Sri Ramana Maharshi

Self Enquiry

Who am I?

“Self Enquiry means effort to trace thought back to its source. If you incessantly hold on to the source of thought, there will come a time when emergence from such source becomes altogether impossible. Self Enquiry has been done correctly when doing it has resulted in the Self-realisation flashing forth.”Sri Ramana Maharshi

Self Enquiry explained

When a thought rises up “lunch time” – “When is lunch?” As soon as this thought arises rather than taking the thought, you ask yourself “To whom has this thought arisen?” This thought about lunch. “To whom did it arise?” You immediately get the answer “to me”. Because you’re completely identified with me. This thought arose to “me”. And then you ask a second question “Who is this me?” You think you know, but you don’t. The second question doesn’t have a verbal answer. You can say “I’m consciousness”. Well, that doesn’t really answer that question. So you come to Silence, you fall into Silence. You fall into the Emptiness. This is actually Self Enquiry, its that simple. This question is a fundamental part of the spiritual investigation.

Self Enquiry Workshop with John David

In a Self Inquiry workshop we sit together, lovingly asking each other “Who are you?” Through this exercise over some hours we notice deeply that all answers that we give to that question are not who we really are and after some time we fall deeper inside, looking for what the question can reveal inside of ourself. This exercise rather quickly, in a few hours, can bring people to have a taste of their True Nature, their being. Its a bit like going down into the clear water and suddenly wow, its so beautiful.

The Self Enquiry Workshop is part of each of John David’s Retreats.

“There is a state when words cease and silence prevails. Silence is the ocean into which all the rivers of all religions discharge themselves. It is the speech of the Self. That which Is, is Silence.”Sri Ramana Maharshi