Self-Enquiry Meditation by Ramana Maharshi | Discover "Who Am I?"

"In the sacred land of Rishikesh, where the Himalayas meet the Ganga, seekers have long journeyed to uncover the deeper truth of existence. Among the many paths to self-realization, Self-Enquiry Meditation, taught by the enlightened sage Sri Ramana Maharshi, stands out as the most direct and powerful method. This practice, known in Sanskrit as Ātma Vichāra, invites us to ask a single transformative question:"

"At the heart of Ramana Maharshi's teachings lies Self-Enquiry, the method of turning the mind inward to discover the source of the "I" thought, the root of ego and identification. Instead of engaging with thoughts, Self-Enquiry directs your attention to the silent awareness from which all thoughts arise. It's not about finding intellectual answers but about experiencing your true nature directly."

"Unlike other meditative techniques that focus on the breath, mantras, or visualization, self-enquiry goes straight to the root of consciousness, to the very source of the "I" itself. Every time a thought arises, Ramana advised asking: "To whom does this thought arise?" The answer will be "To me." Then ask, "Who am I?" As you persist, thoughts gradually lose power, and attention dissolves into the silent source, pure consciousness."

Rishikesh and the Himalayas form a sacred context where seekers pursue deeper truth. Sri Ramana Maharshi experienced a spontaneous awakening at sixteen and taught Self-Enquiry (Ātma Vichāra) as a direct path to Self-realization. Self-Enquiry directs attention inward to discover the source of the "I" thought and the root of ego. The method asks repeatedly "To whom does this thought arise?" leading to "Who am I?" The practice shifts attention from engaging thoughts to silent awareness, causing thoughts to lose power and attention to dissolve into pure consciousness and direct experience of true nature.

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