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Sex and the Self
Aham Sphurana
A Glimpse of Self Realisation
New Book about Sri Ramana Maharshi
Available Worldwide
On www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
Sex and the Self
Q: It cannot be denied that it is sexual desire that causes man to engage in coitus, even when reproduction is not the motive.
B: You ask about the biological sexual urge. That is impregnated in the ego mind body complex to facilitate reproduction, according to nature’s design. If the act did not involve pleasure, man would likely ask ‘Why should I give birth to children?’
What is the highest joy man can know? It is the state of no-mind. Daily he experiences it in sleep. Only the yogi has experience of it in waking; for the Jnani there can be no question of experiencing anything. So, nature has seen fit to introduce this bliss of no-mind in the coital act.
A moment before the commencement of the spasms that bring about emission of the seminal fluid, for precisely 1/128th of a second, the mind is removed. It is like a plate being exposed with a very quick shutter speed. The impression of the bliss tasted, leaves behind a strong craving for more such bliss in the mind. This is how men end up addicted to the act.
Edited by John David Nov 2024
Complete Cessation of Mental Activity
Aham Sphurana
A Glimpse of Self Realisation
New Book about Sri Ramana Maharshi
Available Worldwide
On www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
Complete Cessation of Mental Activity
Bhagavan: People are so obsessed with and enamoured by mental activity that they imagine that by some special kind of mental activity, such as meditation, for instance, the Self can be duped into revealing Itself. It is not so. Only complete cessation of mental activity can reveal the Self. Giving up the personal self or the idea of the seekers existence, should, again, be volitionless and unconditional; it should not be driven by any motive.
If you feel tempted to ask for a formula for this also, know that there is none. You abandon the personal self not because you expect or anticipate or want Self-Realisation in return [in which case you never really abandon it at all – you only absurdly think that you do], but because in that very act of such abandonment, you discover for yourself, practically, as a DIRECT INSIGHT, that no such thing as the personal self ever existed and that no such thing could ever exist.
Edited by John David Nov 2024
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Mixed Blogs

Vichara, Self Enquiry
Ramana Maharshi guides Chadwick and seekers to practice vichara, deep self-enquiry, until ego dissolves and the Self shines forth.
Libelling Bhagavan
A manager reports a slanderer’s misdeeds, but Bhagavan, serene and detached, laughs, accepting all as part of divine play.

Be As You Are
I have observed that amongst spiritual seekers there is some confusion about the topic of change. Often people have glimpses, moments or times when the identification with the thoughts, emotions and all the things that normally tie people down, breaks down.

We are the Open Sky, not the clouds
We are the Open Sky, not the clouds

Danger of Emptiness [shunyastithi]
Bhagavan warns that mistaking emptiness for Jnana is a deadly trap, delaying true realization and making recovery a challenging path.

Wisdom from Steve Jobs
′′ I have reached the epitome of success in the business world. In other people’s eyes, my life is a success.
However, aside from work, I had little joy. Ultimately wealth is just one fact I’ve gotten used to…

I have a body
Ramana Maharshi explains that regardless of thoughts about the body, one must abide as the Self, allowing life to flow spontaneously.

Guru’s Grace
Ramana Maharshi explains that Guru’s Grace burns ego and mental habits, allowing total surrender and spontaneous Self-Realization to arise.

Sex, Love and the Illusion
Authentic Love is very different from falling in love. Falling in love is the ultimate illusion. Because to fall in love there must be a somebody. A somebody who falls in love with somebody else. So there is me and you. And as we know, when there is me and you, then I am identified with my life.

A Former Classmate Visiting Bhagavan
A touching reunion of childhood friends highlights Bhagavan’s humility, refusal of special gifts, and unconditional compassion for all.

Letters to Bhagavan
Letters to Bhagavan, answered by a Brahmin scribe, carried the Master’s imprimatur, preserving his teaching and direct spiritual essence.

Renunciation
Ramana Maharshi explains that renunciation burns tendencies, leading to effortless stillness and ultimate merging of the mind into the Heart.

Aham Sphurana
B.: The importance of Summa Iru is, “Keep your mind idle or asleep in the Beingness of the Self.” As for the body, it has its own prarabdha (destiny that effects our life now) to attend to. You have no right of say over the body. You cannot decide whether the body should work or remain idle. What is bound to happen will happen. If the body is destined to remain without working, work cannot be obtained even if you hunt for it. If the body is destined to work you cannot alter such destiny, for the body will be forced to engage in it. So leave it to the Higher Power.

Essential Extracts from the Manuscript
Aham Sphurana is a beacon leading to Sahaja, but only when left undisturbed and ego-free, allowing spontaneous abidance.

Third Chinese Patriarch of Zen
The Great Way is not difficult
for those who have no preferences.
When not attached to love or hate,
all is clear and undisguised.
Separate by the smallest amount, howe
and you are as far from it as heaven is from earth.