss, has some non-dual experience is entitled to dismiss the thought that he is in bondage, and get back to the business of abiding in the Self, as the Self.<br /><br />For others, people like me, the application of Bhagavan's instruction that 'the thought that I am in bondage is the obstacle to freedom,' would only make it worse that what it is.<br />___________________________________<br /><br /><br />And of course, the statement <B>"...problems do not even exist, even death is unreal. Only the Bliss, Being and expansive Consciousness is true."</B> cannot be faulted with, and also, "<B>There isn't anything to give a **** about, or not give a **** about...,</B> but I think we should make sure we are doing Vichara or otherwise, if these are empty words, they might come back to haunt us. Because that attitude is suitable only for people who are serious about getting back to the source, serious about understanding their true nature, people who feel love and compassion and are not self-centred, people who don't choose what they want to have.<br /><br />When there is real surrender, which is in truth, real involvement in the pursuit of Happiness/ Being- then we won't really give a **** about anything- and it won't matter one way or the other.<br /><br />Wish you well.<br /><br />Regards,baskarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-45216677656079559062009-04-21T01:52:00.000+01:002009-04-21T01:52:00.000+01:00Besides Jnana, that is worth caring about, drinkin...Besides Jnana, that is worth caring about, drinking as much of, at as high, and as repetitive of dosage as possible. the analogy that just popped into my head, is being like a moth drawn to the light. Maybe that's the perfect analogy because the moth is killed, in the same way that the individual dissapears in the Self. (my ajnani analogies just are not as good, the flaw being, is it's more of a blissful merger, in which I realize I, the seperate I, had no seperate existence, from joy) The bliss of losing our individuality. The sadhana, the attempt at Self-inquiry, is like the moth flying toward the light, but then the light does the work to do in the moth, and then there is just light, and no moth (lol) The light, is the Self, Brahman, God, or the Jnani. Since the Jnani, is only the light, and not the moth, the illusion of moth-hood having gone. Correspondence, contact with a Jnani, is again, flying toward the light. Reading spiritual texts like the Ribhu Gita, and becoming absorbed in what they are saying. Reading Talks with Maharshi, and being astounded at the brilliance, when I read that for the first time, I was blown away. Caring about Self-inquiry, caring about Jnana, and becoming more established in it, is in a sense arleady turning inward toward the Self, the source of joy. And all the thing sI used to care about, seem so small and insignificant. Why wouldn't I inquire into the Self, what purpose does life have, if I'm not happy living it. Again, the necklace, the tenth man, and then more and more my face is lit up to be like those photos of Muruganar. (hopefully). My teacher, gave me great advise, I'll share it, because it seems to be working like magic, in his last e-mail. "One should not remain with thoughts or fight them". Doing that, I realize it is inquiry, because it's a disidentification from the reality of thoughts, and then Reality will do the rest. Fighting thoughts, or going down a thought tangent, is a belief that what thoughts are saying has any reality to it. Immediately, so much of the reality, the suffering reality, the solid reality, just vanishes, and effulgent Bliss takes over. I was thinking about why do sages advise Self-inquiry, it's to get even your own effort I suppose turned toward the light, so that the individual is questioning his own individual existence, Who am I? And then the grace of the Guru, the Jnani is given all the more opportunity to act, and completely dissolve the individual, that grace is not inside or outside, that grace is what is. Byron Katie was saying, "Unconditional Love is a questioned mind", which accords perfectly with Ramana's teachings.<br />Perfect.Losing M. Mindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08593870441560584967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-55770064802614088832009-04-20T21:34:00.000+01:002009-04-20T21:34:00.000+01:00Actually, one thing to add, it seems like that com...Actually, one thing to add, it seems like that comes naturally, the more I experience Bliss, and it's a non-circumstance dependent Bliss, and it's helpd along, if I can accomplish the additional step, of seeing that there is no individual, and that all the mental modes are completely and utterly false. (I still have to attentively inquire) Since the reality I was attributing to the world, has been almost entirely mental in character, I'm freed up from the clenched-nature of being an individual (fearing it's own creations). I would then assume, that the wonderous free-spiritedness of King Janaka, naturally flows from that Bliss, or the bliss-laden archival footage of Ramana in his bliss-laden Arunachala surroundings. Not giving a **** then seems to mean, be another way of saying, that there is no belief in the reality of problems, whatever they are. I was watching Byron Katie, and even wars, and bombs, she so gracefully discounted that the suffering, terror, was anything other then mental.(Something someone only experientially established could really do) Cancer (she was for it, because if it exists, it's good) Not giving a **** seems a bit of an awkward way to put it. Because it's that the problems do not even exist, even death is unreal. Only the Bliss, Being and expansive Consciousness is true. There isn't anything to give a **** about, or not give a **** about, inquiring for the direct experience of Jnana.Losing M. Mindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08593870441560584967noreply@blogger.com