Self-attentivness (Self-awareness), tendencies (vasanas) and effort

Self-attentivness (Self-awareness), tendencies (vasanas) and effort
by Ramana Maharshi Via Michael James

Self-attentiveness is ‘done correctly’ only when we experience the absolute clarity of pristine self-consciousness, and if we do not experience such clarity immediately, it is because we still have vishaya-vasanas — desires to experience things other than our own non-dual self-conscious being, ‘I am’ — which prompt us to think of the things that we desire and which thereby cloud our natural clarity of self-consciousness. As Sri Ramana says in the eleventh paragraph of Nan Yar?.

• As long as vishaya-vasanas exist in [our] mind, so long the investigation ‘who am I?’ is necessary. As and when thoughts arise, then and there it is necessary [for us] to annihilate them all by investigation [keen and vigilant self-attentiveness] in the very place from which they arise. …
  In order to destroy all our vishaya-vasanas — our desires or latent impulsions — patient and persistent practice of self-attentiveness is essential. After making a little effort, we should not give up thinking that our efforts are not producing immediate results. Every moment of self-attentiveness weakens our vishaya-vasanas by undermining their foundation, our mind, and thereby brings us closer to our final goal. 🙏

~ via Michael James, Sunday 23 November 2008. Self-attentiveness, effort and grace

The ‘secret’ to a plentiful life, a life of harmony, happiness and contentment is to have a sattvic mind free from desires and ego and to live in every moment in conscious contact with our true Self (Consciousness).

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony