A clearer audio copy of this video can be listened to on Sri Ramana Teachings podcast (ramanahou.podbean.com ) or downloaded from ramanahou.podbean.com/e/do-we-investigate-ourself-in-silence 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 mediafire.com/file/mh3lssw52xzrkm9
Such a great teacher and such great teachings in reference to the person who said they feel it is easier for them to go out into nature as opposed to a busy street when doing there is self enquiry there is no contradiction to that being the right thing while the same time understanding that wherever you are if you have the desire to turn in you can do it but we all know that sometimes we need more Light more positive influences in our outside surroundings that could help us to turn in whereas the reality with some of us as we still are too attached to the outside that if we are in those circumstances it can be harder so yes for many it is helpful sometimes to do some of their self enquiry in a place that is conducive to inspiring the same thing with sitting in front of a master or listening to the video of teachings or reading a book those things are perhaps going to help us make the decision to turn in so yes although anywhere we should be able to turn in we have to know each person on their level what is the reality and sometimes they do need to pull back from the circle of friends or perhaps sometimes from all the activities that they’re involved with because the conditioned habits are not easily shared yet no one should resolve themselves from being responsible in their duties
In order that vichara has any benefit it cannot matter where one practices it. The idea that "sometimes we need more light" stems from the confusion of ego and is a bad idea like most ideas originating from ego. If we let us control by the liking of ego where to practice we have misunderstood the purpose of vichara. True, for many it is easier to go deeper in a more silent environment as being in one's home, nonetheless we need to arrive at practicing vichara constantly in the waking state and even in the dream state. Finding excuses why one lacks discipline practicing vichara in seeming "unfavorably" places is just a ploy of the ego to prevent us from practicing vichara. By the way, "we" do not decide where the body goes, that is entirely up to prarabdha. We may never or rarely be in a "suitable environment" (according to the delusional judgment of ego) depending on prarabdha, therefore we must let go of the liking or disliking of specific places.
@@johnmcdonald260 yes that’s on the level of someone who has already successfully found the path and started walking on it and understands those things in a way where they can have an impact on making a decision to turn within no matter where they are get the realistic reality for so many of us is that we are still under the sway of our conditioned habits and therefore there are other steps that need to be taken before the actual truth of practice that you are speaking of and that’s why our master gave many people on different levels different advice
@@lazerlloyd1 I am also under the sway of conditioned habits and vichara is by no means a walk in the park for me. However as I understand Bhagavan's teaching he did not give different advice to anybody when he talked about vichara. That what I mentioned applies for anybody who tries vichara and it should be part of the understanding how to properly practice vichara. So basically one should practice vichara and the best time is "now"! That is all what one needs to know conceptually (besides reading Nan Yar? and maybe some of Michael's articles about vichara) and the rest will become clear in actually practicing it. At least that's how I understand it and people either heed this suggestion or they do not. That's not up to me. You have a good day.
@@johnmcdonald260 yes but it’s not as simple as either they listen to this advice or they don’t because Grace is needed and people are trying to break away from their external habits in order to let them turn inward and so there are different things some people need to do before they are able to just make the 180° turn-you perhaps are blessed that you don’t need to do anything And can just do self enquiry wherever you are at any time but there are other people that might need 1st to be in some place of inspiration and quiet and eventually they will learn that it is all in the mind
@@lazerlloyd1 In order to make a 180 degree turn a few life times will pass assuming that this life time is the first time trying vichara 🙂 Well, there are no rigid rules how to approach vichara in the beginning, everybody is different. If sitting in a place of inspiration seems to be the only place where vichara is possible then I suppose it is better than not practicing it at all. Soon however it should be practiced as soon as one remembers it in noticing that one is not attending to "I am". One should not cultivate the habit to practice vichara at specific times or locations. I'd say that it should be tried always as soon as one notices that one is not attending to "I am". That will be in the beginning mostly when the mind is not occupied with intensive tasks like driving a car, sitting alone in a restaurant/cafe or shopping in a grocery store and so on.
Thank you Michael. One question maybe you can run this by I'm still confused as ego rises stands and flourishes he is a subject yet I thought my only subject was my true self so how can we have two subjects?
Namaskaram Bill, What we actually are (‘our true self’, as you call it) is pure awareness, which means awareness that is aware of nothing other than itself, because in its clear view there is nothing other than itself for it to be aware of, as Bhagavan implies, for example, in verse 27 of Upadēśa Undiyār: happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/09/upadesa-undiyar-tamil-text.html#uu27 அறிவறி யாமையு மற்ற வறிவே யறிவாகு முண்மையீ துந்தீபற வறிவதற் கொன்றிலை யுந்தீபற. aṟivaṟi yāmaiyu maṯṟa vaṟivē yaṟivāhu muṇmaiyī dundīpaṟa vaṟivadaṟ koṉḏṟilai yundīpaṟa. பதச்சேதம்: அறிவு அறியாமையும் அற்ற அறிவே அறிவு ஆகும். உண்மை ஈது. அறிவதற்கு ஒன்று இலை. Padacchēdam (word-separation): aṟivu aṟiyāmai-y-um aṯṟa aṟivē aṟivu āhum. uṇmai īdu. aṟivadaṟku oṉḏṟu ilai. English translation: Only knowledge that is devoid of knowledge and ignorance is knowledge. This is real. There is not anything for knowing. Explanatory paraphrase: Only knowledge [in the sense of awareness] that is devoid of knowledge and ignorance [of anything other than oneself] is [real] knowledge [or awareness]. This [alone] is [what is] real [or true], [because in the clear view of oneself as pure awareness] there is not anything [other than oneself for one either] to know [or to not know]. He implies the same in verses 10, 11, 12 and 13 of Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu: happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un10 happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un11 happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un12 happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un13 Therefore, since no objects exist in the view of pure awareness, it cannot be described as the subject, even though it is the sole reality underlying the illusory appearance of the subject, namely ourself as ego, and hence of all objects, which seem to exist only in the self-ignorant view of ego, just as a rope is the sole reality underlying the illusory appearance of a snake. In waking and dream we rise and stand as ego, and hence we are aware of the appearance of numerous objects, whereas in sleep we do not rise as ego, and hence we are aware of nothing other than our own existence, ‘I am’. Therefore objects seem to exist only in the view of ourself as ego, so it is only as ego that we are the subject. As pure awareness, which is what we actually are, we underlie and transcend the appearance of both subject and all objects. Namo Ramanaya 🙏🙏🙏
Can it be clarified about the moment of death with regard to mind-altering, pain-killing meds? I think Ramana cautioned emphatically against them, for the mind should be clear at that time of transition. This conversation touched on the subject generally, but my question is more specific. I cannot say where in the teachings this caution appears however, but I believe it was said somewhere.
Very useful and profound teaching in this session, thank you sir, Michael James, when would you be here in India ?I am looking forward to your arrival and your speech at Ramana Asramam , I am from Gujarat region of India. Would you be travelling across the state of Gujarat?
Consciousness being the world without being it. Being subject and objects without being them. Seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting, and doing everything without doing anything.Being. Being matter without being it.
I find so often the answer to this kind of thing is so wordy and arcane, and leads farther away from the simplicity of what is being proscribed... I think a good answer is to just "sit in the reality". Just be in reality. Like, the being that you experience as being. And that is it. Just widen your awareness so it isn't focussed, and just watch. When you do that, you naturally enter this "silence" for a while. Your thoughts chill out, you just sort of take a personal vacation from the thrashings of your ego. After a while you'll spontaneously start creating thoughts etc... but the main thing is just to basically sit in reality.
"The only thing worth seeking is the clarity of awareness of our own true nature" This sentence made the process of self investigation so clear to me. our true self IS pure awareness, but I somehow suddenly understood what self investigation meant when Michael said the sentence above, to seek the clarity of pure awareness seems to me easier to achieve than trying to investigate myself, although both are the same, but it's truly pure awareness of here and now that we should seek every moment of our lives. To me there was always something not completely clear about investigating "myself". But to seek "clarity of awareness not awareness OF ANYTHING is the goal. I guess my challenge lies in how to be aware but not aware OF anything, is it to be that pure awareness and yet aware of nothing other than being aware! thank you Michael!
I asked my question before I reached the end of the video, and as I continued listening it's as if Michael read my thoughts, he said something in the line of not all questions of the mind need to be answered, and resting in being will bring more clarity
Hello @@Leenyazbek The ideal is to be only aware of ourself in an accident (and not aware of the accident), however for most there is a mixed awareness with vichara where we are attentively aware of ourself but also to an accident or other phenomena like mosquitoes or pain in the body. When our attention to ourself improves these other phenomena will fade away into the background and eventually will be gone completely. When we are really having let's say a car accident then we quickly will notice how our attention suddenly moves away from "I am" and instead goes to the "doer" who [seemingly] takes care of the accident. This is an example of the strong attachment we have to the body. Countless incarnations of taking care of the body does not go away with a month or even years of vichara. But it will and we have the assurance of Bhagavan that we just have to preserve. By the way, Michael wrote a lovely introduction for the new book "Forty Verses on What Is" about the guru-disciple relationship and love and surrender. This book is a jewel in my heart. 🙏
@@johnmcdonald260 dear John as always thank you for your reply, I will contemplate on it.. I was beyond thrilled when I saw the RUclips video about Michael's new book.. can't tell you how thankful and grateful I am to have yet another book as a guiding tool available.. I didn't want to read the free online available version, I prefer to have it in my hands and read it the old fashioned way :) with Bagavhan's will I shall have it soon, thank you for the recommendation 🙏
A clearer audio copy of this video can be listened to on Sri Ramana Teachings podcast (ramanahou.podbean.com ) or downloaded from ramanahou.podbean.com/e/do-we-investigate-ourself-in-silence 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 mediafire.com/file/mh3lssw52xzrkm9
Wow, what a beautiful clarity! Thank you Michael!
This is a great meeting. Thank you for posting it so quickly. They are all helpful and so appreciated.❤🙏🏻
thank youuuuu
Beautiful explanation on renunciation...thank you
Such a great teacher and such great teachings in reference to the person who said they feel it is easier for them to go out into nature as opposed to a busy street when doing there is self enquiry there is no contradiction to that being the right thing while the same time understanding that wherever you are if you have the desire to turn in you can do it but we all know that sometimes we need more Light more positive influences in our outside surroundings that could help us to turn in whereas the reality with some of us as we still are too attached to the outside that if we are in those circumstances it can be harder so yes for many it is helpful sometimes to do some of their self enquiry in a place that is conducive to inspiring the same thing with sitting in front of a master or listening to the video of teachings or reading a book those things are perhaps going to help us make the decision to turn in so yes although anywhere we should be able to turn in we have to know each person on their level what is the reality and sometimes they do need to pull back from the circle of friends or perhaps sometimes from all the activities that they’re involved with because the conditioned habits are not easily shared yet no one should resolve themselves from being responsible in their duties
In order that vichara has any benefit it cannot matter where one practices it. The idea that "sometimes we need more light" stems from the confusion of ego and is a bad idea like most ideas originating from ego.
If we let us control by the liking of ego where to practice we have misunderstood the purpose of vichara. True, for many it is easier to go deeper in a more silent environment as being in one's home, nonetheless we need to arrive at practicing vichara constantly in the waking state and even in the dream state.
Finding excuses why one lacks discipline practicing vichara in seeming "unfavorably" places is just a ploy of the ego to prevent us from practicing vichara.
By the way, "we" do not decide where the body goes, that is entirely up to prarabdha. We may never or rarely be in a "suitable environment" (according to the delusional judgment of ego) depending on prarabdha, therefore we must let go of the liking or disliking of specific places.
@@johnmcdonald260 yes that’s on the level of someone who has already successfully found the path and started walking on it and understands those things in a way where they can have an impact on making a decision to turn within no matter where they are get the realistic reality for so many of us is that we are still under the sway of our conditioned habits and therefore there are other steps that need to be taken before the actual truth of practice that you are speaking of and that’s why our master gave many people on different levels different advice
@@lazerlloyd1 I am also under the sway of conditioned habits and vichara is by no means a walk in the park for me. However as I understand Bhagavan's teaching he did not give different advice to anybody when he talked about vichara. That what I mentioned applies for anybody who tries vichara and it should be part of the understanding how to properly practice vichara.
So basically one should practice vichara and the best time is "now"! That is all what one needs to know conceptually (besides reading Nan Yar? and maybe some of Michael's articles about vichara) and the rest will become clear in actually practicing it.
At least that's how I understand it and people either heed this suggestion or they do not. That's not up to me.
You have a good day.
@@johnmcdonald260 yes but it’s not as simple as either they listen to this advice or they don’t because Grace is needed and people are trying to break away from their external habits in order to let them turn inward and so there are different things some people need to do before they are able to just make the 180° turn-you perhaps are blessed that you don’t need to do anything And can just do self enquiry wherever you are at any time but there are other people that might need 1st to be in some place of inspiration and quiet and eventually they will learn that it is all in the mind
@@lazerlloyd1 In order to make a 180 degree turn a few life times will pass assuming that this life time is the first time trying vichara 🙂
Well, there are no rigid rules how to approach vichara in the beginning, everybody is different. If sitting in a place of inspiration seems to be the only place where vichara is possible then I suppose it is better than not practicing it at all. Soon however it should be practiced as soon as one remembers it in noticing that one is not attending to "I am". One should not cultivate the habit to practice vichara at specific times or locations. I'd say that it should be tried always as soon as one notices that one is not attending to "I am". That will be in the beginning mostly when the mind is not occupied with intensive tasks like driving a car, sitting alone in a restaurant/cafe or shopping in a grocery store and so on.
May our ignorance dissolves with the help of your beautiful discourses and we identify with the true nature of the Self !
The mind must thereby be rendered characterless (nirupadhika or free of attributes) ... Please explain. ( I found it in the magazine)
Thank you Michael. One question maybe you can run this by I'm still confused as ego rises stands and flourishes he is a subject yet I thought my only subject was my true self so how can we have two subjects?
Namaskaram Bill,
What we actually are (‘our true self’, as you call it) is pure awareness, which means awareness that is aware of nothing other than itself, because in its clear view there is nothing other than itself for it to be aware of, as Bhagavan implies, for example, in verse 27 of Upadēśa Undiyār:
happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/09/upadesa-undiyar-tamil-text.html#uu27
அறிவறி யாமையு மற்ற வறிவே
யறிவாகு முண்மையீ துந்தீபற
வறிவதற் கொன்றிலை யுந்தீபற.
aṟivaṟi yāmaiyu maṯṟa vaṟivē
yaṟivāhu muṇmaiyī dundīpaṟa
vaṟivadaṟ koṉḏṟilai yundīpaṟa.
பதச்சேதம்: அறிவு அறியாமையும் அற்ற அறிவே அறிவு ஆகும். உண்மை ஈது. அறிவதற்கு ஒன்று இலை.
Padacchēdam (word-separation): aṟivu aṟiyāmai-y-um aṯṟa aṟivē aṟivu āhum. uṇmai īdu. aṟivadaṟku oṉḏṟu ilai.
English translation: Only knowledge that is devoid of knowledge and ignorance is knowledge. This is real. There is not anything for knowing.
Explanatory paraphrase: Only knowledge [in the sense of awareness] that is devoid of knowledge and ignorance [of anything other than oneself] is [real] knowledge [or awareness]. This [alone] is [what is] real [or true], [because in the clear view of oneself as pure awareness] there is not anything [other than oneself for one either] to know [or to not know].
He implies the same in verses 10, 11, 12 and 13 of Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu:
happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un10
happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un11
happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un12
happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2017/10/ulladu-narpadu-tamil-text.html#un13
Therefore, since no objects exist in the view of pure awareness, it cannot be described as the subject, even though it is the sole reality underlying the illusory appearance of the subject, namely ourself as ego, and hence of all objects, which seem to exist only in the self-ignorant view of ego, just as a rope is the sole reality underlying the illusory appearance of a snake.
In waking and dream we rise and stand as ego, and hence we are aware of the appearance of numerous objects, whereas in sleep we do not rise as ego, and hence we are aware of nothing other than our own existence, ‘I am’. Therefore objects seem to exist only in the view of ourself as ego, so it is only as ego that we are the subject. As pure awareness, which is what we actually are, we underlie and transcend the appearance of both subject and all objects.
Namo Ramanaya
🙏🙏🙏
Short Q&A videos from this channel can be watched on youtube.com/@sriramanateachingsqa
Can it be clarified about the moment of death with regard to mind-altering, pain-killing meds? I think Ramana cautioned emphatically against them, for the mind should be clear at that time of transition. This conversation touched on the subject generally, but my question is more specific. I cannot say where in the teachings this caution appears however, but I believe it was said somewhere.
1:07:00 🙏
Very useful and profound teaching in this session, thank you sir, Michael James, when would you be here in India ?I am looking forward to your arrival and your speech at Ramana Asramam , I am from Gujarat region of India. Would you be travelling across the state of Gujarat?
Consciousness being the world without being it. Being subject and objects without being them. Seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting, and doing everything without doing anything.Being. Being matter without being it.
Thank you Michael. Clear and straightforward answers ❤️
I find so often the answer to this kind of thing is so wordy and arcane, and leads farther away from the simplicity of what is being proscribed... I think a good answer is to just "sit in the reality". Just be in reality. Like, the being that you experience as being. And that is it. Just widen your awareness so it isn't focussed, and just watch. When you do that, you naturally enter this "silence" for a while. Your thoughts chill out, you just sort of take a personal vacation from the thrashings of your ego. After a while you'll spontaneously start creating thoughts etc... but the main thing is just to basically sit in reality.
🙏
Thank You! 🙏
🪷🙏🏼🪷
🙏
"The only thing worth seeking is the clarity of awareness of our own true nature"
This sentence made the process of self investigation so clear to me.
our true self IS pure awareness, but I somehow suddenly understood what self investigation meant when Michael said the sentence above, to seek the clarity of pure awareness seems to me easier to achieve than trying to investigate myself, although both are the same, but it's truly pure awareness of here and now that we should seek every moment of our lives.
To me there was always something not completely clear about investigating "myself".
But to seek "clarity of awareness not awareness OF ANYTHING is the goal.
I guess my challenge lies in how to be aware but not aware OF anything, is it to be that pure awareness and yet aware of nothing other than being aware!
thank you Michael!
For example if I got into an accident, I'm aware but not aware of the accident itself!
I asked my question before I reached the end of the video, and as I continued listening it's as if Michael read my thoughts, he said something in the line of not all questions of the mind need to be answered, and resting in being will bring more clarity
Hello @@Leenyazbek The ideal is to be only aware of ourself in an accident (and not aware of the accident), however for most there is a mixed awareness with vichara where we are attentively aware of ourself but also to an accident or other phenomena like mosquitoes or pain in the body.
When our attention to ourself improves these other phenomena will fade away into the background and eventually will be gone completely.
When we are really having let's say a car accident then we quickly will notice how our attention suddenly moves away from "I am" and instead goes to the "doer" who [seemingly] takes care of the accident. This is an example of the strong attachment we have to the body. Countless incarnations of taking care of the body does not go away with a month or even years of vichara. But it will and we have the assurance of Bhagavan that we just have to preserve.
By the way, Michael wrote a lovely introduction for the new book "Forty Verses on What Is" about the guru-disciple relationship and love and surrender. This book is a jewel in my heart. 🙏
@@johnmcdonald260 dear John as always thank you for your reply, I will contemplate on it..
I was beyond thrilled when I saw the RUclips video about Michael's new book.. can't tell you how thankful and grateful I am to have yet another book as a guiding tool available.. I didn't want to read the free online available version, I prefer to have it in my hands and read it the old fashioned way :) with Bagavhan's will I shall have it soon, thank you for the recommendation 🙏