Chapter 7: Spiritual Journey, Elevation, and Self-Realization!
Spirituality is a path where the oscillations created by the mind and the heart are steadily minimized until the ultimate goal is reached—a state of zero oscillations, where one abides and lives in a pure ocean of bliss as a Jivanmukta – liberated while alive. In practice, the ECG analogy perfectly illustrates this journey of spiritual elevation.
Dialogue between Seeking Wisdom (SW) and Wisdom Speaking (WS)
SW: How does one elevate themselves above or cross all the low-frequency elements? Based on the Map of Consciousness, I feel there is a lot of work to be done. How can one be completely done away with anger and other elements? While practicing at the levels of courage and acceptance makes sense, how do we completely distance ourselves from these low-frequency elements?
WS: The first goal is rising above the chaos in your body and mind through mindful silence and meditation. Low-frequency elements—such as anger, greed, pride, and apathy—wreak havoc on your daily life; as such, it is of the utmost importance to manage them beforehand. To tame the "Monkey Mind," one must learn to absorb experiences through silence and meditation (which is demystified in the article below). Silence, achieved through self-absorption, is the best language and the most powerful weapon. Slowly and gradually, as you practice silence more deeply, you will suppress these low frequencies. Ultimately, with a little more focus on silencing your thoughts through meditation, you will achieve their complete elimination and eradication.
SW: What does elevation feel like?
WS: Elevation feels as light as air; it is as if you are levitating in pure, unadulterated bliss. This is a state of bliss you have likely touched before during some of the most special moments of your life—moments you always wanted to hold onto longer. However, those moments were entirely fleeting, and you had no control over sustaining them.
Spirituality and mindful meditation give you the ultimate tools to anchor that feeling and hold onto it eternally. This becomes your superpower: the ability to absorb anything and everything within yourself, to gracefully rise above the shifting waves of joy and sorrow (the pairs of opposites), and to permanently experience a waveless ocean of absolute peace and calm.
SW: What is Self-realization?
WS: Self-realization is the stage when you finally realize your true Self. It is a scientific process of self-discovery; it is ultimate self-redemption!
Through it, you come to know who you truly are, where you came from, and what your ultimate source is. At this stage, an answer like "I came from my mother’s womb" would be nothing short of a joke. Self-realization is your conscious connection with your own divine Self, the part of you that is eternal, was never born, and will never die.
SW: How does Self-realization / the direct experience of the Self truly feel like?
WS: Even the best of the best perfected and realized soul will not and cannot answer this directly. Swami Chinmayananda, a master renowned for his eloquent commentaries on the Upanishads, beautifully noted that even the sacred scriptures themselves seem to stammer when attempting to explain this feeling. It is utterly indescribable and unexplainable. This experience is meant for direct attainment, and Upanishads have graciously defined it simply as an Ocean of Pure Bliss. No one can definitively claim it feels like "this" or "that." One can only share minuscule glimpses of this infinite ecstasy to serve as a signpost for others. After all, how can that which is infinite by nature ever be contained within the narrow jar of human words?
However, a few universal signposts of this awakening include:
• The Ultimate Homecoming: A profound, sudden realization that this is where one truly belongs—the final destination, the ultimate home.
• The End of Seeking: A stage where no more questions remain. It is an attainment that completely resolves the mystery of existence by unfolding one's true nature as unlimited, boundless, and infinite.
SW: Perhaps this is the ultimate question: How does one find redemption? How do we achieve enlightenment and attain Self-realization?
WS: Self-realization is attained through dedicated spiritual practice, chiefly a progressive, systematic process of meditation. Meditation is the vehicle that delivers you to your ultimate destination. It can be the easiest path or the most grueling, depending entirely on your faith, perspective, and willpower. Yet, meditation alone is not enough; it must be anchored by the right knowledge of Truth. The foundational step is understanding the interplay between duality and non-duality, guided by a sharp, discriminating intellect. Only then can one walk the non-dual path—a journey of radical acceptance that transcends the rigid boundaries of good and bad.
The path to self-realization requires a sound knowledge and understanding of three key concepts that pave the way for it:
1 - What the purpose of meditation is—what it is and what it is not
2 - How to practice meditation: Self-enquiry, followed by
3 - Intellectual exposition: Knowledge through scriptures/reading
Part 1: Demystifying Meditation.
What is Meditation? Meditation is not the final goal itself; it is a technique—a profound spiritual transport system.
It is the vehicle that moves your consciousness from its current scattered state into the Void, transporting you toward Brahman (the Source), and ultimately home to the Self, which is the absolute Reality. Always consider meditation to be the vehicle, not the final destination.
What Meditation is Not
Many people can sit in one position for a long duration like an hour with their eyes closed, watching the endless traffic of worldly thoughts pass through their minds, and mistake this for meditation. This is simply sitting quietly while failing to calm the mind.
Ramana Maharshi famously noted, if you are sitting with a mind full of wandering thoughts, that is not meditation; it is merely a state of disturbance.
If your lips are sealed but your mind is talking, you are not in a state of surreal peace. Thought is a language in itself. When you think, your mind is conversing with itself, building parallel universes and mental imagery. Sitting still to compress these agitations is merely a preparatory step; it is not meditation. True meditation only begins when the mind becomes completely silent.
How to silence the mind?
Tame the Monkey Mind: Trying to force the mind to be quiet is a vicious circle. It is like asking the mind to control the mind, which is as futile as asking a thief to catch himself or pouring petrol to extinguish a fire. The mind’s inherent nature is to flicker continuously from one thought to another, jumping around like a mischievous monkey. To tame it, you cannot fight it; you must transcend it.
Start with Temporary Suspension: preventing the mind from rushing outward toward sensory objects.
Efforts to suppress thoughts are never entirely wasted. They act as a temporary suspension (horizontal movement), preventing the mind from rushing outward toward sensory objects.Think of this temporary suspension as a makeshift airstrip temporary created during a war. The airstrip itself isn't the sky, but it provides the flat, stable ground required for a jet to take off.
When this suspension is added or filled with the fuel of deep Self-Enquiry, your consciousness shifts from a horizontal struggle to a vertical elevation. You cross dimensions, rise above the planetary matrix, and eventually merge with the Absolute.
This requires continuous effort. Do not bind this journey to deadlines, speed, or durations. If your ultimate goal is the Absolute, your foundation must be absolute liberation—which cannot be restricted by calculated thoughts. Have the willpower to live the process for as long as it takes.
What is Self-Enquiry and how to enquire Self?
Part 2: The Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Enquiry
Self-enquiry is the ultimate step that silences the mind. It is the North Star of meditation, guiding the seeker home, and the power plug that makes the entire practice successful. As Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi taught, meditating with a mind full of thoughts is not true meditation—it is simply mental disturbance. To meditate truly, one must be free of thought, and the only direct path to that stillness is the practice of Self-enquiry. The process of Self-enquiry is deeply rooted in the Vedas and Upanishads; it cannot be bypassed. It acts as a strict barrier to the floodgates of the mind.
When you sit for meditation, the mind will instinctively try to obstruct you. No matter how determined you are, a thought will slip through, making you feel defeated. Instead of fighting it, use this systematic approach, which is Self-enquiry:
1. Confront and Enquire: Welcome the very first thought that arises. Directly ask it: Why have you come to me? What do you want from me? Who am I to whom this thought is occurring? Basically in corporate jargon, it’s a fish bone with 5 whys?
2. Resolve and Purify: Address the root of the thought. This is a process of deep contemplation and reflection, where the mind and intellect communicate. Resolve it by completely forgiving others or seeking forgiveness within. Clear the psychological baggage.
3. Pivot to the Source: Once the thought shies away and dissolves, you will discover a brief passage of absolute thoughtlessness—an interval of pure bliss. In this space as the next thought makes it way, immediately pivot to the ultimate questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my source?
Practice this daily. By confronting thoughts face-to-face, they lose their power and stop knocking on your door. While point one clears the path, point two is your cosmic spaceship. It holds the potential to return you directly to your source. This path is not for the faint-hearted; but if you recognize yourself as a Twin soul, a Starseed, or someone craving for Liberation then this blueprint is precisely meant for you.
Part 3: Intellectual Exposition – Nourishing the Mind with High Knowledge
To ascend, you must first nourish the intellect with the right knowledge. This requires understanding the delicate interplay between duality and non-duality, a feat guided only by a sharp, discriminating intellect. To discover who you truly are, you must read, listen, and reflect. If you have reached this stage of seeking, a Master or Guru has already been energetically assigned to you. Trust the signs that cross your path. Spiritual guidance is rarely direct; whatever book or teaching entices you right now is precisely what you need.
The Interplay of Knowledge and Meditation
Throughout my journey, I have sought out books that provided profound clarity. While meditation acts as the vehicle that helps you levitate and move vertically across higher dimensions, right knowledge helps you comprehend those dimensions and see the path ahead more clearly.
I will be sharing some of the texts and books that had a meaningful impact on me while I was a seeker in pursuit of wisdom.
Some older texts mention that one must have a Guru to achieve self-enlightenment and become a Jivanmukta. My experience tells me that the physical necessity of a Guru depends on an individual's unique journey. I do not deny the importance of a Guru, Ramana Maharshi is the one who initiated me into self-enquiry—however, if you believe in metaphysics, you know the ultimate goal is to absorb the teachings of the Guru, not necessarily to have them physically present. Reading about and absorbing the wisdom of Ramana Maharshi had a profound impact on me. If you do not currently have a physical Guru, do not search aimlessly for one. A Guru will find you when you are ready. Trust the learning that comes to you in whatever form it arrives.
Here is my journey through books and teachings viewed through the lens of metaphysics. These are some of the works I recommend reading to realize the Truth:
Initial Stepping Stones:
At the earlier stages of my journey, the specific books mentioned below initiated me and filled me with the exact essence of liberation I was searching for. They validated what was happening within me—igniting the fire for ultimate freedom. The texts that profoundly helped me during this initial stage were:
• Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda: This book helped validate that a true path exists—that there is a spiritual realm beyond Earth, a place of absolute peace.
• Ramtha: The White Book: This profoundly helped validate the chapter in Autobiography of a Yogi concerning Hiranyagarbha (a higher-dimensional plane), while offering a broader perspective on existence and freedom.
The Shift: Deepening through Self-Enquiry
For me, the real Spiritual journey began with the profound realizations sparked by the foundational texts of Ramana Maharshi:
• Who Am I?: The ultimate starting point for self-enquiry.
• The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi by Arthur Osborne: An exceptional guide for mastering foundational concepts.
• The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi: A beautiful summary of ultimate scriptural truths.
If you possess a burning desire to know the unknown, and if reading these spiritual texts helps you tread the non-dual path, then paired with the right meditation practice, you will one day achieve enlightenment—perhaps without even realizing it.
Through contemplating and reflecting upon knowledge about Truth and continuous meditation, you strip away the illusions. One veil falls after another, and another after another, until one fine day, you redeem yourself and achieve ultimate self-discovery. This is the stage of absolute unity. You exist in harmony with everything and anything; there will be nothing that is not a part of you, and no part of existence where you do not dwell.
While the actual experience is naturally beyond words, this generic observation holds true: from this moment on, life changes completely. You begin to live as an enlightened being—someone finally awake from the longest dream ever dreamt. Having touched your inner nectar, you become fearless, anchored in truth, and bathed in bliss. You are one among all, and one in all.
The path is arduous and cannot be easily explained in writing. The time it takes depends entirely on individual experience, dedication, and past karmic work. However, one thing is certain: this path is not reserved for an elite. It is wide open to one and all. All you need is to be a true seeker, trust the process, and have the faith to see it through.
A Staunch Warning: The Traps of the Higher Dimensions
This is a highly delicate stage. Because you are operating far virtues above the masses, the ego will attempt to weaponize pride. Even though your dimensional awareness places you far above lower-frequency vibrations, you must strictly guard yourself against the lingering pitfalls of:
• Greed: As your manifestation power peaks.
• Pride: As the intricate mechanics of the cosmos reveal themselves to you.
• Anger: As you lose patience with lower-frequency logic.
As a general milestone, self-enlightenment truly begins to crystallize when you operate from the 5th Dimension (5D) and beyond. However, even in this realm, you have not yet fully transcended the mind and intellect. Because of this, they will attempt to play tricks using whatever limited ego you have left.
Abide by the golden rule: "I am not the doer, I am not the enjoyer." Accept everything that comes your way as an opportunity to exhaust your remaining past karmas. Let it come, let it go.
The Great Overhaul – The Knowledge leading to Truth!
At this pivotal juncture, your internal ecosystem and energetic DNA undergo a complete overhaul. You will naturally find yourself stepping away from lower-frequency dynamics, shifting effortlessly into a serene and detached state of being. To anchor yourself deeper into this infinite presence, immerse yourself in these advanced reads/books/scriptures:
Core Non-Dual Treatises & Direct Enquiry
• The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi: Essential for direct self-inquiry, particularly the passages examining the Agamas.
• Ramana Gita: A holistic and comprehensive guide to abiding in the Self.
• Tripura Rahasya: Offers absolute clarity on the non-dual nature of pure Awareness.
• Ribhu Gita (from Sri Siva Rahasya): Provides the ultimate contemplation to abide steadily in the Absolute.
Practical Discrimination & Mastery
• Vivekachudamani (Adi Shankaracharya, commentary by Swami Chinmayananda): A master class in Vedantic discrimination (viveka), synthesizing foundational knowledge into a single comprehensive guide.
• Yoga Vasistha: Fortifies your commitment to the path, offering profound solace by revealing that your spiritual trajectory is divinely aligned.
Radical Freedom & Uncompromising Truth
• Ashtavakra Gita (commentary by Swami Chinmayananda): A radical, transformative text with the power to serve as an immediate turning point in your realization.
• Avadhuta Gita (by Sage Dattatreya): "Songs of Freedom" to comfort the soul and keep your focus pinned on absolute liberation.
Principal Upanishads for Foundational Clarity (Commentaries by Swami Chinmayananda)
Principal Upanishads for Foundational Clarity (Commentaries by Swami Chinmayananda)
• Kathopanishad (a dialogue with death): It strongly reconfirms the spiritual insights gained so far, illuminating the finer distinctions between higher heavenly realms earned through righteous deeds and the supreme state of absolute liberation (moksha).
• Mandukya Upanishad (with Gaudapada’s Karika): The definitive text mapping the four states of consciousness to reveal the Absolute (Turiya). It dissolves the illusion of cause and effect, revealing that beyond this realization, nothing dual remains.
• Mundakopanishad: Establishes the seeker firmly as the pure Witness (sakshi). At this stage, profound silence becomes the highest understanding and the ultimate instruction, as Truth simply is.
Trust the path!!!
Somewhere within all of this, you will realize you have become a Jivan Mukta—liberated while still alive. It is not that simple, yet it is as simple as nothing.