Sri Ramana Maharshi on How we Sabotage Vichara

Chadwick: [unhappily] I have been staying here for months. I see no improvement in me. If anything, my condition seems to be taking a turn for the worse. I am desperate to Realise in this lifetime
B: Give up the idea that you are striving for Realisation. 
 
C: [Aghast] What?! Bhagavan would have me abandon the quest? Has he decided I am unworthy to Realise? 
B: Did you pay attention to what was said to you? You were not asked to abandon the quest. You were asked to abandon the spurious idea that there is a ‘you’ which is trying to merge with a ‘super-you’.
 
C: [gloomily] I understand nothing. 
B: Throw away the belief in the existence of the personal self. It is only on that erroneous basis that you are now asking questions.
 
C: But I must remain to perform sadhana! 
B: What is the objective of sadhana? 
 
C: Destruction of the ego. 
B: No, transcendence of the idea of its existence. 
 
C: So, if I just free myself from the idea that I exist as an individual person, the Who am I? method is not needed? 
B: First discard that erroneous idea. In having discarded that idea, do not bring in any other idea in its place, such as Aham Brahmasmi [I am Brahman], I am being consciousness, etc. Remain free from all ideas, that is from all mental identification. Let the mind remain in the state of pure Subjective Consciousness free from all objectification or identification. 
      Then, as and when thoughts arise, tackle them with the counter-thought, ‘To whom has this thought arisen?’. This arrests the further development of the thought. Then return the mind to its native state of pure Subjective Consciousness. This is the way.