Be As You Are

1. The Self is the ultimate reality, beyond body and mind

The Self is known to everyone, but not clearly. You always exist. The be-ing is the Self. 'I am' is the name of God.

The eternal Self. The Self is the fundamental reality underlying all existence. It is pure consciousness, ever-present and unchanging. Unlike the body and mind which are temporary and subject to change, the Self is permanent and immutable. It is not an object to be perceived, but the very subject of all experience.

Beyond thought and form. The Self transcends all concepts, forms, and mental constructs. It cannot be grasped by thought or described in words. Any attempt to conceptualize or objectify the Self only creates a mental image, not the reality itself. The Self is the silent, aware presence that underlies and pervades all experiences.

Identity with the divine. Realizing the Self is equivalent to realizing God or the absolute reality. There is no fundamental difference between individual consciousness and universal consciousness. The sense of separation is an illusion created by identification with the body and mind. When this false identification is removed, one's true nature as the infinite, blissful Self is revealed.

2. Self-enquiry is the direct path to Self-realization

The Self is reached by the search for the origin of the ego and by diving into the Heart. This is the direct method of Self-realisation.

Investigating the 'I'. Self-enquiry involves turning attention inward to investigate the source of the 'I' thought. By persistently questioning "Who am I?", one traces the sense of individuality back to its origin. This process gradually dissolves the false identification with body and mind.

Effortless awareness. As self-enquiry deepens, effort gives way to effortless self-awareness. The mind becomes quiet, and one's true nature as pure consciousness becomes apparent. This is not a state to be achieved, but the natural condition when mental activity subsides.

Direct vs. indirect methods. While other spiritual practices can be helpful, they often reinforce the notion of an individual self seeking to attain something. Self-enquiry cuts through this duality by directly investigating the nature of the seeker. It is the most direct path to Self-realization.

3. Surrender to the divine leads to liberation

Surrender to him and abide by his will whether he appears or vanishes. Await his pleasure. If you ask him to do as you please, it is not surrender but command to him.

Complete letting go. Surrender involves completely relinquishing the sense of personal doership and will. It means accepting everything that happens as the will of the divine, without resistance or expectation. This attitude dissolves the ego and its attachments.

Divine as the Self. True surrender recognizes that the divine is not separate from one's own essential nature. It is surrendering the false self to the true Self. As identification with the individual 'I' diminishes, one's identity merges with the universal consciousness.

Effortless being. Surrender leads to a state of effortless being, free from personal striving or seeking. Actions flow spontaneously from one's true nature rather than from ego-driven desires. This is the state of liberation, where one abides as the Self without any sense of separation.

4. The Guru's role is to guide seekers towards Self-realization

The Guru is both external and internal. From the exterior he gives a push to the mind to turn it inwards. From the interior he pulls the mind towards the Self and helps in the quietening of the mind.

Awakening inner wisdom. The Guru's primary function is to awaken the seeker's own inner wisdom. They do this by directing attention to the Self and exposing the illusory nature of ego-based living. The Guru is a mirror reflecting the seeker's true nature.

Transmission of truth. Beyond verbal teachings, the Guru transmits truth through their presence and silence. This silent power can awaken self-awareness in receptive seekers. The Guru's state of being is itself the teaching.

Internal Guru. Ultimately, the true Guru is the Self within. The external Guru serves to point towards this inner reality. As the seeker progresses, reliance on the external Guru diminishes, and guidance comes increasingly from within.

5. Meditation and yoga are tools for stilling the mind

All these are only the workings of the mind. Meditation helps concentration of mind. Then the mind is free from other thoughts and is full of the meditated form.

Calming mental activity. Meditation and yoga practices serve to calm the restless mind. By focusing attention on a single object, mantra, or the breath, the proliferation of thoughts is reduced. This creates a foundation for deeper self-awareness.

Stages of practice.

• Initial effort to focus attention
• Gradual reduction of mental chatter
• Periods of mental quiet and clarity
• Deepening awareness of underlying consciousness

Means, not ends. While valuable, meditation and yoga are ultimately means to an end. They prepare the mind for self-enquiry and self-surrender. The goal is not to achieve special states, but to realize the ever-present Self that underlies all states.

6. Spiritual experiences are temporary, Self-realization is permanent

Visions, illuminations, flashes of brilliant light, are all mere mental phenomena. They are not durable. What was before these phenomena appeared? What remains after they disappear? Find out. That which remains is the truth.

Transient nature of experiences. Spiritual experiences, no matter how profound, are temporary phenomena arising in consciousness. They come and go, while the Self remains constant. Attaching importance to such experiences can become a hindrance to realizing the unchanging reality.

Beyond the experiencer. True Self-realization transcends the duality of experiencer and experience. It is recognizing one's identity as the unchanging awareness in which all experiences occur. This recognition is not a momentary event but a permanent shift in understanding.

Ordinary vs. extraordinary. Self-realization does not necessarily involve extraordinary experiences. It is simply recognizing what is always present but overlooked. The "ordinary" state of being, free from mental projections, is itself the supreme reality.

7. The world and individual self are mental projections

The world is not external. Because you identify yourself wrongly with the body you see the world outside, and its pain becomes apparent to you. But they are not real. Seek the reality and get rid of this unreal feeling.

Mind-created reality. The world as we perceive it is a projection of the mind. Our sense of being a separate individual interacting with an external world is a mental construct. This doesn't mean the world doesn't exist, but that its apparent separateness from consciousness is illusory.

Simultaneity of creation. The world, God, and the individual self arise simultaneously in consciousness. They are interdependent concepts, each requiring the others for their apparent existence. Realizing their unity in consciousness dissolves the sense of separation.

Dream analogy. Just as a dream seems real while dreaming but is recognized as mind-created upon waking, the waking world is a kind of collective dream. Awakening to the Self is like lucid dreaming - recognizing the dream-like nature of experience while still engaged in it.

8. Suffering arises from ignorance of the Self

All unhappiness is due to the ego; with it comes all your trouble. What does it avail you to attribute to the happenings in life the cause of misery which is really within you?

Root of suffering. The fundamental cause of suffering is ignorance of one's true nature as the Self. This ignorance gives rise to the ego - the false sense of being a separate, limited individual. From this mistaken identity come fear, desire, and conflict.

Mental nature of pain. Physical and emotional pain are inevitable aspects of embodied existence. However, suffering is the mental resistance to pain. Recognizing one's identity as the unchanging awareness in which pain occurs can alleviate this resistance.

Liberation from suffering. True freedom from suffering comes not from manipulating external circumstances, but from realizing one's identity as the Self. This realization reveals the transient, dream-like nature of all experiences, including those we label as suffering.

9. Moral action stems from Self-awareness, not external rules

If you always remain in the right, then right will prevail in the world.

Ethics rooted in being. True morality stems from Self-awareness rather than adherence to external rules. As one realizes their unity with all existence, compassionate and harmonious action arises naturally. The separate self that could act selfishly is seen as illusory.

Beyond duality. From the highest perspective, there is no absolute right or wrong. These are mental concepts arising in duality. However, actions rooted in Self-awareness naturally align with the wellbeing of the whole, as there is no sense of separation to create conflict.

Transforming the world. The most effective way to create positive change in the world is through Self-realization. As individuals awaken to their true nature, their actions spontaneously become more harmonious and beneficial. This has a ripple effect, gradually transforming society as a whole.

Last updated: August 9, 2024