This blog is just an important memo to myself as I go through the day regarding my spiritual practice. It is not meant for the reading public.
Sravana
See what the text or the author or video is trying to show you. See what he sees.
See what the teaching is pointing to. It is a finger pointing to the moon. We must not miss the heavenly glory.
Reread what works. Reread that which you find meaningful
Manana
For resolution of doubts
Nididhyasana
Worry about it later when you reach the relevant Aparokshanubhuti videos
Here are some relevant quotes on Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana:
From Osho:
You listened to the supreme statement “That art thou” – you listened to it wholeheartedly. Then with sympathy you thought it over, reflected upon it, searched for the true meaning of the statement, it many many conclusions (implications). You groped for its inherent depths from many, many angles, touched them, tasted them, drowned yourself in them, contemplated and then found that it is true.
Some quotes from Reddit website:
Hello,
Based on my reading I made the following four concepts to be contemplated:
- Turiya
- Drg Drsya Viveka – I am subject and not the object, unchanging and not changing, and one and not many. The Body Mind complex is not me or mine. You are not the misery. You are not the peace. You are the witness of the same. This is a very profound concept according to Swami ji.
- You (that is the Body Mind complex) and the world are nothing but consciousness and are not real; Similar to the water being real and not the wave. This is from Aparokshanubhuti.
- You already are the witness. You already are pure consciousness, Atman. You already are detached. You don’t have to do anything to have it so. Just be. And even if you can’t just be it is fine. You are still the witness and will always remain so.
Now these concepts are all sound. My question is am I reading too much.
I have always been an avid reader and a book worm. But in this case less may be more. In the case of Vedantic contemplation that is. Maybe I should just stick to one main concept or one main scripture.
Your comments.
Reply to the above:
No you are doing fine. The more you read about Advaita Vedanta the better. It is once you make a breakthrough in manana is when you reduce the load and rest into nidhidhyasana. Until manana bears fruit you need to continue shravana.
Proper shravana will help in manana. Shravana is not only reading the texts, but listening. Actually listening is very tough, since the mind always colours the teachings to suit its purposes and ends. If you can listen to the teachings as the witness, you are already there, that’s the beauty. So shravana is enough for nidhidhyasana, but manana is needed to clear doubts blocking proper shravana.
So continue reading, in fact read more texts. But at the same time also contemplate dispassionately upon the teachings with regard to your own personal confusions and afflictions in life, since they are the best mirror to your understanding.
Read, contemplate, apply, read again to clear doubts pertaining to how your life is in conflict with Advaita. There will come a point when the doubts arise and are almost immediately resolved by you spontaneously without the interference of the mind. That’s when you know that it is time for less reading and more nidhidhyasana.
Daily Statement
13 May 2025
I was in doubt regarding choosing Swamiji, Greg Goode’s materials,and Bhagavan Ramana. I have chosen Swamiji for the following reasons:
- When in doubt choose the traditional path that has a track record of helping people and has been around for centuries
- The traditional path will have been derived from the scriptures
- Choose the easier path
- Choose the path that involves less reading (that is not true for Swamiji but you cannot have everything).
- The path that is not too radical too early. Swamiji moves in stages
- Swamiji’s path is a thicker path with teachings that will help me deal with fear. I am willing to accept these teachings on faith simply because they are taken from the scriptures. These teachings also help with Buddhist mindfulness and meditation and with my agitated thoughts
- I have taken Diksha from RK Math.
- RK Math is just across the road. They may be willing to advise
- I have a community in reddit
- Look at what the teaching is pointing to
- I can combine Swamiji’s teachings with Bhakti yoga and Buddhist meditation (not that Buddhist meditation is prohibited by anyone else)
- Extract from Daniel McKenzie’s book, The Wisdom Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita:
Self enquiry is not about asking, “Who am I.” The problem with simply asking “Who am I” and believing that the answer will eventually reveal itself is that you cannot know what you don’t know. Knowledge doesn’t just happen, nor can it be transmitted. An intellect is required.
Self enquiry must be taught because due to our ignorance it is just too hard to figure out on our own. Self enquiry is a system that progressively reveals the nature of the truth and ultimately eliminates suffering. Vedanta is an objective analysis of our experience.
Objectives for spiritual practice
- To see and enjoy God moment to moment
- To experience the wonders of the present moment
- To deal with loneliness and the fear of death
- To practice moment to moment and deal or cope with suffering at that moment
Read this statement every time the fickle, schizophrenic mind gets distracted by another teaching or method.
Look up Swami Paramarthananda’s website for some good books
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