Importance of Knowing the Self
Even if you have everything in life and you don’t know anything about yourself then you are seriously wasting your life. Knowing yourself is the most important goal of our life and you should spend some time for it even if you are very busy with daily activities. Because that is the only knowledge going to help you in the long run. Whatever we achieve in the physical world is temporary and may vanish in a blink of an eye. Current coronavirus covid-19 outbreak itself is a big example for this. Within weeks many billionaires became millionaires, rich people became poor, millions lost their jobs, so many people died and so on. So there is no guarantee in the physical world and anything can happen anytime. You will have to pass through good and bad times. That is the nature of the external world.
You are not Body or Mind
But if you gain self knowledge, that will help you to control your mind and you will come to know about the transient nature of the external world and then you will not be much affected by the fluctuations in the external world. Now the problem is you are so identified with the mind and body and you think that you are body and mind. But actually not. Since you are super identified with this body whatever happens in the external world affects you very badly. Your thoughts, feelings and emotions are fully controlled by the external environment. But the thing is there is no stability in the external world and that turbulence affects your mind, thought patterns. When your mind fluctuates it will create turbulence in your emotions, feelings, mood, habits and attitude. So your happiness will keep on fluctuating based on the outside circumstances.
You are Pure Consciousness
Once you are self centered and understand that I am above the body and mind you will start ignoring the outside world fluctuations. That is the beauty of it. You are pure awareness or consciousness. You are unaffected by body, mind and external things. You are Soul or Atman. Body and mind are only accessories to access the physical world. Don’t give much importance to them. Now the problem is body and mind taking control and you are being like a slave. You are supposed to be the master and mind/body supposed to be the slave. Mind is controlled by the large collection of data acquired from childhood. Most of these data are either obsolete or misleading. So when you leave the control to the mind you will be running with these false and obsolete data. That is why we are not always able to live a happy life even if we have everything in hand.
Don’t expect Perfection in Physical World
So take control of your life. Don’t leave everything to the mind and body. It is impossible to get perfection with mind and body. There will always be some problems in the physical world and most of them will be out of your control. It depends on so many factors and so many people involved. So if you expect perfection in the outside world you will always be disappointed. It is only a drama. Don’t worry about something you don’t have much control over. Move inside. Move awareness to your inner being where you have full control. If you are truly aware about yourself and illusions about the outside world then you will be always happy irrespective of the happening in the outside world.
How to Know the Self
Meditation can greatly enhance your journey to the Self knowledge. It will help to calm down the mind. Another way is to forcefully keep your awareness on the Self. See the real power behind your body, senses, mind and intellect. You are that power. All others are accessories only. Normally we say “My Body”, “My Mind”. That means I am not body. I am not mind. They are external things. “I AM” – that is important. As the great Indian Hindu sage Ramana Maharshi said inquire ” Who Am I”. Ask yourself this question often. Slowly the great knowledge will be ushered upon you by the Universal power.
Observe Body, Mind, Thoughts, Emotions and Feelings
As mentioned earlier, you are not mind and body – they are separate from you. So you can objectify them since you are the subject. Objectify and observe body, mind, thoughts, intellect, emotions and feelings. just observe thoughts are coming and going to mind. Don’t get attached. No judgement. just observe and allow it to pass. If you develop this habit slowly your mind will calm down. You will be free from body and mind consciousness. Most of your problems are connected to body and mind. When you are not much worried about these two you will be free and happy.