Begin an Inquiry

“All happiness comes from awareness. The more we are conscious, the deeper the joy.”
-Nisargadatta Maharaj

Since ancient times, masters from all eras and continents have dedicated their life to pointing out the direct path to self-realization. It is self-inquiry.

Begin an enquiry. Sit quietly and ask: who am I?

If the answer is a thought, then ask: where did the words come from? 

All the words came from “outside.” From parents, friends, teachers, and so on. Thus, all words and ideas are second hand knowledge.

Now ask again: who am I? Note the silence as the question ends, and stay in the silence. Repeat… Who am I? And stay in the silence. That is the practice.

A sense of happiness and freedom will steadily seep into your life, as you begin to understand that all problems are self-created. When you are silent, you are trouble-free.

Peace and happiness are always present when you are not thinking, not creating problems. It is the peace of knowing pure being.

In the beginning, effort is required to know you are silently aware. With repeated attempts, by asking “who am I?”, the peace of silence will spontaneously appear more and more frequently.

Nisargadatta Maharaj

For several years, in my spare time, I asked: “Who am I?” 

As I kept asking the question, I increasingly realized that I cannot be something obvious, like a word or a name, which was given to me after birth. I felt that what I am must be more subtle… So I simply stayed in the silence that followed the question. That felt good.

Then one afternoon, sitting alone with “who am I?” on a California beach, I suddenly realized the significance of the question: it suspends thinking.

I knew, with absolute certainty, when I know I am aware—I am complete. Thoughts had shed their deceptive nature.

The immediate sense of freedom and happiness was beyond overwhelming.

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I’ll post a new topic each Friday afternoon, in one of two categories. One will be on shooting, and the other will be on living. Or: how I learned to live from what I learned by competing.
Thanks for coming in.