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01-27-2010, 06:26 AM
The Technique of Vichara
By Mouni Sadhu
The method according to the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi is as follows:
"To immerse oneself in meditation, making a clear impression on the outer mind that the real Self cannot be any transient thing such as the body, emotions or mind. When this fact is strongly established without any doubt in consciousness, then I try to fill every possible moment with the inquiry "WHO AM I?". When any other thought enters the mind one crushes it with the Vichara. The more determined the perseverance, the better the result. The restless mind begins to give up the struggle. As I substitute every approaching thought with the magic Vichara, the periods of absolute quietness become longer. At first it is only for a few seconds, but with constant practice there come minutes of unruffled peace. The most important thing is to catch and remember what was most helpful reaching that peace of mind. I cannot describe that process in my consciousness, because it is above and beyond the activity of the mind, and therefore, cannot be expressed in words, which belong to the mental realm.But each earnest student will have the same experience.
Wherever I was, Vichara was with me: walking in the street, sitting in trams and trains, in fact all day long when my mind was not immediately engaged in some necessary activity.
During the first months I counted the inquiries putting a number after each one,'Who am I?' (one), 'Who am I?" (two) and so on. When circumstances compelled me to break the work, I noted the number in my memory, or if the break had to be longer, I wrote it on a slip of paper carried in my pocket for the purpose. For the first few days the figure of 1000 was the highest. Later 7000 and more became an easy mark. When I learned to fill every moment with Vichara excepting those of speech and compulsory mental occupation, the counting was discarded as unnecessary, for then the mind had learned to remember Vichara automatically. The important part was not to repeat Vichara with the mind, but to saturate each inquiry with a strong desire (without words) to know 'Who am I?'.
Then the results were : peace of mind, and a power to use it after my own will, as a force apart from the individual ' I '. The average man believes, in his ignorance, that his body , emotions and mind constitute himself. The disciple trained by a Master overcomes this falsehood. And this is the turning point in his spiritual development. Being under the dominance of his mind the man is only a slave, and realisation is not possible for those enslaved by the mind or the senses.
The spiritual aspect of Vichara is also clear. In using it you are seeking your legitimate inheritance, aiming directly at the very source of life.The whole problem of life is wrapped up in the Vichara. Every religion and every spiritual Master affirms that life in its essence is eternal and indestructible; but what is that life?
Maharshi reveals, and the disciple realises, that eternal life is none other than uninterrupted consciousness.
To reach that stage means to reach the immortality of spirit, of reality. That is the goal and the ultimate aim. There is nothing else. Meditate upon this and the truth will be made clear even to the outer mind.
Such are the heavens promised to the righteous and the saints. For them there is no death any more. How clear now are the words of the great teacher of humanity!
When our consciousness reaches the supra-mental realm, the realm of the eternal unchangeable spirit-self, the unchanging reality, then death is simply transcended and does not exist any more. Now can be understood truth of the saying of the Great Rishi, when he denies reincarnation in the realm of spirit, but otherwise speaks about it as an established fact. From his point of view both death and reincarnation are only illusions, and do not affect the real Self, just as body is not affected by a change of dress. The Vichara throws light on every path."
a good intro vid
Self-Enquiry (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQD6i03cSU)
By Mouni Sadhu
The method according to the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi is as follows:
"To immerse oneself in meditation, making a clear impression on the outer mind that the real Self cannot be any transient thing such as the body, emotions or mind. When this fact is strongly established without any doubt in consciousness, then I try to fill every possible moment with the inquiry "WHO AM I?". When any other thought enters the mind one crushes it with the Vichara. The more determined the perseverance, the better the result. The restless mind begins to give up the struggle. As I substitute every approaching thought with the magic Vichara, the periods of absolute quietness become longer. At first it is only for a few seconds, but with constant practice there come minutes of unruffled peace. The most important thing is to catch and remember what was most helpful reaching that peace of mind. I cannot describe that process in my consciousness, because it is above and beyond the activity of the mind, and therefore, cannot be expressed in words, which belong to the mental realm.But each earnest student will have the same experience.
Wherever I was, Vichara was with me: walking in the street, sitting in trams and trains, in fact all day long when my mind was not immediately engaged in some necessary activity.
During the first months I counted the inquiries putting a number after each one,'Who am I?' (one), 'Who am I?" (two) and so on. When circumstances compelled me to break the work, I noted the number in my memory, or if the break had to be longer, I wrote it on a slip of paper carried in my pocket for the purpose. For the first few days the figure of 1000 was the highest. Later 7000 and more became an easy mark. When I learned to fill every moment with Vichara excepting those of speech and compulsory mental occupation, the counting was discarded as unnecessary, for then the mind had learned to remember Vichara automatically. The important part was not to repeat Vichara with the mind, but to saturate each inquiry with a strong desire (without words) to know 'Who am I?'.
Then the results were : peace of mind, and a power to use it after my own will, as a force apart from the individual ' I '. The average man believes, in his ignorance, that his body , emotions and mind constitute himself. The disciple trained by a Master overcomes this falsehood. And this is the turning point in his spiritual development. Being under the dominance of his mind the man is only a slave, and realisation is not possible for those enslaved by the mind or the senses.
The spiritual aspect of Vichara is also clear. In using it you are seeking your legitimate inheritance, aiming directly at the very source of life.The whole problem of life is wrapped up in the Vichara. Every religion and every spiritual Master affirms that life in its essence is eternal and indestructible; but what is that life?
Maharshi reveals, and the disciple realises, that eternal life is none other than uninterrupted consciousness.
To reach that stage means to reach the immortality of spirit, of reality. That is the goal and the ultimate aim. There is nothing else. Meditate upon this and the truth will be made clear even to the outer mind.
Such are the heavens promised to the righteous and the saints. For them there is no death any more. How clear now are the words of the great teacher of humanity!
When our consciousness reaches the supra-mental realm, the realm of the eternal unchangeable spirit-self, the unchanging reality, then death is simply transcended and does not exist any more. Now can be understood truth of the saying of the Great Rishi, when he denies reincarnation in the realm of spirit, but otherwise speaks about it as an established fact. From his point of view both death and reincarnation are only illusions, and do not affect the real Self, just as body is not affected by a change of dress. The Vichara throws light on every path."
a good intro vid
Self-Enquiry (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQD6i03cSU)