One of the simplest, and yet sometimes most difficult to understand spiritual practices is Self-Inquiry, asking ourselves in one form or another who am I? Some people say that Self-Inquiry is only useful for people who are pretty well developed on their spiritual path. In my estimation, I suspect the practice can be helpful for anyone no matter where they are on the path. It is simply a matter of having the practice explained in such a manner that is practical and easily understood.
This week I encountered an Adyashanti video that gives the best, most down to earth, and workable description of the practice I’ve ever encountered. This evening, below the fold, I’ll share some of the instructions from the video in case you might like to give it a quick try, and I’ll also include the 12 minute video in case you are moved to watch it.
Good evening and welcome to Monday Group Meditation. We will be sitting from 7:30 to 11:00 PM Eastern Time. It is not necessary to sit for the entire extended time, which is set up to make it convenient for people in four North American Time Zones; sit for as long as you like and when it is most convenient for you. Monday Group Meditation is open to everyone, believers and non-believers, who are interested in gathering in silence. If you are new to meditation and would like to try it for yourself, Mindful Nature gave a good description of one way to meditate in an earlier diary, copied and pasted below:
"It is a matter of focusing attention mostly. In many traditions, the idea is to sit and focus on the rising and falling of the breath. Not controlling it, but sitting in a relaxed fashion and merely observing experiences of breathing, sounds, etc. Be aware of your thoughts, but don't engage in them. When your mind wanders (it will, often), then return to focus on breath and repeat."
Sangha Co-hosts for meditation are:
7:30 - 10:00 Ooooh and davehouck
9:30 - 11:00 thanatokephaloides
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The practice of Self-Inquiry is meant to lead one into the sense of I am. That sense of I Am is who we are before all concepts. Normally when we think about ourselves we focus on what comes after the “I am…” I am healthy. I am happy. I am female. I am male. I am depressed. I am worthy. I am competent.
All the words that come after the “I am” are descriptions, or definitions that actually are temporary, they last only as long as the mind is focused on them. These definitions and descriptions are the concepts that our egos and senses of self are built on. So the aim of this practice is to bring us out of our minds and into the felt sense of who we are before the concepts.
So try simply saying I, or I am, and don’t define yourself. Just be quiet and stay with that sense in your body of what the sense of I, or I am, feels like. Paying attention to this felt sense brings us out of our minds as we direct our attention to the presence of our being. There is no right or wrong way of doing this, and there is no right or wrong way of experiencing the sense of I am. What we are actually looking for is the sense or feeling of what doesn’t come and go.
Just say I, or I am, whichever feels right to you, and pay attention to the feeling, sensation of awareness. In the beginning we might only notice this felt sense in the higher regions of our body, but with practice we can begin to feel that sense of awareness extending deeper down into our hearts, bellies, and guts.
When we go into our senses like this, it takes us out of the commentary of our minds, and it brings us to the simplicity of what we are before concepts.