“The problem with the concept of enlightenment is that people have certain ideas of how enlightenment manifests, and Westerners… have in their minds the archetype of ‘holy’.”
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I first met OM in 1993 in Lucknow when I invited him to hold a Satsang (meeting in Truth) in my guesthouse. Since then we have met just once, for this interview. During the conversation I was intrigued by his interest in Western Mystics. I have been very impressed by the high quality of his publications over the years. OM has recently became a father.
– John David
Questions and Answers
Sri Ramana proposed the fundamental question, ‘Who am I?’- Who are you?
Many Western seekers come to India looking for enlightenment as if it is an experience, What is enlightenment?
Are there any qualifications for enlightenment? Is sadhana (spiritual practice) necessary? If yes, what form do you advise?
Sri Ramana said that Self-enquiry is the most direct route to realising the Self. What do you say about Self-enquiry? How to conduct Self-enquiry?
When Sri Ramana was asked, ‘When will the realisation of the Self be gained?’ he replied, ‘When the world which is what-is-seen has been removed, there will be realisation of the Self which is the seer.” What is the true understanding of the world? How to remove the world?
It has been suggested that the mind must be destroyed for liberation to occur, Do you have a mind? Sri Ramana used the term manonasha to describe the state of liberation, meaning destroyed mind. How to destroy the mind
What about vasanas, the tendencies of the mind? Must these be removed before Self-realisation can become permanent? Is it enough to achieve a sattvic (calm and peaceful) state of mind and to know one’s vasanas so that they no longer bind? How to remove the vasanas?
Sri Ramana’s devotees had tremendous devotion to him, and he to Arunachala. Please say something about bhakti, devotion, in the pursuit of awakening.
Seekers often have curious ideas about the enlightened state. Please describe your typical day and how you perceive the world.
You have given us a profound discourse on awakening. When you meet a passion for awakening, what would your short advice be?
Om C. Parkin is a spiritual teacher deeply rooted in the non-dual teachings of Advaita Vedanta, inspired by masters such as Sri Ramana Maharshi and H.W.L. Poonja. His teachings focus on guiding individuals toward self-realization through both Eastern non-duality and Western psychological insights.
Parkin emphasizes the “great self-enquiry,” a pathless method of directly perceiving the true Self beyond all mental constructs. This practice echoes Ramana Maharshi’s fundamental question, “Who am I?” but Parkin also incorporates what he calls “small self-enquiry,” which involves addressing personal psychological obstacles through Inner Work. This process helps clear the mind’s habitual distractions, enabling a deeper understanding of one’s essential nature.
His work integrates both Eastern and Western philosophies, combining the pure “philosophy of Being” with what he terms the “philosophy of Becoming.” The latter addresses the developmental aspects of human life, recognizing the necessity of psychological maturity and emotional healing on the spiritual path.
Parkin also founded the modern monastery Gut Saunstorf, a “Place of Stillness,” and leads the Enneallionce School, which is dedicated to fostering spiritual growth through mystical traditions and the practice of deep self-enquiry.
John David has been interviewing fourteen European Spiritual Masters. The result is a compendium of astonishing wisdom about the biggest secret of all times: the Nature of our True Self and how to realise it.
This book answers all questions of the spiritual search and is for everyone who has an inner passion to find out who they are.
Fascinating dialogues and stories of Ramana Maharshi recorded by Sri Gajapathi Aiyyer in the summer 1936, at Ramana Ashram.
Vichara offers a fresh and focused exploration of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi’s most profound teaching: Self-enquiry.
Sharanagathi explores Bhagavan’s direct and powerful path of dissolving the ego through surrender.
Biography
Om C. Parkin, born in 1962 in Germany, exhibited an early passion for philosophical exploration and intellectual inquiry. Studying philosophy and psychology at a German university in the early 1980s, he soon found the limitations of purely academic knowledge in answering profound existential questions.
A near-fatal car accident in 1981 marked a pivotal moment in Om’s life, catalyzing a spiritual awakening that shifted his focus from intellectual pursuits to deeper inner work. This event set him on a path toward non-dual teachings, particularly Advaita Vedanta and Eastern mysticism, including the works of J. Krishnamurti. He described this awakening as the realization of the “Inner Teacher,” a recognition of the non-separation between self and the divine.
In the 1990s, Om integrated insights from the Enneagram into his teachings, merging Western psychological concepts with Eastern spiritual wisdom. This led to the establishment of the Enneallionce – School for Inner Work in 1995, where he began guiding students toward self-realization through a blend of Advaita Vedanta, Christian mysticism, and psychological tools.
In 2002, Om founded Gut Saunstorf – Place of Stillness, a retreat center in northern Germany dedicated to deep meditation and spiritual inquiry. The center became the epicenter of his teachings, emphasizing the practice of inner silence and radical self-inquiry.
His notable publication, The Birth of the Lion (2009), encapsulates his teachings on awakening and ego dissolution, symbolizing the powerful transformation of spiritual realization. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Om gained recognition as a leading European spiritual teacher, hosting retreats and seminars that attracted seekers from across Europe.
Today, Om C. Parkin continues to teach, emphasizing non-duality and inner freedom. His unique approach, combining intellectual clarity with profound spiritual insight, remains influential for those seeking deeper understanding and self-realization.
“The problem with the concept of enlightenment is that people have certain ideas of how enlightenment manifests, and Westerners, when we look at the collective colouring of the idea of enlightenment, have in their minds the archetype of ‘holy’ because the manifestation of enlightenment in a human being within the Christian tradition has always been identified with the holy.”
– Om C. Parkin
