Self Inquiry Or Meditation?

[Kserkkj]

Hey guys, just wondering which method is more efficient? Should both be done simultaneously or separate for optimal effect? Been meditating for 3 months as of now; first 2 were awful and complete lack of presence, I literally couldn't stop fidgeting every minute. I got some bits of insights here and there this month and able to meditate for approx. 20-30 mins using sds and do nothing technique fairly well, but my thoughts and feeling eventually broke my stillness. I'm starting to lose my motivation at times as my thoughts and feelings oppress and resist immensely. All I need is that glimpse to supercharge my searching of truth and happiness. My whole life right now is centered around this, and I've subscribed and watched a lot of non-duality/enlightenment channels lately, eg. Rupert Spira, Eckhart Tolle, Sadhguru, Shinzen Young, ...... which give me lots of small epiphanies. I've heard Rupert say that self-inquiry brings you to the realization that it can't be done like taking step towards yourself, which indirectly brings you to the present moment, which is essentially the same as a technique like sds?? So i mean, should this self-inquiry process be neglected and just meditate and be in the moment, or?? 

[Prabhaker]

Self-inquiry is mainly known today through the teachings of Ramana Maharshi. It is an ancient method of meditation, but full of dangers. Unless you are alert, the greater possibility is that you will be led astray by the method rather than to the right goal.

Raman used to give a technique to his disciples: they were just to enquire, “Who am I?”

If you want to go rightly into the method, then the question has not to be verbally asked. “Who am I?” has not to be repeated verbally. Because as long as it remains a verbal question, you will supply a verbal answer from the head. You have to drop the verbal question. It has to remain just a vague idea, just like a thirst. Not that “I am thirsty,”—can you see the difference? When you are thirsty, you feel the thirst. And if you are in a desert, you feel the thirst in every fiber of your body. You don’t say, “I am thirsty, I am thirsty.” It is no longer a linguistic question, it is existential.

If “Who am I?” is an existential question, if you are not asking it in language but instead the feeling of the question is settling inside your center, then there is no need for any answer. Then it is none of the mind’s business.

Now you are entering an innocent space. You will not get the answer. You will get the feel, you will get the taste, you will get the smell. As you go deeper, you will be filled more with the feeling of being, of immortality, blissfulness, silence… a tremendous benediction.

[123456789]

@Kserkkj Use both methods! DO NOT stop meditating. But if you're really serious about self inquiry I recommend that you read Ramana Maharshi's "Be As You Are".

Edited September 8, 2016 by mr lenny

[Azrael]

15 hours ago, Kserkkj said:

I'm starting to lose my motivation at times as my thoughts and feelings oppress and resist immensely.

This will get even worse. Way more worse. And that's exactly what should happen. As every thought comes up in your daily meditation it not only shows you how your psyche works, how thoughts get triggered, how you are not in charge of your conscious awareness - but it also begins to purge all the shit that you have buried under your phony sense of self.

To borrow a great metaphor from one of @Emerald Wilkins great videos - as you begin to untangle your sense of self it is like lying on a thousand nails. In the beginning (you resting in your false sense of self) it is pretty okay, not really good but okay. As you begin to work on yourself - getting rid of all the nails - it will get more fucked up and fucked up until are basically through.

Now, this sounds kind of discouraging, doesn't it? This process of you purging a lot of unconscious shit out of your mind works in cycles though. You'll have a few hard weeks followed by some time in which you feel just completely awesome. There's where you get the first glimpses and also experience later some "no-return" points. You have seen and experienced stuff that bounds you to this quest.

But it is hard. And that's good. Because you come out as a person who knows himself on such a deep level, you have experienced all kind of emotions and internal processes so often so aware that they'll loose their power to you at some time and you'll be able to redirect your life and make use of your intuition how you never could've dreamed - even remotely. It's fucking mind-blowing work we do here. It really is.

So cheer up. There's a lot to find on your journey. Some things are ugly, others are nice. At some point going to the supermarket will feel like a mystical experience - and you'll be like ... what the fuck.

To answer your question: Find out for yourself what works best. In the end you'll go down a lot of roads and learn a lot from them. No one will eventually bring you to enlightenment. If you wanna untangle your mind go with self-inquiry. If you wanna practice letting go, focus and merging with your intuition - meditate.

I did self-inquiry I guess for 3 months as a formal practice when I started out - but then found that "Do Nothing" + SDS works even better. I made huge progress with this meditation + I did / do a lot of inquiring during the day with specific situations. I kind of all the time observe and take note of how my mind runs certain automatic responses, how internal processes come up and get mixed up with emotions and lead me to do certain things.

Find your own way. At first it's like tapping in the dark. From month to month you'll make important experiences and hopefully learn form them all.

Cheers,

[Capethaz]

@Kserkkj Man, you need to relax. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon. Enlightenment with the big E, usually takes effort and time. You are here for the long run. Self-Enquiry is just another form of meditation, you can't say that it's better than others, because you are developing the same skills as the others (concentration, sensory clarity and equanimity).

[Emerald]

2 hours ago, Azrael said:

To borrow a great metaphor from one of @Emerald Wilkins great videos - as you begin to untangle your sense of self it is like lying on a thousand nails. In the beginning (you resting in your false sense of self) it is pretty okay, not really good but okay. As you begin to work on yourself - getting rid of all the nails - it will get more fucked up and fucked up until are basically through.

Thank you for sharing my metaphor.

[Markus]

It seems to me there are two things people mean by self-inquiry.

One is what Ramana Maharshi and Rupert Spira advocate(d), which is asking "Who am I?" (or "Am I aware?" in Spira's case). The point of that is basically resting as awareness, as the question leads to awareness of awareness.

The other is focusing on the best estimate of your sense of self and deeply wondering what the fuck that is. That's what Leo's "How to become enlightened" video teaches, and he probably got that from Peter Ralston. That's also the technique done at enlightenment intensives, with some additional elements.

I personally am doing the latter, as with the former I find it hard to notice whether I'm actually doing the technique or have focused my awareness back on an object. Any input on whether others agree there are these two separate techniques is welcomed.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Markus

[aurum]

The best method is one that works for you. Experiment, find something you like, and then hammer it like it's life or death.

[Sri McDonald Trump Maharaj]

I have done meditation and then combined meditation and sel f inquiry and then i just went ful inquiry and now I'm back to both. I would reccoment both but more inquiry.