self inquiry

All Enlightenment Pointers Have One Important Function

In this video, Prasant talks about the common underlying function that all pointers, aphorisms or teachings for Enlightenment, Self Realization and Liberation have in common. Once this is understood within, you will no longer have any confusion about your path, Guru, or what teachings to follow as everything you encounter will naturally become part of your path in one seamless unfolding of Truth. This leads to a more effortless, free way of being and the necessary openness that allows for Enlightenment to manifest without delay or struggle.

Basically, every pointer stops the mind and returns it to its Source Reality allowing for continuous dropping of limited concepts and identifications. There is more detail in the video on this.

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Download Prasant’s solo saxophone tracks for effortless meditation, Peace and Self Realization here:
http://music.prasantmusic.com/album/meditations-ragas-on-saxophone-vol-2

#selfrealization #awakening #enlightenment #liberation #peace #realization #freedom #silence

Inquiry to Destroy Boredom, Frustration and Irritation

There is a common issue that many face on an almost daily basis today: boredom. I see this with people going to school and college, but it remains with adults as well. Let’s not forget boredom’s good buddies: frustration and irritation, among others.

All three of these are basically an expression of resistance to our arising experience. The arising experience is perfect in nature, however the mind content consisting of various thoughts that is overlaid upon it suggests otherwise. It could be sitting through a long class, holding a crying child on a flight or perhaps waiting in a long line at the post office or sitting in traffic. First we need to notice that the boredom, frustration or irritation etc. is in most cases coming from our thought content, or at least our concept of what should be happening right now.

In some cases, it could be a useful call to action. Maybe you need to do something different than what you are doing at the moment. But in most cases, you are probably doing something that you either can’t get out of or maybe have even signed up for yourself in some way. Take a moment to contemplate and remember some situations that have been like this in your own life.

Now, when you are in this situation or bring up a situation like this in your memory and experience that feeling, inquire: Is the part of me that enjoys experiences here with me now? Is the aspect of my awareness, a beautiful core attribute of my own awareness that is enjoyment itself…is that still here with me or has it gone? When I am enjoying anything at all, whether it is my favorite music, a delicious meal, shopping, maybe playing a favorite video game etc., that enjoyment is happening within me. I alone am enjoying it. The essence of that happiness and enjoyment is fundamentally in me alone. That is joy. Now that I am in a boring or irritating situation, has that awareness that was joyful and happy and the awareness that is experiencing boredom different or the same?

Simply by inquiring into this, something will happen. Something will shift. We know this because the feeling of boredom, frustation, etc. is only coming and going within our awareness and is mostly due to thoughts we are clinging to of either not wanting to experience something or wishing we were doing something else. When that compulsion is challenged via this specific inquiry, immediately the Source Awareness that is consisting of simple Presence, Peace, Joy and Freedom is available and is glad to reveal itself.

Wide open sky - ocean of Awareness
Wide open sky – ocean of Awareness

Try it and let me know how it goes. 🙂

P.S. If you haven’t caught up on my Youtube videos in a while, which have a several on Music and Realization, check them out here.

What To Do When Self Inquiry Doesn’t Work

Those who are interested in or who are currently practicing Self Inquiry (aka Atma Vichara or simply Vichara) for the purpose of Self Realization may know that it can be quite challenging at times. This, perhaps, is due to its direct nature. It is going straight to the root of the mind and suffering. Anyone who has tried to practice it knows there are times where it is hard. Prasant suggests to try working with music during these times and then approach the inquiry again rather than getting “stuck” and frustrated or discouraged.

Music is known to relax the mind. A verse from Indian scriptures states that music makes even the fierce animals peaceful. Similarly, when the “wild animals” of our minds and habitual tendencies overwhelm us, they can be relaxed and made more receptive through the power of music. A fresh attempt at Self Inquiry can then be made if necessary. It is possible that simply the change of pace in itself will allow the awareness to present Itself strongly and clearly enough that only subsequent resting is all that is needed.

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Download Prasant’s solo saxophone tracks for effortless meditation, Peace and Self Realization here:
http://music.prasantmusic.com/album/meditations-ragas-on-saxophone-vol-2

New video: Self Inquiry (Who Am I?) for Musicians and Music Lovers

In this video, Prasant demystifies the powerful technique of self inquiry for Self Realization including common misunderstandings and shares how it can be used in a unique way by musicians and music lovers. This can extend to visual artists, dancers etc…just about everyone actually! When you attempt self inquiry while you are active doing something you love, like listening to or practicing music, it can be easier to experience the results of tasting or resting in your Self. This experience makes a lasting impression that can then be recalled during a difficult time when it may be much harder to practice self inquiry successfully. Be happy always… you are the Self.

Subscribe to Prasant’s YouTube channel for more videos

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prasantmusic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prasantmusic/

Download Prasant’s solo saxophone tracks for effortless meditation, Peace and Self Realization here: http://music.prasantmusic.com/album/m…

Video: How Ramana Maharshi’s Teachings Relate to Music

In this video, Prasant talks about the great Master Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and how his teachings relate to Music. He talks about why many have difficulty following the instructions of self inquiry and “who am i” and how utilizing music can help you easily transcend these challenges and confusions created by the mind.

Music arises from the depths of Source and easily goes beyond any and all thought forms. It delivers you into your natural home in Silence and Truth. Prasant describes briefly how the sound of music Itself can trigger a spontaneous inquiry into your nature and allow for immediate relief from and transcendence of the mind. This results in the deep rest of the Self.

Quick links to topics covered in the video:

1:23 Music is a direct path to Freedom and Peace. What do I mean by freedom?
2:24 Why people often have difficulty with self inquiry and some clarifications on self inquiry (atma vichara)
4:48 Music can help go deeper and beyond thought forms. How can sound and music be so powerful and helpful on the path of Self Realization?
6:07 Ramana Maharshi’s beautiful analogy comparing the Self to fundamental sruthi note (pitch or key) in Music.
9:00 How to apply Ramana’s teachings music practice by allowing sound and music to trigger an automatic inquiry and experience of the Self.
11:11 Stay with the feeling vs. going after something mentally. Music takes you out of your mind!
12:53 Distractions…see that ALL sounds (and everything else) are the music in the awareness of Truth, not only pleasant music. All sounds are leading you back into Silence.
13:50 Ramana Maharshi, his Grace and Presence and infinite instructions to express the Self.
16:00 Realization through Music helps you to NOT get caught up in piles of thoughts. Self inquiry and football. 🙂

Ramana-Maharshi

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

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Contact Prasant here.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prasantmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prasantmusic/

Download Prasant’s solo saxophone tracks for effortless meditation, Peace and Self Realization: http://music.prasantmusic.com/album/m…

One Step to the Supreme

How many steps to the Supreme?

Actually, there are no steps. You are the Supreme, the Self, the Infinite, freedom itself.

But if you still do not feel that way, if that is not your experience yet, there is at least one step.

Take it. Resolve to take it. Resolve to be free asap. Don’t wait any longer.

Just be (“Summa Ire”). Keep quiet. That’s all.

Don’t follow around the activities of your so called mind. Don’t even try to not follow.

Just be yourself. Not becoming this or doing that. Just be exactly as you are right now. Really, that is all. It really is.

You are already doing it right now…see? 🙂 You ARE it!

Or…

When a difficult (or pleasant perhaps) situation or series of thoughts or emotions arise, immediately inquire who is experiencing it.

The experiencer is the mind. Rest in the space, awareness, presence, silence that comes forward.

Or…

See that every experience is arising in awareness. There is no experience of any kind (thoughts, emotions, perceptions etc.) or any object (person, place or thing) without your awareness being there first. 

Rest in the awareness. Just simple awareness. Nothing special or sparkly. There is no mind and there never was. Just natural experience, endlessly arising by itself from itself. It simply is.

Or…

If you want to know God, experience God, you see that if it is really God, than nothing can be apart from God, even slightly. 

Everything is God. This is the truth. Everything is God. That means every object prior deemed pure or impure, auspicious or not, intelligent or foolish, the worst offender you can imagine in your view, is quite literally God. 

Finally, it is seen you are God and “Wait, that means I am God?! Oh no, that can’t be” says the mind. Oh yes. So it is. Even that thought just now, was God. So is the screen you are reading. The field is completely leveled. 

Since everything is God, there is no need to refer to it in any way, name or form. That is why it is often referred to as simply That…or maybe This. Or anything you like. This is how an atheist and an ardent devotee of God in any form can realize the same Truth. It is the only Reality. Silence and Peace remain, simply and easily as it always was. All dreamed up divisions dissolve once and for all.

Or…

Seeing that all activities in the universe are done by a power that we could never figure out with the mind (did a human mind design the big bang? No.), surrender completely, let go into, dissolve in that power that does everything anyways, whether we think we are doing something or not.

Right now, not later. Remember…one step.

Digestion happens by itself, breathing and just about everything else. If you think it otherwise, you are in the mind! Just see.

If you trying to figure how to do all the things you want (or dont want) to do, don’t! Like Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi says, it would be like carrying all your luggage on your head while on a train. Put everything down and relax. Total surrender means the mind is out of a job. The mind might say no, but pay him/her no heed. You are not the mind. The mind is not your boss. It was just pretending to be. It was a poor mid level manager anyways. You know, the kind that pretends to do all the work but doesn’t really do anything. It just wants to keep showing up and making your head hurt.

He might still get coffee at the office but he won’t be causing any havoc anymore. All his noisy ramblings have no bearing on what actually ends up happening. All the work still gets done, even better. Seeing and feeling this, there is finally peace.

There are as many ways and nuances to return to freedom as there are people. These examples are direct. It can feel like jumping off a cliff for the mind. But you are definitely safe.

When you realize you have ended up far away from home and you can get back home in one step, wouldn’t you want to?

When you come back Home you realize you have always been here. You have always been free. You already had everything you ever wanted and everything you need to do has been done for you.

Now, simply enjoy the view.


wp prompt

What you cannot find must be found

Have you ever picked up a cable or cord from an electronic device and couldn’t find where it’s plugged in or even what device it came from? It is tangled up in so many other cables and cords that it seems an almost impossible task to untangle it, get behind the desk and then find where it’s actually plugged in! Move even a tiny amount and there are other cables blocking the way. Often times, you might just shrug your shoulders and forget about it. But if it is really important, you will need to sit down and look and sort it out. If your child wants to watch her favorite show and the internet stops working you’ll have to sit down and look. Or you have a term paper or major work project due and the printer isn’t connected. Is the cable I’m looking for even in this mess? Maybe it’s not even here.

Tangled_cables

“This is too messy, I’ll just figure it out later…”

This is a bit like attempting to find the root of the mind. Just when you notice that everything is just a thought, a whole group of other thoughts distract you from this seeing. You attempt to look for the mind but you can’t find it. It hides behind so many other thoughts, experiences and temporary states. Yet there is still the feeling of having a mind that often gives you a hard time. Sorting out all of these thoughts, memories and concepts can feel tedious and painful. “This is just too messy,” you might say.

But when you finally get to the point that you absolutely must find out what is happening, something changes. You see that you have to get to the bottom of this. This cannot go on any longer. You slow down and become patient as the task becomes very important. You realize you need all your attention for this task. It’s like the lion on the hunt. Like the person who diffuses a dangerous bomb. Like the tightrope walker. You become totally still and just LOOK. All these thoughts and experiences come back to you. Notice each experience arising. Who is watching? What is the same and what is different? Keep looking and seeing where it comes from, setting aside whatever thoughts arise to interrupt your task. You cannot ignore these thoughts. Similar to sorting the cables, you cannot ignore the tangled cables, you will have to carefully inspect each one using full awareness.

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The mind keeps you identified with the whole mess, but actually it is just a bunch of separate strings that happen to be bundled together.

When a thought arises, something catches hold of it and claims it. Keep going, keep going, keep tracing back every single thought to its source. Follow the trail. Don’t lose the scent. See where it goes.

monkey jumping.jpg

The tree branch is like an experience or thought. The monkey is the I-thought, the root of the mind. Catch him when he tries to grab the next experience! Catch him in the act or he will hide in those branches again.

Don’t sleep! LOOK. Suddenly, you catch it. I had this experience, I had this thought. This feeling I is arising in you as well. It is not the real you. Now the real lion, Awareness, is on the hunt and has identified the prey. Now it is only a matter of time until everything gets sorted out. The mind is becoming clear and transparent. The cables are getting untangled and loosening up.

At last you find the main cable and strip away all the other cables. You go to plug it in and realize that it’s already plugged in! It always was. This is like exposing the I-thought and watching it dissolve in the Self, or pure Awareness with nothing to cling to. Similarly, you already are free and always were. Awareness has always been free. But you had to sort everything out to see it.

Now you feel it.

Download Prasant’s meditation music and visit his YouTube Channel.

This a response to the wordpress prompt: Elusive

Who has all these worries?

 

Looking around today, it is easy to be swept up in a whirlwind of worries and problems happening in the world.  On top of this, there is the day to day matter of completing your work and taking care of your needs and that of your family, or if you are a student, getting into the best school or doing well on your exams.

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What am I going to do? What are WE going to do??

Many of us want to be free of this. We want to be peaceful and happy. Naturally, if you are to do your work and possibly help others, it would not help to be overwhelmed by the problems of your life and the world. Some feel they must maintain some level of stability and peace to fend off stress and get their work done. This is difficult to do and you may become frustrated. The alternative of being angry at the world and pointing out everyone’s mistakes doesn’t always work either. It is equally frustrating.

The direct way is to look and see: who has all these worries and problems? Examine even one thought, emotion or situation and you will see that it is you that is experiencing it. Even the you that is trying to maintain a peaceful, calm state is the same you. This you is not the real you, but the mind.

In simply seeing that, the part of you that was not visible to you before, that is already always free, peaceful and happy with no effort comes forward.

That part of you is totally unaffected by whatever the mind interprets and seems to experience. That is free of any worries or cares, buoyant and open, with no reference points of any kind that can be found or measured.

Feeling this, all worries fall away and all doubts fall away. True freedom dawns and you see that what you are doing right now at this very moment is perfectly ok. It is just as it is. You can relax and be yourself.

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The clear sky doesn’t mind a few clouds and birds. It’s still the sky.

You see that everything is already taken care of and there are no worries. There are no problems. There is peace. Now you can do your work again, in peace. And if you like, you can help others more than you ever thought possible.

This post is in response to the wordpress daily prompt: Carefree

Send all your desires back to their source to taste real peace

The appearance of the world and the universe provide endless things and experiences to enjoy and chase. The next delicious meal, the next tech gadget, the next movie, the next website, the next relationship, a great career move, the next house, car, book, so on and so forth. The kind of immersive entertainment available for the senses is only becoming more and more astounding.

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Plenty of things to chase after, but there may be a cost…your peace! 😉

These are all natural things, not a problem. It is all part of the Infinite play, the Infinite Self, the universal dance. But when this infinity feels limited to a mind and body and then identifying with this limitation, chases after separate objects in the world for happiness, it creates a problem.

waves

Are you the infinite ocean or the just the wave?

It is a problem because in order to do this, you have to leave your undivided pure perfection as Infinite Being to arise as the mind within the appearance of the body. This creates separation. Once there is separation, there is suffering. Once there is suffering you attempt to remedy it with an object and the cycle continues on and on. It imprisons you.

Rather than you enjoying the food, the foods eats you. Instead of possessing beautiful things, those things possess you.

mo money.jpg

Very enticing, but what IS it really?

The mind is always on the hunt in an illusory world of its own making for the next hit. The next rush. Of course, once a desire is fulfilled, it only brings temporary happiness because both the mind and the object rest for a moment and enjoy their Source. But the mind does not want you to know that. It will immediately rise again to seek another object once the previous one seems insufficient. The objects become more and more complex, more grand and seem to never end. More often than not, the intense desire for objects and experiences ends up causing more harm than good.

The mind also has this habit because it does not want you to be HERE and NOW. If you did stay HERE and NOW, then you will know what it is up to. You will discover and liberate all the hidden thoughts and concepts you have that it does not want you to see and examine. It is too embarrassed of them and would rather keep them in the dark.

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Don’t look in here, it’s dark and scary. Too dangerous. It’s also embarrassing…says the mind.

How then do you reverse the process and discover lasting happiness and peace? See that all the thoughts and desires are only arising in you and appearing to you. Inquire into the source of each and every desire, especially when you see its pattern. You will have to see that nothing in this world will give you lasting peace, happiness and freedom. Only your own Self, your very own Being can give you that, because you are That.

When you trace the experience of the object back to its Source in pure awareness then it is no longer another thing or experience. It dissolves in being. The illusory string of attachment is cut. Even doing this one time is extremely powerful and liberating. You will taste peace uncaused by any experience or thing. After all, in deep sleep you are perfectly peaceful and happy without any objects at all.

Having done this the mind will kick and scream, but with practice it will slowly relax and breathe. This present moment becomes quite inviting with its peace, rest and contentment. Then, all the hidden content comes to light and dissolves as you continue to stay right here, without the slightest need to leave THIS.

Now you have the entire kingdom and you are free of it all. You can have all the riches, cars, houses, food or not and it wont make any difference. All experiences purified and completely liberated, you enjoy your Self as your Self.

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Free to be, just to be yourself. Like the sky or the ocean.

This post is a response to the daily wordpress prompt: Feast

Awakening from the dream of suffering

What is the first thing most people do when they find themselves in a nightmare while dreaming at night? Most people I know would become aware, conscious, and then try to wake themselves up out of the dream and into the waking state. During the dream it feels like that existence is real, but the dreamer becomes aware in the dream and realizes that she must wake up if she is to be free of this intense situation. It becomes extremely urgent during the case of a nightmare.

Everyone has experienced a nightmare at one time or another. Some are worse than others. What makes the nightmare so difficult? It is usually the feeling of intense fear and desperation. Where does that feeling come from? It is the feeling that the situation in the dream has reality. Of course, it does not even though it feels real. Sometimes you become lucid or aware in a dream. When that happens, the intensity of it changes and there is a steadiness, a subtle knowing that this will be over and it is only a dream. This awareness is of the utmost value and power. This awareness is an impartial seeing. It allows you to wake up.

The real nightmare, the real dream is the identification with the mind. In the dream state, your awareness gives rise to all the characters and locations in the dreamworld. In the waking state, it is no different, though it is longer and tends to feel more solid. Check for yourself and see. People routinely experience nightmare and dream-like experiences in the waking state as well. In fact, when these kinds of things happen, many often report that it “was like a dream” or it “was surreal.” Just like the dream state, the main suffering arises from the feeling that what is happening has reality apart from awareness. In a sense, it is not the pain itself that is the problem. There are many people who go through extremely difficult experiences and pain with a laugh. What really is it then? The suffering itself arises largely from a sense of confusion as to what is happening.

Here is an example: Suppose your house is going to be demolished. Due to some financial calamity you know it needs to take place. You have another house ready and your things are moved in. It is sad but there is no other option. On the scheduled day, the demolition company arrives, you sign the papers and stand aside while the team demolishes the house. Then you go to your other, smaller house and eat lunch. How much suffering? Likely little to none. In the second scenario, you wake up in the morning a little groggy and hobble down the stairs to make some coffee. Before you know it, crash! a giant wrecking ball crashes through the living room smashing all the furniture and sends shrapnel everywhere. The house alarm goes off and all the neighborhood dogs start barking. You spill hot water all over your pants. You rush outside and are shocked to find that there is a demolition team destroying your house due to some financial problem. Nobody told you about this. How much suffering in this scenario? Much more. It’s largely due to the surprise and sudden confusion of what’s happening.

Where does confusion about what is happening arise from? It comes from confusion and doubt about your real nature or who you really are. This confusion gives rise to more confusion as you identify with your limited dream body and its exploits as it interacts with the other pretend dream bodies. The way out is similar to what you would do in a dream. Of course, you will probably want to wake up. If you are having a really great dream, you may not want to wake up. Perhaps you’re eating a delicious ice cream or meal (the Matrix, anyone?), or boating on a beautiful river, or you are President of the United States (dream or nightmare, I’m not sure… ;). In this waking state you may be very successful and have a wonderful life. But experiences keep changing, just like in a dream. A turning point comes when you realize that you are suffering. You have an experience of suffering in some form. If not fear, perhaps a lack of some kind. Well, now you feel — “get me out of here!” Ok. What do you do? For example in a dream: inquire, who is having this dream? Of course, “I” am having the dream. Everything in the dream arises in my awareness. There are no other real people in my dream separate from me. Similarly, in the waking state everything arises in your awareness. Remember, you want to wake up!

Now inquire upon waking up in the morning and all day, the very same thing. Who is having this experience? Who am I? Who is having these thoughts and emotions? Don’t think but inquire with an aim to turn awareness back on itself. Sink into the space. Keep bringing all experiences (thoughts, emotions, sensations, perceptions, concepts) back to the feeling “I” again and again. The pure, colorless, imperturbable, impenetrable, clear, free, radiant, eternal awareness, Silence itself will come forward and introduce itself. It was there all along. Slowly, but surely you become aware and awake! The limited feeling “I” dissolves into this limitless awareness that is the Source of the waking, dream and deep sleep states.  This is self inquiry. This is awakening. This is the end of suffering. This is enlightenment. This is Self Realization. This is God. This is the Unknown. This is perfect peace. This is total rest. Now you see life as it is. Now you see Reality. Now you are Reality. Now you can have a nightmare and it wont matter. All doubts are gone. Now you are free.

This post is in response to the wordpress one-word prompt: Nightmare.