What is self-investigation?

Here we go!

Here, what is self-investigation? This expression "self-investigation" would be better used as self-observation, since here it's not about trying to find out something secret, which was hidden, which we don't know. It's not this! It's not like that!

So, the expression "self-investigation" isn't an appropriate expression for this work. Here, the best expression would be "self-observation," since what we are dealing with isn't a secret. It isn't hidden. It's not something really veiled.

We are dealing with something present. Although it's present, it's not recognized. And for this recognition, self-observation is enough. Then, you need first to observe yourself, to find out these "layers" which, apparently, hide, which are apparently veiling, your own Being. Here, it's about the acknowledgment of your own Being, and your Being is not veiled, is not really hidden.

Then, the word "self-observation," and we can interchange that with self-investigation… It's ok. That's fine. However, it must be seen under this proposal. Start observing yourself. Start observing your reactions. Start observing the thoughts present, the feelings present, the emotions arising along with these thoughts, as well as the sensations arising… Once you start becoming conscious of yourself through this self-observation or self-investigation, What is here "shows itself," What is already present here "reveals itself."

So, the purpose is to work on this. Human beings have been suffering for millennia because of this lack of self-observation.

We live as human creatures, identified with the old psychological conditioning model. So, this condition is a self-projection condition idealized by beliefs, idealized by imaginary motivations. Then, this misidentification state is the suffering state.

Self-Realization, and this is when this self-observation becomes important, which we may now also call self-investigation as we understand what it represents, this is something essential, fundamental. Observing yourself, observing what's going on, and disidentifying with this, in order to recognize yourself in your own Being is essential. Identified with thoughts, feelings, emotions and sensations, you are identified with an illusory personality, with a false identity.

This false identity, this illusory identity is the basis of all the suffering, all the contradiction, conflict and misery. The Realization of your Being is the end of this mistaken identification with this false center.

Some people call it Enlightenment or Realization of God. So, discovering What We Are means the simple acknowledgment of What is already here, here and now, present, when this false center is no longer operating, when this illusion of a separate identity is no longer present.

Then, self-investigation is the basis for Meditation. I talk about Real Meditation, not about what has been known as "meditation."

Real Meditation is only possible in this self-observation. So, this so-called "practice of meditation" isn't real Meditation. Meditation has the purpose of showing you the Truth of your own Being, of clearing this Truth of your own Being. For that, the way needs to be paved. This egoic mind needs to be seen. It needs to be recognized. It needs to be verified. Then, self-observation is the end for this identification with the egoic mind condition, and this is the base of Real Meditation.

Right now, I've been talking to you about this, the importance of Meditation and what Real Meditation represents. So, we can never separate self-investigation or self-observation from Meditation. The work happens simultaneously. If there isn't self-observation, there isn't Real Meditation, since Real Meditation is only possible when you become aware of yourself, of all this internal movement, which are thoughts' movements. Disidentified with this movement, disidentified with these thoughts, feelings, emotions and sensations, it's possible the recognition of something that transcends mind and body.

That's when Meditation is possible. I talk about day-by-day Meditation. I mean Meditation in a different way of this concept known as meditating. Ok?

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
Further information

The art of Meditation

After all, what is this some people call "meditation?" What is this thing called meditation? What is the importance? What is the value? What does it really matter?

First, we need to understand what Real Meditation is. Nowadays, this word is a very known and used word. We call meditation various techniques or practices to quiet the mind, to silence the mind. So, this is what has been called meditation.

When I use the expression "Meditation" in these meetings, in Satsang, I put it in a different way, completely different from this. When I talk about Meditation, I mean Real Meditation. Real Meditation is not to silence the mind. It is not to quiet the mind. Even because, through a technique, through a practice, through this so-called "meditation practice," it is possible to achieve this result, but it is not in this sense that I use the word "Meditation." To me, Meditation doesn't have that purpose.

Real Meditation is what is present as the expression of your own Being, as the very expression of your own Real Nature, your Divine Nature. So, Meditation, as I talk about, is something possible when the way is completely paved. It is necessary to pave the way for Real Meditation to express itself.

Meditation is your own Natural State. So, it's not a practice. It's not an exercise, something technical, mechanical you practice to get this result. So, Real Meditation is possible when the way is completely paved, so that It can flourish. So, Meditation is an art. It is the art of Being, of Being What You are.

The basis for this Meditation is self-observation. So, to observe yourself, to observe what goes on inside, to observe your reactions, to observe thoughts arising, feelings arising, emotions arising from thoughts, the reactions as memory responses, as thought's responses, the sensations... When all these are observed, in this self-observation – what some people have also called self-inquiry – we have the real basis for Meditation. Meditation as an art, as the art of Being.

So, Meditation is an art, the art of Being, of Being What You really are. That, which is really You, is disidentified, free. It is not contaminated by this sense of personhood, by this particular conditioned vision sense. It is not contaminated by psychological conditionings, by these belief patterns, by these patterns of internal disorder. Something so common in this confused state, which is the egoic state.

Therefore, Meditation is the end of confusion, but you don't go up to Meditation. Meditation is something that flourishes when this way is entirely paved.

Your Freedom isn't in controlling thoughts or in silencing them. Your Freedom lies in observing them, in becoming aware of them. Once you are aware of thoughts, they are no longer controlling you. Once you are aware of the entire movement of thoughts, thoughts vanish by themselves. They stop reinforcing a present identity.

See, it is in this reinforcement of that identity that lies the confusion. Because you are not aware of thought's movement, when it comes, it captures you. It's the same with feeling. It's the same with emotion. It's the same with a physical sensation. Whatever captures you, it ends up giving you a false identity.

So, your suffering lies on this false identity, something that takes place in the lack of self-observation. And without this self-observation, there is no Meditation.

So, notice: Meditation is an art! This way, the art of Meditation is simply Being! Being is to be free from this false identity, this false "me."

So, in Zen, for example, the expression is: "Meditation is Enlightenment." Then, notice: there is no distance between your Divine State, your Natural State – which is your Real State – and Meditation. So, it's not a practice. It's not an exercise.

So, are some meditation practices (so-called "meditation") comprehensible? Yes! Are they good? Yes! Psychologically, physically... but that's not what we're dealing with here.

When I point out Meditation, I'm talking about something that blossoms, something that awakens, that flourishes, based on this self-inquiry, based on this self-observation. Without this base, you don't have that real quality of Meditation, you don't have Real Meditation.

Then, Meditation is Being. It doesn't require time, place… You are driving the car; you are walking; you are eating; you are lying down, before sleep; you're lying down after you've finished sleeping, and there You are in your Being! This is Meditation! So, Meditation is something present in your Natural State.

Of course, for this to "evolve" to that point... and here the word "evolve" must be put between quotes, since it's not something you're going to develop to get there. I use this expression only in a didactic way so that you understand there is a whole process of self-observation internal discipline.

So, while you don't exercise this discipline of self-observation, of observing the internal movements of thoughts, to no longer be entangled with them, to no longer mistake yourself with them, nothing will happen. There will be no Real Meditation until then. So, there's a whole "process."

Be aware of yourself! Now, notice: becoming aware of yourself is something that, curiously, doesn't take time. Then, this word "process" isn't appropriate either, since that's something you do here and now. If you don't recognize this here and now, through this self-observation, there will be no Meditation, and this doesn't require time.

So, your job in this art of Being, which is Meditation, is to become aware of yourself, here and now, aware of everything that goes on. And as you become aware of that, there is a break, there is a disidentification, a disidentification with this false center, this character. It's when the Freedom of your Being, which is Silence, which is Peace, which is Truth, which is Love, reveals Itself.

This is your "union with the Divine". Actually, it's your Recognition of Being One, One with the Divine. There is only Him! So, we can call it Consciousness, Truth, God, Being, and we can also call it Meditation. So, Meditation is Being, and Being is Consciousness, and Consciousness is God, and That's Peace, That's Love.

In India, there is an expression for this. They call "Ananda", which means Happiness, Real Happiness.

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
Further information

The presence of Silence

Some days ago, someone said: "Listen to the Silence!" But notice: mind's absence is this Silence's presence. Mind is basically noise, sound, uproar. Mind's absence is the natural presence of Silence. To remain in your Being is to remain in the absence of the egoic mind, which means remaining in Silence. Silence is the Divine Nature, while the mind is noisy. Silence is the presence of Stillness.

People are very attracted to this issue of Meditation since they believe Meditation will bring Silence. Actually, true Meditation won't bring Silence. True Meditation is the presence of Silence. When you are before Silence's presence, you are Meditation's Silence. So notice, it's not that Meditation is going to bring Silence. Silence is the presence of Meditation, and this Silence is the presence of your Being.

You won't give rise to Silence. Some people talk about silent mind, but mind by nature is not silent. So, it's even possible for you to silence the mind, but it'll be mind's silence: an unnatural silence, an unreal silence. Here, it's not this Silence we are talking about. We are talking about the Nature of Consciousness, which is Silence. This is not mind's nature.

The work of Meditation is essential since Meditation reveals this Silence, reveals the absence of all psychological content. In the absence of all this content, there is Peace, there is Love, there is Truth. Then, Truth is present, Love is present, Peace is present, in Meditation, which is the presence of Silence, which is the nature of Silence.

If I say to you, "Listen to the Silence!" I won't be saying something real since when "you" are not present, Silence is present. So, it's not possible to have "you" in the presence of Silence. So, Silence cannot be heard by a separate entity. This separate entity is not real. Therefore, "you" are not real!

Sometimes we come across moments when the sense of separation is not present. You're on a beach, you're on the edge of a river or lake, or you take a look and see the sky, you see the clouds, at that moment, you look at a mountain range, and in this look, this "me" disappears. At that moment, there is Silence since at that moment, there is Presence.

This is the Natural State of Meditation. There is no programming, there is no strategy, no technique, nothing is done, nothing is sought. Only, you are present, and this "being present" is so complete, so full, that the sense of an "I," of a separate entity, is gone. There it is the presence of Silence.

There is no "you" listening to Silence. There is Silence in the absence of this "you." This is Meditation! This is the work we are proposing. Realize your Being. Live in Silence, in the Silence of your Essential Nature! That's the end of any form of conflict. That's the end of any form of suffering. That's the end of all the racket mind produces. This is the real Silence. It is the real Nature of Consciousness. This is the Truth about You. This is the Truth about God. This is Meditation.

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
Further information

All problems are illusions

The fact is: not accepting Life as It is means living in conflict. This "life in conflict" is living with problems. Now, the non-acceptance of Life as Life is, represents an illusion. So, problems are illusory. So, all problems are illusions.

When the mind faces what is and confronts, rejects, fights, resists, it is cultivating illusory problems. This is the condition of the egoic mind.

The problems you have in life are not problems. What you have in life are appearances that will soon disappear. Appear for a while and then disappear.

So, what you call a problem is the mind resisting these appearances. Therefore, all problems are illusory, because they are all based on what the mind is building and thought is holding. It is thought in resistance. It is thought fighting. It is thought in conflict.

So, all problems are illusory, because they are all based on this fight, this conflict, this resistance, this proposal built by thought. They are thought's ideas. They are constructions of thought.

You may face adversity, complexities, difficulties, but they are not a problem, they do not represent suffering. Suffering arises, appears, when the mind projects something onto it. Then, you are faced with a problem, an illusory problem constructed by thought.

What in fact is present is an adversity, a complexity, a difficulty, a challenge, but thought turns that into an internal conflict, based on fight, based on resistance. So, you're faced with a problem. But all problems are illusory!

That which is here and now, will soon disappear, because the nature of everything is to change. So, don't turn a given situation into a psychological problem, into a suffering, and that's what the ego has been doing.

Your work of discovering the Truth about Yourself is the work of discarding that ego-identity. Therefore, it is the discarding of the end of suffering, of this psychological suffering, of these illusory problems, which are all constructed by thought. Is that clear?

The next time you face a difficulty, you are facing just a difficulty. Don't turn it into a problem by creating any resistance. Welcome that without resistance. That's when you are facing just a difficulty and not a problem. You will not be facing suffering, a psychological conflict. But it is necessary to bring consciousness to that moment. It is necessary to bring attention to that moment, so that there is no resistance, so that the conflict does not settle, so that suffering does not establish itself.

This is how one lives intelligently, without conflict, without suffering, without resistance, without this sense of separation between this "me" and what is shown, without the duality between "me" and this appearance, which, in this case, is a difficulty, a challenge, an adversity, a complexity. All right?

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
Further information

What did Buddha discover?

What did Buddha discover? Buddha discovered the Truth! The direct, natural, and simple Truth of Your own Being! This was what Buddha discovered! You are also here for this Discovery.

So, the adventure of Buddha, this Self-Discovery adventure, is your own adventure. Thus, abandon your interest in Buddha and focus, put your real interest in Yourself. You cannot find anything other than what Buddha found when you find Yourself.

So, you need to focus on this. Focus on this Truth, on the Truth of your Self-encounter. This Self-encounter is the Realization of what You are. Therefore, it's not something you will accomplish by studying Buddha's life or studying Ramana's life or Jesus' life. Here, it's about you "studying yourself."

This "studying yourself" is to investigate the Truth of what is going on here and now within yourself. And when you look inwardly, you will at first be able to see what Buddha first saw in himself: a movement of restlessness, an inner movement of psychological disturbance. Mind lives in this condition. This is the egoic mind's condition.

Then, when you look inside yourself, what you notice is this psychological disorder, this psychological confusion, this restless movement, this movement of thoughts. Under this movement, you mistake yourself, you identify with it and get disturbed. Then, first you need to look and see this inside yourself, what's going on here and now. As long as there is no inner silence, inner stillness, there will be no Truth! And mind's movement is restlessness. It is conflict. This is the nature of the egoic mind.

Our emphasis on the importance of Meditation – and that was Buddha's path – is essential! You need to find out what Meditation is.

Meditation carries an extraordinary beauty in itself! Meditation gives you a Real Vision of Yourself. This Real Vision of Yourself, of Yourself, is Buddha's Vision. It is Christ's Vision. It is Ramana's Vision. So, to this question "what did Buddha discover?", the only answer is the answer of this Self-discovery. If you discover the Truth within Yourself, you know what Christ revealed, what Ramana revealed, and what Buddha revealed.

So, your work is towards the Realization of this Stillness, this Silence, the absence of this false center. Notice, Buddha didn't mention the word "God," which was different from Ramana and Christ. But they all referred, pointed to the same direction, the direction of Truth. The word itself is not the Truth. The word "Truth," the word itself, is not the Truth. The word "God" is not God. So, the answer to this lies in the Revelation of your own Being, In What your own Being reveals. So, this Revelation is Ramana's Revelation, Buddha's Revelation, Christ's Revelation, and it is your own Revelation.

So, our emphasis in these meetings is to show you that Happiness is possible in this Self-Realization, only in this Self-Realization, in the Realization of the Truth, the Truth that You are, the Truth that You bring here, now.

So, this is an association with Yourself. Then, the Guru's figure is just a figure. The Reality of your Being is the Divine Reality. It is God's Reality. It is Truth's Reality, or whatever name you want to give This.

The point is: find out what Ramana found, what Buddha found, and what Christ found. Then, you have the Revelation of Truth, and this Truth is the end of confusion and suffering. This is the only Truth. This Truth is the Divine Truth.

December, 2021
Gravatá-PE, Brazil
Further information