Ramana Maharshi and the Cult of 'Pure Awareness.'

[django]

Originally Posted by ajay00

Advaita means nonduality and Advaita is about direct knowing rather than believing in concepts.
The term 'concept' itself is a dualistic expression which ought to be transcended to experiential understanding.
In fact the yoga Vasistha teaches the need to transcend all concepts for direct realization of the Divine within.

Consciousness minus conceptualization is the eternal Brahman the absolute; consciousness plus conceptualization is thought. -- Yoga Vasistha....

How can a person who has some sort of psychological issue (PTSD, anxiety, abuse issues, depression etc) leapfrog all of that and find peace and bliss within themselves? How do you go about accessing this in practical terms?

[Miss Hepburn]

Had to shorten quotes as Admin has asked.
2-3 sentences allowed now.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by django

Isn’t Ramana’s conclusion, that “The body dies but the Spirit that transcends it cannot be touched by death” actually just a belief that he is expressing in this specific moment? It’s not as though he actually had an experience of himself as a deathless Spirit is it?

Based on my own experience of facing death, I would say it's an inner knowing rather than a belief - I had a health scare in 2012 and became convinced that I was terminally ill and was going to die, and it forced me to face the prospect of my own death; this gave rise to abject terror and sorrow at the thought of my life, which had previously felt like such a burden but which now seemed incredibly precious, being extinguished. Somehow or other I managed to drop all resistance to this terror and sorrow, and in an instant it transformed into what I believe is referred to in the Bible as 'the peace that surpasseth all understanding', and I knew - not believed, but knew, in the marrow of my bones - that what I am beyond name and form is immortal and indestructible.

This isn't the sort of knowing that you can arrive at on a purely intellectual level, though, you have to fully open to the visceral terror to get there (I believe that this terror is present within all of us, but it tends to takes a brush with death to become fully conscious of it).

[django]

Originally Posted by A human Being

Based on my own experience of facing death, I would say it's an inner knowing rather than a belief - I had a health scare in 2012 and became convinced that I was terminally ill and was going to die, and it forced me to face the prospect of my own death; this gave rise to abject terror and sorrow at the thought of my life, which had previously felt like such a burden but which now seemed incredibly precious, being extinguished. Somehow or other I managed to drop all resistance to this terror and sorrow, and in an instant it transformed into what I believe is referred to in the Bible as 'the peace that surpasseth all understanding', and I knew - not believed, but knew, in the marrow of my bones - that what I am beyond name and form is immortal and indestructible.

This isn't the sort of knowing that you can arrive at on a purely intellectual level, though, you have to fully open to the visceral terror to get there (I believe that this terror is present within all of us, but it tends to takes a brush with death to become fully conscious of it).

Yes, I read the full quote and it is very similar to your experience. You say you can’t arrive at this sort of knowing on a purely intellectual level, in the same way I’d imagine you can’t arrive at the ‘understanding of non-duality’ on an intellectual level. This is interesting because many people are convinced about non-duality in exactly this way, certain catch phrases are used that are meant to bamboozle the mind and create believers.

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 12 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by Gem

I read a bit of Ramana and listened to some of his lineage, and the meditation of persistently returning attention to your essential being seems sensible enough to me as some sort query into reality or truth.

It seems sensible enough to me as well.

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 15 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by psychoslice

Its not a matter of simple accepting what others or what external authorities tell us. Those who have experience that which is beyond the mind, have simply made a map, to share with those who are still searching:

Well said !

.... and I personally needed all the help that I could get.

[A human Being]

Originally Posted by django

This is interesting because many people are convinced about non-duality in exactly this way, certain catch phrases are used that are meant to bamboozle the mind and create believers.

Sure, it's like other religious/spiritual concepts in that it can so easily become just another form of rigid fundamentalism - that's just the human tendency to seek comfort in belief systems, I think. I generally avoid those sorts of discussions altogether these days, I find them tedious and unhelpful.

Edit: Mind you, that's not to say that such discussions don't necessarily have value, just that I'm familiar enough with the theory by this point.

[psychoslice]

All teachings are external, as you said: "I personally feel that we would be better served by looking at life for ourselves" this was the who point of Ramana Maharshi teachings, don't get lost in the teachings, or the words, get lost or lose yourself by going within, and experience that which you truly are.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

get lost or lose yourself by going within, and experience that which you truly are.

I would rephrase that to read "get un-lost or find Self".

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by django

How can a person who has some sort of psychological issue (PTSD, anxiety, abuse issues, depression etc) leapfrog all of that and find peace and bliss within themselves? How do you go about accessing this in practical terms?

He had a sudden anxiety of fear which as per his words, drew his mind inwards, but he had enough strength of mind to clearly ask himself the now famous words , "Now death has come; what does it mean? What is it that is dying? ...." and so on.

He did not waver and succumb unconsciously to the fear of death as generally most people do, but investigated it objectively and bravely with a clear thought process and drew his conclusions from it.