A friend wrote me and asked how he can get established in the practice of self-inquiry (atma-vichara). I’ve included my reply below, in case it might be helpful to others. I’ve always loved Ramana Maharshi, but it took me a long time to click with his self-inquiry method. I couldn’t figure out how self-realization wasContinue reading “Self-Inquiry”
Author Archives: Jay Matthews
Spiritual Practice
Enlightenment has four doors. Each door is associated with a practice or core idea. All doors lead to the same goal, so you can pick whichever one you like. 1. The front door. This is the path of attainment. Focus on a meditation object to stabilize your attention. When you arrive at spacious clarity, abideContinue reading “Spiritual Practice”
Paths to Enlightenment
There are several reliable paths. These paths are just different ways of saying the same thing. 1. Realize you are already there. This perfectly valid admission catches some flack. People who think enlightenment is the result of spiritual progress like to point out the horrors of your current existence. But here you are, existing inContinue reading “Paths to Enlightenment”
Fully Enlightened
When my family and I go on vacation, we designate a turn-around point. If you realize you forgot something before the turn-around, you can turn back. If you realize it later, you proceed to destination, the missing Kindle or whatever notwithstanding. A fully enlightened person would be someone who is truly sick of turning back.Continue reading “Fully Enlightened”
A Personal Choice
Enlightenment is a personal decision that doesn’t have anything to do with your belief system. Freedom precedes us, like sitting down precedes standing up. Subscribing to a belief system to find freedom is like getting up to sit down. We want to sit with people and appreciate the beauty of it all. Pretty soon, somebodyContinue reading “A Personal Choice”
