Self Inquiry Practice: What Am I?

This 11-minute meditation, given originally in a live class on the Yamas and Niyamas, takes you through the traditional practice of Ātmā Vichāra or Self Inquiry taught by masters like Rāmana Mahārshī. The voice was recorded during a live class so there is some background noise.

Transcript

With your eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths in and out through your nose. To get deeply rooted in your body. And to pull your attention away from the senses. Away from me. The outside world. And into your own being. If you need to keep breathing deeper to help you with this, Then you can keep the deeper breath going. Otherwise, Just let your breath be natural, But keep feeling it, Keep turning inward, Keep relaxing. For the meditation this week, It fits that we can do that traditional atma vichara. Of asking. What am I? It's a slight variation from the question, Who am I? Who already is limiting. To being something. Of a person, Something of a human. We can ask what M. I. So you hear it. Do you hear this question? And then you say it within yourself and you hear it. Who am I? And this is assuming that you're willing to. Take the leap. And believe that you are not just. Whatever your name tag says. That you're not just. The person that you call me. So what are you? Are you a body? That body sitting in meditation right now. Breathe into it, Move it a little bit. Wiggle your fingers, Your toes, Feel your body. Is that what you are? If that body becomes less. Are you less? If some part of your body were removed. Would that be some part of you that is removed? The body that is there now. 10 years ago was completely different. 20 years ago. It's very different. Depending on how old you go if you keep going back decades. Same one. Who's here now listening to these instructions. Was there in that small body. Riding a tricycle or going to school. Body is totally different. So is your mind and your personality, No? Think about an early memory. You were still me. You would still say. My third grade teacher. Called that little body, You. But it's all different, The personality, The mind, The beliefs. The circumstances. So what are you? What was there then when you were three that's still here now? What about when this body is done. Are you done? This body now might be male or female or non-binary or something else but What about when you don't have this body anymore? It doesn't have. . . The attributes of male or female or otherwise anymore. Are you? Male or female or otherwise, Or are you something else? So what are you? In when you run out of things. To say I am. Male I am. 51 years old, I am a dad, I am a survivor, I am a etc. And you're just left with I am. We're just left with. I I I then you start to sense a little bit. What you are. See if you can feel that now. You have a body, You have a gender, You have beliefs, You have identity, You have memories, But Who is the I? It has all of that. What is. That I made of. Does it have a smell? Does it have a taste? Does it have a color? What does it ever shape? Does have a presence. Can you feel it? If you can feel it even a little bit, Lean into that feeling as much as you can. I with no. . . Qualified. The teachings say that you are consciousness and bliss, You are satchitananda, You are eternal, You are birthless and deathless. Infinite love. See for yourself. And if you can taste it even a little bit, You can touch that energy even a little bit, Really see if you can enjoy it. Give yourself to it. You Okay. Keep that you don't have to abandon that but you You can finish this meditation by moving your body. When you're ready. Open your eyes.