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Quotes from Ramana Maharshi

Devotee: There are times when persons and things take on a
vague, almost a transparent form, as in a dream. One ceases
to observe them as outside, but is passively conscious of their
existence, while not actively conscious of any kind of
selfhood. There is a deep quietness in the mind. Is it at such
times that one is ready to dive into the Self? Or is this
condition unhealthy, the result of self-hypnotism? Should it be
encouraged as yielding temporary peace?
Maharshi: There is Consciousness along with quietness in the
mind; this is exactly the state to be aimed at. The fact that
the question has been framed on this point, without realizing
that it is the Self, shows that the state is not steady but casual.
The word diving is appropriate when there are outgoing
tendencies, and when, therefore, the mind has to be directed
and turned within, there is a dip below the surface of
externalities. But when quietness prevails without obstructing
the Consciousness, where is the need to dive? If that state
has not been realised as the Self, the effort to do so may be
called diving. In this sense the state may be said to be
suitable for realization or diving. Thus, the last two questions
you have put do not arise.
Emphasis added by Freddie; Marharshi's Gospel, Chapter
III; also Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi, 348.

Bhagavan [Ramana] then told me, "Fix the mind in the Heart.
If you keep your attention at the source from where all
thoughts arise, the mind will subside at the source and reality
will shine forth."
quoted by Mastan in Power of the Presence Part

Threeedited by David Godman, page 26

She said, one day, "Bhagavan, please give me some

upadesa." Bhagavan gave her a benign look and replied:
"Don't ever lose awareness of your being."
quoted in Moments Remembered by V. Ganesan, page 48.

When he told the Maharshi that he had failed to get any kind
of beneficial experience from following the practice, the
Maharshi replied, "To get the experience one should not rely
on buddhi [the discriminating intellect] alone, one should
combine it with the firm conviction [bhavana] 'I am': one who
has that thought is also 'I', pure consciousness. With such a
feeling one should go deep within and take hold of the
experience.
Swami Madhavatirtha in The Power of the Presence Part
One edited by Daivd Godman, page 236
Mrs. D. said there were breaks in her awareness and desired to know how the awareness might
be made continuous. M.: Breaks are due to thoughts. You canot be aware of breaks unless you
think so. It is only a thought. Repeat the old practice, "To whom do thoughts arise?" Keep up the
practice until there are no breaks. Practice alone will bring about continuity of awareness.
Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi, number 628.

Quotes from Annamalai Swami

When the rejection of mental activities becomes continuous and
automatic, you will begin to have the experience of the Self.
quoted in David Godman, Living by the Words of Bhagavan, page
263
Bhagavan's famous instruction 'summa iru' [be still] is often

misunderstood. It does not mean that you should be physically still;

it means that you should always abide in the Self In sattva guna [a
state of mental quietness and clarity] there is stillness and harmony.
If mental activity is necessary while one is in sattva guna it takes
place. But for the rest of the time there is stillness If sattva
gunapredominates one experiences peace, bliss, clarity and an
absence of wandering thoughts. That is the stillness that Bhagavan
was prescribing.
quoted in David Godman, Living by the Words of Bhagavan, page
267
Meditation must be continuous. The current of meditation must be
present in all your activities. With practice, meditation and work can
go on simultaneously.
quoted in David Godman, Living by the Words of Bhagavan, page
274
When I say, 'Meditate on the Self' I am asking you to be the Self, not
think about it. Be aware of what remains when thoughts stop. Be
aware of the consciousness that is the origin of all your thoughts. Be
that consciousness.
quoted in David Godman, Living by the Words of Bhagavan, page
282

Go deeply into this feeling of 'I'. Be aware of it so strongly and so

intensely that no other thoughts have the energy to arise and distract
you. If you hold this feeling of 'I' long enough and strongly enough,
the false 'I' wll vanish leaving only the unbroken awareness of the
real, immanent 'I', consciousness itself..

quoted in David Godman, Living by the Words of Bhagavan, page

299
The Self is always alert. That is its nature.
quoted in David Godman, Living by the Words of Bhagavan, page
327

Continuous attentiveness will only come with long practice. If you

are truly watchful, each thought will dissolve at the moment that it
appears. But to reach this level of disassociation you must have no
attachments at all. If you have the slightest interest in any particular
thought, it will evade your attentiveness, connect with other
thoughts, and take over your mind for a few seconds. This will
happen more easily if you are accustomed to reacting emotionally to
a particular thought.
quoted in David Godman, Living by the Words of Bhagavan,
pages 34243
Self-inquiry must be done continuously. It doesn't work if you regard
it as a part-time activity.
Annamalai Swami: Final Talks, page 30
If you can hold on to this knowledge 'I am Self' at all times, no
further practice is necessary.
Annamalai Swami: Final Talks, page 39
In the same way, mind is just a Self-inflicted area of darkness in
which the light of the Self has been deliberately shut out.
Annamalai Swami: Final Talks, page 57
In every moment you only have one real choice: to be aware of the
Self or to identify with the body and the mind.
Annamalai Swami: Final Talks, page 59
Your ultimate need is to get established in the changeless peace of
the Self. For this you have to give up all thoughts.
Annamalai Swami: Final Talks, page 63
Tayumanuvar, a Tamil saint whom Bhagavan often quoted, wrote in
one of his poems: 'My Guru merely told me that I am consciousness.
Having heard this, I held onto consciousness. What he told me was
just one sentence, but I cannot describe the bliss I attained from
holding onto that one simple sentence. Through that one sentence I
attained a peace and a happiness that can never be explained in
words.'

 Annamalai Swami: Final Talks, pages 6768