How to do Self Enquiry

Q&A with Sirshree 

First ask - "Who I am not?"

Seeker: How does one begin Self Enquiry?

Sirshree: For the right start, first understand a little more about the body. Then about the mind, intellect and the Real Self (Sakshi). Understanding this will help.

Seeker: Should I directly begin by asking “Who am I?”

Sirshree: No. First ask – “Who I am not?”. I am not this body because the moment I say that this is my body, then it is something external. Not me. I am not “my car”. “My house” possibly cannot be me. I say : “Please come to my house”, and not “Please come in to me”.

• Name given to this body is not me.
•  The five elements of this gross body – earth, fire, water, wind and space is not me.
• The astral body within the body is not me.
• The five senses of the body -eyes, ears , nose, tongue, and skin is not me.
• I am not those things that are related to the senses sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
• I am also not the breath due to which this body-mind mechanism functions.
• Neither I am the mind that thinks about what I should be.
• Nor am I the intellect that is absent along with the body during deep sleep.

Seeker: If I am not all these, then who am I?

Sirshree: You are the only one who remains. It was you who were using the five layers of the body. It was you who were the master of the intellect. Now it is you who is the witnessing of the mind.

You are beyond every label

• Now, if you no longer are the body and intellect, how can you be an engineer or a doctor or a leader or a student?
• How can you be a brother or a sister, a father, a mother, a friend, a husband, a wife, a disciple or a Guru?
• How can you be American, Indian, British, Chinese, etc.?
• How can you be a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian, a Jew?
• How can you be cheerful, intelligent, foolish, positive, active, honest, pious, lazy? Now it is just you who remains – pure, non-state , without any imagination of name or form. Accept your true form as it is. And remain that. You have become something that you aren’t. Now is the time to be established in your consciousness. To be who you really are – the bright witnessing.

Also read:

1. Who am I
2. Self Enquiry with Honesty
3. Thoughts and Self Enquiry
4. Tejam: Bright Witnessing