Self-Inquiry
The Path of Self-Inquiry is clearly outlined and explained by Shree Ramana Maharshi and are used by many contemporary teachers. Basically it consists of asking the question "Who am I?". Who is this that experience this life of pain and delight, suffering and joy? Who is it that reads this text? Who is it that wonder who it is that reads this text?
Shree Ramana Maharsi says that all these questions leads back to the one I-thought, or rather, the I-feeling underlaying them all, the feeling of I AM. The first idea that arises in a conscious being is the thought I AM. Then we relate this I AM to our surrounding: I AM a man, I AM a woman, I AM a son, I AM a mother, I AM a master, I AM a slave, etc. I AM is the first thought arising out of the depths of our being.
If we manage to stay with this I AM, without the other, and passes through the gateless gate of "I", we will reach the state of AM-ness, as Osho puts it. This state of AM-ness is what the Sahajiyas calls sahaja - the natural state, and what Zen people calls Tathata - Suchness, and Kaula Nathas calls Svecchachara - doing one's own will. When we have discovered the source of the I, and reached beyond it, into the depths of pure, boundless AM-ness, free from all notions and ideas of the mind, we become truly free.
This inquiry into the true nature of our being is the heart of meditation. It is what meditation is all about - to reach the inner center of consciousness and discover the one consciousness underlying all.
Self-Observation
But for the unenlightened and struggling Kaula Nath this dive into the core of being can seem almost impossible. It is here where the practice of self-observation comes in. Osho has explained that in his path of meditation one has to work with both the core of meditation and the circumferense of meditation.
In self-observation we do not do anything in particular other than to just watch what is happening, just being a witness. In working with the circumferense of meditation (the body, thoughts and emotions) we have first to watch and become familar with their spontanious and natural activities. In this watching of the body, thoughts and emotions we will discover two important things: one, that all these activities goes on even without us interfering with it. Even if I am not conscious about my body digesting the food and rebuilding itself, it will do so. Even if I am not participating in the continous stream of thoughts, it will go on by itself. And the same is with the emotions.
With this insight one discovers that all this - body, thoughts and emotions - are like objects that I am aware of, they are not me. I have a body, but I am not the body. I have thoughts but I am not my thoughts. I have emotions but I am not my emotions. But if I am not my body, thoughts and emotions, who am I then? Who am I?
Here we reach back to the first practice of self-inquiry.
In my own life I find these practices of great benefit and importance. As a Kaula Nath I try to make every situation into a learning situation for going deeper into my consciousness and being.
Having been a Swami of the Neo-Sannyas Movement for many years, I find great inspiration in these words of Osho:
“I would like my sannyasins to live life in its totality, but with an absolute condition, categorical condition: and that condition is awareness, meditation. Go first deep into meditation, so you can cleanse your unconscious of all poisonous seeds, so there is nothing to be corrupted and there is nothing inside you which power can bring forth. And then do whatsoever you feel like doing.”
Osho, The Dhammapada: The Way of the Buddha, Vol. 6. Number 40
I think the Swamis of The Neo-Sannyas Movement and the Kaula Nathas share many common features, though they differ in that where the former is based on magick and mastery the latter is based on devotion and surrender. Both paths are good though, and combining the two can make a healthy breed.
(From the notebooks of Visarganath, april 2008)
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