The Nature of Self Enquiry

I am not a body
I am light
I am not light
I am a soul
I am not a soul
I am God
I am not God
I am everything
I am not everything
I am nothing
I am not nothing
I am something
I am not something
I am someone
I am not someone
I am one
I am not one
I am I
I am not I


Self-enquiry (also spelled self-inquiry) (Sanskrit ātma-vicāra) is a practice designed to rapidly bring about Self-realization, Self awareness, spiritual liberation or enlightenment, and is most commonly associated with its most famous modern advocate, Sri Ramana Maharshi  (Wikipedia.com)

This is a technique that I have not been using seriously until very recently, however I wish that I would have been more diligent before in my practice. When used in conjunction with meditation, the combination can be quite powerful and I highly recommend  it to those who are on the path of self discovery.

Self-enquiry is a form of contemplation where one questions the nature of their being and existence. The goal of this method is to realize that the body is inert and the mind--when it is agitated--is not the true self. The true self is thus void of all thoughts or referred as "no-mind." Although the scriptures state that this method is the catalyst for self realization, it can be quite difficult if one is not aware of the nature of their own mind.

One of the easiest methods to approach self-enquiry is to look at what you are doing this very moment and how you are acting. If you are eating, notice whether you are shoveling the food into your mouth, chewing and talking loudly or taking your time. If you are paying for something notice whether you are calculating dollars and cents or are content with the price.  Any states other than the latter mean that the mind is agitated and that the mind is attached to an idea or notion. To tackle these mind states one should enquire whether these "things" such as food and money are you. From there one can enquire further and question whether the senses, material possessions, relationships, relatives, the world, the body and finally the mind make you or are you.

You are unconditioned and changeless, formless and immovable,

unfathomable awareness, unperturbable: so hold to nothing but consciousness.

—Sage Ashtavakra, Ashtavakra Gita,^[6] Ch.1, v.17

The great remedy for the long lasting disease of samsara is the enquiry, 'Who am I?, to whom does this samsara belong,' which entirely cures it.

—Sage Valmiki,  Yoga Vasista Sara,^[7] Ch.1, v.5

O Rama, this enquiry into the Self of the nature or 'Who Am I?' is the fire which burns up the seeds of the evil tree which is the mind.

—Sage Valmiki,  Yoga Vasista Sara, Ch.1, v.5

Another meditation practice I recommend is to imagine everything you own such as your car all the way down to your shoes as dissolving into light and vanishing into nothingness. Such a technique can be referred as mindful renunciation. For the beginner it is advised to question the nature of one's possessions and things and then focus on the body and mind later. However, one should be aware that attempting to renounce the mind before having renounced things that one is deeply attached to is like trying to extinguish a fire with gasoline.

For people who have not yet tapped into the essence of the self, it is necessary to constantly practice self-enquiry, write in a journal, accompany oneself with holy beings, read the scriptures, apply Kriya (action) as well. This may include asanas, mudras and pranayama.