What is Self-Inquiry?

When we first begin our awakening journey, we naturally start to ask, Who am I? If I'm not this person that I thought I was, this name, memories, ideas, identities... then who am I? We may not realise how important this question is, and perhaps, it is the most important question you could ever ask.

Self-inquiry is a spiritual practice where you take that question - Who am I? - and use it to deepen with awakening.

Practice 1:

Sit in meditation and once your mind begins to slow down, ask the question - Who am I? Wait quietly and attentively. If the mind tries to come up with an answer, then that is not it. You are looking for an experience of your true nature, not a response from the mind. The answer is the gap of silence before the mind starts talking. It may only be for a second and perhaps seem subtle, but if you keep repeating this practice, you will start to see the benefits.

Practice 2:

Question the "I". When you notice a thought, such as, I'm always late for work, question who is it that is late for work? Any time you hear an "I" "me" or "my" thought, question who is it that is having that thought? You may feel confused or disorientated, or the mind may go silent. All of that is normal. You are calling out the fraud - which is the illusory separate self. When it all goes silent then that is who you are - a silent aware presence, that has no identity.

Keep investigating the one that is talking until it goes silent. An example of how this may go is:

Thought - I am always late for work

Question - Who is it that is late for work?

Answer from mind - Me, (insert name)

Question - Who is this me?

Answer from mind: Well it's who I am

Question: And who is that?

Silence...

Through questioning the illusory subject, the one that believes it is there, you start to see its lack of existence. You can look into your direct experience and see if you can find this illusory self anywhere. Is it in the mind, in the body? Can you locate it? Eventually, a shift into silence will arise and try to rest there. Do this practice as often as you can remember throughout the day.

Over time you will start to see how the one doing all the talking is not who you are. That is just a conditioned response, being triggered by the environment and internal world. Who you are is that quiet, still presence that is always there, but not initially obvious.