Ways to explore the nature of the real self

Continuing with the previous post on "Exploring the meaning of I" (https://vipulagarwalca.blogspot.com/2023/07/exploring-meaning-of-i.html), I feel that this exploration into the meaning of "I" may take place at the following 5 levels:

Logic or reason (Jnana yoga)

We may explore at the level of reason or logic. Our logic is generally based on very limited awareness. There is no problem with the limitations of the awareness. The problem is when we start considering this limited to be absolute. We become so sure of the completeness of our awareness and understanding. It's like a second-standard student believing that he knows everything about quantum physics. That brings complacency and prohibits us from making efforts to be aware of things we do not know. 

Logic may be a very good tool to explore. We may understand the deep secrets of nature with logic. That is how the ancient Indian sages tried to understand the secrets of nature and developed astrology as a subject that allows us to logically explore the functioning of the nine forces of nature through the study of the nine planets in astrology. 

Astrology is not the only method of exploration in the domain of logic or reason. There are rather many other ways. Logic should be pure and unbiased. That requires telling ourselves continuously that we may be wrong. The key to exploring the nature of the real self through logic is that we need to examine ourselves as well as others as a witness. Without this dissociation, self-examination may be nothing more than self-criticism or self-justification. Both of them are definitely not an examination of the reality of self. Rather they are simply evaluations of self-based on certain pre-defined standards. That serves no purpose in our effort to explore the real nature of the self.

Surrender or Bhakti Yoga

Surrender is the surest and easiest way to know the real self. What we are presently aware of is a very limited and minuscule part of the real self. The moment we realize this, we surrender this limited self. When this limited self follows logic, it tries to become aware of greater depths of self to be aware of its entire existence which is as wide as the universe to slowly become one with that reality. On the other hand, the approach of a bhakt is a bit different. He realizes the limitations of his understanding of the self vis-a-vis the real self. Having realized this limitation, he surrenders this limited self to the divine. With this surrender, the limited merges with the whole. Like a river surrendering to the ocean to merge into the ocean and become a part of the ocean. 

Exploration of the unconscious world (Vipassana)

A greater part of our self is unconscious. In our day-to-day life, we are hardly aware of the unconscious. However, this unconscious drives almost all our decisions from the backdoor. It keeps creating different fears and ambitions in disguise. Like Ravana coming in the disguise of a saint to kidnap Sita. 

Through Vipassana, we try to enter the world of the unconscious by concentrating on different parts of our body to observe the sensations in these parts. These sensations are experienced by us unconsciously. The unconscious mind keeps enjoying the pleasant sensations and averting the unconscious sensations. The enjoyment or aversion to these sensations keeps giving feedback to our mind to crave more pleasant sensations and be averse to unpleasant sensations. 

These devils come in disguise and therefore are very difficult to fight with. We need to make the concentration aware of its strength like Jamvanta making Hanumana aware of this real strength. The moment concentration recalls its strength, it can cross the ocean of emotions and enter Lanka, the world of sensations. It has the capacity to bring the awareness back from Lanka but that will not serve the purpose. We slowly build a bridge with faith to reach Lanka and replace Ravana with Vibhishana.

Daily activities (Karma Yoga)

We may explore the real nature of the self by practicing awareness in our day-to-day life. Our daily life is like a laboratory where we practice all the theories we read in Jnana, Bhakti, or Vipassana. While living daily life, we get moments of anger, frustration, jealousy, anxiety, fear, worry, enthusiasm, excitement, wonder and so many other emotions. 

Emotions are the measuring yardstick of our level of awareness. The shallower our awareness of self, the easier we get agitated and excited. The deeper the awareness of self, the lesser we experience these emotions. More than the number of occasions when we experience these emotions, what matters is the intensity of the emotions. 

Meditation (Dhyana Yoga)

Meditation is taking some time away from the daily routine to dive deeper to gain awareness of the self. While carrying out our daily activities, most of the time we keep reacting. Strong identifications with the body and the mind do not leave us so easily. Due to these identifications, we keep reacting.

While sitting in meditation, we get some time off. Since there is no immediate threat to the body or the mind, we get some time to dive deep into our real nature. However, if we are too obsessed with the limited awareness of the self, even with closed eyes, we will continue with that fixations and will end up wasting all our time thinking and worrying or making plans. 

We can explore deep depths of the self in meditation only when we live a divine life. If daily life is full of greed or hatred, the reasons will be flawed, emotions will be quite steep and the demons of the unconscious mind will keep attacking regularly. Our daily life will be full of emotional reactions and disturbances. In that state, it may not be possible for one to even sit silently for a small period of time, leaving apart meditation. Even if the person sits silently for some time, the mind will be full of thoughts. In such a state, there is no meditation. 

That's why all these five ways are interconnected and mutually complement each other. As our logics gain awareness of the wider self, they help us surrender and gain awareness of the unconscious world and to live a life free of conflicts that lead us to a natural state of meditation. Surrender to the divine help our logic to grow purer and help us build the bridge to take us to the Lanka of demons where we can replace the internal Ravana with Vibhisana which helps us to live day-to-day life with awareness and get the opportunities to dive deep while sitting in meditation. Vipassana helps bring purity to logic and also helps us surrender as we become free of the internal Ravana. It also makes our being aware of daily life and being aware of the deeper secrets of our existence. Living daily life with the awareness of the real self protects us from mirroring the impurities of the world and connects the rational, emotional, and unconscious mind to the divine. Through meditation, we gain insights to purify our reason, emotions, and unconscious mind.