How to Practice Self-Inquiry

A very concise description of the Awareness Watching Awareness practice.

(The page was expanded in January 2004)
Awareness Watching Awareness
Precise instructions in the most direct means of
Self-Abidance, Self-Awareness, Self-inquiry, Self-Realization, Liberation.
THE AWARENESS WATCHING AWARENESS APPROACH
IS THE MOST DIRECT METHOD
In the book The Path of Sri Ramana Part One, Sri Sadhu Om describes an approach to Selfinquiry that is more like Self-attention, or awareness watching awareness, or awareness aware of
awareness, and less like asking a question Who am I.
A question might arise: Was this awareness watching awareness approach actually taught by Sri
Ramana Maharshi?
According to both Sri Muruganar and Sri Sadhu Om the answer is yes.
In the book Garland of Gurus (Sri Ramana Maharshis) Sayings Sri Muruganar uses the word
awareness throughout the entire book and describes this awareness watching awareness
approach to Self-inquiry in detail, such as in the following passages:
418.
The only true and full awareness is awareness of awareness.
Till awareness is awareness of itself, it knows no peace at all.
432.
Is it not because you are yourself awareness that you now perceive this universe?
If you observe awareness steadily,
this awareness itself as Guru (Teacher) will reveal the Truth.
921.
None can confront and overcome the mind.
Ignore it, then, as something false, unreal.
Know the Self as the real ground and stand firm-rooted in it.
Then the minds movements will gradually subside.
If one were to distinguish between Self-inquiry and Self-abidance, then it might be more accurate
to call the awareness watching awareness approach Self-Abidance.
If the instructions given by Sri Ramana Maharshi to Be the Self or to abide as the Self have not
been clear for you as to how?, this instruction of awareness watching awareness while ignoring
thought, provides easy clear instructions as to how.
Just your present awareness watching itself.
There are other ways that this can be described: Know the knower, watch the watcher etc.
However, the clearest easiest instruction to follow is:
Your awareness watching your awareness while ignoring all else.
(ignoring thought, the body, the world, etc.)
Automatically the your will drop off and it will be obvious that awareness watching awareness is
really awareness abiding in or being awareness.
The reason to start with the instruction: your present awareness watching your present
awareness

is so that it is clear that one is not referring to some far off awareness called the Self.
It is just: your awareness that is now looking through your eyes turned around to watch itself.
Awareness watching awareness, consciousness watching consciousness.
If you notice you are thinking, just go back to awareness watching awareness.
Take your attention away from the thinking and back towards awareness watching awareness.
Your attention should be turned around 180 degrees, away from and ignoring the world, people,
places, things, the body and thought, and towards awareness watching awareness.
It is awareness watching awareness only, excluding all else.
How long should you practice? Practice for at least an hour or two per day, everyday.
Set aside as many hours per day as you can, just for awareness watching awareness practice,
with no other activities going on during your practice time.
Shut your eyes during practice, because that helps with ignoring the world.
Body posture is not important on the Direct Path.
You can do the practice sitting or lying down, if you are able to lie down without falling asleep.
Everything you need to know to practice the awareness watching awareness method is written
above. The following are some additional quotes regarding the practice:
From the Garland of Gurus sayings by Sri Muruganar
52.
If one with mind turned towards Awareness and concentrating on Awareness, seeks the
Self, the world made up of ether and other elements is real, as all things are Awareness, the one
sole substance of true Being.
435.
True natural awareness which goes not after alien objects is the Heart. Since actionless
awareness shines as real Being, its joy consists in concentration on itself.
638.
If instead of looking outward at objects, you observe that looking, all things now shine as
I, the seer. Perception of objects is mere illusion.
694.
Even in this worldly life ones labors bear no fruit without abundant faith. Hence till one
merges in the bliss Supreme and boundless, ones strong zeal in spiritual practice should never
slacken.
742.
In the Self, he stands firm fixed who dwells and truly meditates on himself as pure
awareness.
755.
If without wasting time one starts and keeps up steady self-inquiry, ones life becomes at
once ennobled, and there wells up within ones heart a sea of bliss supreme.
756.
Barring fruitful self-inquiry there is, for real mind control, no other spiritual practice
whatsoever. The mind may seem to be controlled by other methods, but after a while it will spring
up again.
1038. Awareness is not a quality of the Self. The Self is without qualities. Awareness is not an
action of the Self. The Self does nothing. The Self, our Being, IS Awareness.
1066. True wealth is but the gracious silence of steady, unswerving Self-awareness. This bright,
rare treasure can be gained only by those who earnestly strive for the extinction of all thoughts.
1103. It is folly to waste ones life running in all directions searching different goals. Learn to
practice firm abidance at the feet of the Self supreme, the eternal and auspicious silence, which
alone can still the egos restlessness.
1157. Holding in their hands the mirror, the scripture which declares The Self alone is to be
known, many alas, study the text and commentaries; but only a few seek the Self and gain true
life.
1192. The ego image moves, reflected in the minds waves. How to stop this movement, how to

regain the state of stillness? Dont observe these movements, seek the Self instead. It is wisdom
to gain and abide in silence.
From Sri Ramana Experience by Sri Muruganar
212.
Those who have sunk within their own inner selves to dwell as pure knowledge, so that
their infatuation with worthless desires is abolished, will through holy silence, establish the
fulfillment of the real within their own selves. This practice of meditation upon consciousness
itself, is the true way.