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    Self Enquiry: On Being You. A Journey into Truth
    Self Enquiry: On Being You. A Journey into Truth
    Self Enquiry: On Being You. A Journey into Truth
    Ebook114 pages1 hour

    Self Enquiry: On Being You. A Journey into Truth

    By Michael Vincent

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    About this ebook

    In stripping away the flowery language, the sugar coating so to speak, the author is aware that he is presenting Self Enquiry as the challenging Practice it is designed to be, directly, "in the raw". But then this will take you to an important question: Who or what is being challenged? What is it within you that creates this resistance, doubt and fear? This is your first opportunity to go to the source, to step back from this anxiety and concern and see it for what it is: the many-layered mind with all its attachments continuing its game-playing in an effort to remain in control. In being prepared to swallow what seems to be a bitter pill you are taken directly to what matters: the path to Truth.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJohn Hunt Publishing
    Release dateMar 25, 2016
    ISBN9781785352744
    Self Enquiry: On Being You. A Journey into Truth
    Author

    Michael Vincent

    Michael Vincent lives in Bridgwater, Somerset with his daughter Jennifer, where he pursues a combined programme of creative activity and meditation taught to others through retreats and Satsang.

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    • 4/5
      Nothing new here, just simple instructions for realizing Truth written for the modern mind. The beauty is in the simplicity, that which is, without embellishments or contrivances

    Book preview

    Self Enquiry - Michael Vincent

    1)

    1

    Introduction

    You came into your body with nothing: without your name, your mind, your ego, your personality and without any material thing. It is assured you will leave your body with nothing. What is the nature of this I before these things were attached to it?

    Nan Yar – Who Am I?

    I suspect since humankind first developed an awareness of a spiritual dimension to existence Self Enquiry in some form has been practised. Indeed Self Enquiry is an ancient Practice embraced by the major religions and one which has inspired many figures in world history: politicians, spiritual leaders, composers, artists, writers, philosophers and scientists. Why am I here? What is my purpose? Why do I exist? Who Am I?

    In the mind-centred West this simple but radical Practice has become enmeshed in verbiage, notably over the last 100 years into the 21st century. Weighty, complex texts have been written, retreat centres established and many pilgrimages made to sacred places across the globe in the search for answers to these questions, to discover the nature of Truth, whatever that may be. This is often to the detriment of Self Enquiry and its message resulting in confusion and uncertainty for the seeker, the pilgrim, the ordinary man and woman who, in becoming aware that something exists beyond the physical world, is seeking the nature of Truth.

    In doing this, in stripping away the flowery language and sweet sugar coating so to speak, I am aware that I am presenting Self Enquiry as the challenging Practice it is designed to be, directly, in the raw. But then this will take you to an important question: who, or what, is being challenged? What is it within you that creates this resistance, doubt, fear, this seeming mountain that is now before you as you confront full-on the issues presented to you as you proceed with the Practice? This is your first opportunity to go to the source, to step back from this anxiety and concern and see it for what it is: the many-layered mind with all its attachments continuing its gameplaying in its effort to remain in control. In being prepared to swallow what seems to be a bitter pill you are taken directly to what matters: the path to Truth.

    My first book on Self Enquiry, completed in 2010 during my stay at Sri Ramana’s Ashram in Arunachala, India, sought to clarify the nature of Self Enquiry, to free it from spiritual jargon and flowery language and make this important Practice accessible to those who are ready for it. Since that time I have continued to lead Satsang* and Retreats focusing on Self Enquiry and have worked to clarify for myself just how this Practice can be taught to others and made even clearer and more accessible for everyone. This book, in growing from the first, addresses these questions and seeks to further clarify a Practice that is, essentially, so very simple and so very profound.

    The first thing to understand is this: Self Enquiry is not an intellectual exercise presenting you with a problem for your mind to sort out so it can give you an answer. In becoming that its purpose, to take you beyond mind into stillness, is defeated. The mind’s ability to find such an answer is beyond its capability anyway. The Practice is grounded on experience not intellectual analysis, and its application centres on your personal experience as life is lived in your physical body. I have long understood this to be the case. My life since childhood has given me ample opportunity to test this, to experience for myself how it works as I apply the Practice to the challenges I have faced, and continue to.

    So let us be clear from the beginning. Books and texts may serve a purpose as signposts, pointers and maps for you the seeker on a personal journey; or they may be of no use to you whatsoever. Let us be clear on this too: reading these texts and attending retreats are not required qualifications in preparing you to proceed with the Practice. Such texts are potentially useful maps; the gurus** and teachers you may meet on your journey are simply guides and helping hands. When no longer needed by the seeker, when the journey is known and understood, both teachers and texts are set aside, lovingly and with thanks. The Truth, whatever that might be, is for you to find as you focus inwards learning from the lessons of life as it is lived, the true purpose of Self

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