Just be aware that you are

Just be aware that you are, and remain aware.

What is it that makes me conscious

Give all your attention to the question: "What is it that makes me conscious?", until your mind becomes the question itself and cannot think of anything else.

Your most important objective

Your most important objective must be realizing the Self. If you have not done this, you will spend your time in ignorance and illusion.
You, your mind, this world - they are all maya. Don't become a slave of this maya. Instead, realize the Self, and let maya become your servant.
-- Final Talks, p.71.

Let go of the "I"

This is the teaching of Bhagavan Ramana, my Guru. I am passing it on to you.

You must understand who you are and what you are, and then you must remain as that. If you can manage this, this itself will suffice. Right now, you are under the impression that you are your body and your mind, but the truth is, you are the Self. Let go of the "I" that you imagine yourself to be, and catch hold of the real "I", the Self.
-- Final Talks, p.70.

Silent being-awareness

Abandon all thoughts, not only of the world, but of yourself also. Stay beyond all thoughts, in silent being-awareness.

Absorption of Swami Ramanananda

Swami Ramananda, nephew of Sri Bhagavan, was absorbed into Bhagavan just after Bhagavan's 128th Jayanthi.

See more on Arunachala Ramana and official website.

A story on him was published on Jan 30th. Visitors to the Sri Ramanasramam will remember him as the person sitting in orange robes on the left side of the Samadhi Hall on a chair, next to the door leading to the Mother's shrine (during Veda Parayana). May he remain blissful in Bhagavan Ramana.

Verses on the Celebration of Bhagavan's Birthday

Composed by Bhagavan Ramana in 1912.

1. You who wish to celebrate a birthday, enquire first who was born. One's true birthday is when one enters into the Eternal Being which shines forever without birth or death.

2. Of all days, on one's birthday, one should mourn one's fall (into samsara). To celebrate it as a festival is like adorning and glorifying a corpse. To seek one's Self and merge in it, is wisdom.

See The birth of our Beloved Lord.

Bhagavan Ramana's 128th Jayanthi

Better than viewing Him as Other,
Indeed the noblest attitude of all,
Is to hold Him as the 'I' within,
The very 'I'.

Abidance in pure being
Transcending thought through love intense
Is the very essence
Of supreme devotion.

-- From "The Essence of Instruction" (Upadesha Saram)
(Taken from Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi)

We would like to wish our readers a Happy Bhagavan Jayanthi on this glorious day, when our beloved Father Ramana Bhagavan was "born" 128 years ago.

Arunachala Ramana

Arunachala is Ramana in the form of a hill, and Ramana is Arunachala in human form.


Though Bhagavan Ramana has left his human form, he will always remain shining here in the form of Arunachala, giving guidance and solace to his devotees. Therefore, the power of Arunachala is the power of Ramana - the power of the Sadguru's grace.

See Arunachala Ramana.

Bhagavan on Self-enquiry

This site Arunachala Ramana has an excellent post on Self-enquiry. An excerpt:

[Self-enquiry] is nothing to do with being aware of the contents of the mind. It's a very specific method that aims to find out where the individual sense of "I" arises. Self-enquiry is an active investigation, not a passive witnessing.

...

In that latter place you begin to experience the peace and stillness of the Self, and that gives you the incentive to continue.

Full article

Karthigai Deepam

This year, 2007, the Karthigai festival commences on Nov 15th and Deepam is on November 24th.

There is no mind

Q: How to give up the false idea that the mind is real?

Annamalai Swamy: If this does not happen spontaneously when you hear the truth from the teacher, keep telling yourself, 'I am not the mind, I am not the mind. There is no mind; there is no mind. Consciousness alone exists.'

If you have a firm conviction that this is the truth, one day this firm conviction will mature to the point where it becomes your direct experience.

Having love for all creatures

Bhagavan Ramana's sense of equality was legendary. When visitors came to see him - it made no difference whether they were VIPs, peasants or animals - they would all be treated with equal respect and consideration. His egalitarian concern even extended to the local trees; he discouraged his followers from picking flowers or leaves off them and he tried to ensure that whenever fruit was taken from the ashram trees it was
always done in such a way that the tree only suffered a minimum amount of pain.

Taken from "Be As You Are", Introduction, edited by David Godman.

Rejoice abundantly

1. My devotees have the qualifications to rejoice abundantly,
like children of an emperor.

-- Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
See Arunachala Ramana.

I will protect you

2. Abandon the drama of the world and seek the Self within.
Remaining within, I will protect you, ensuring that no harm befalls you.

-- Sri Ramana Maharshi
See Arunachala Ramana.

If you enquire and know me

3. If you enquire and know me, the indweller, in that state there will be no reason for you to worry about the world.

-- Sri Ramana Maharshi

Entrust your burdens on me

4. For the cruel disease of burning samsara to end, the correct regimen is to entrust all your burdens on me.
-- Sri Ramana Maharshi
See Arunachala Ramana.

Place all your burdens on me

5. In order that your needless anxieties cease,
make sure that all your burdens are placed on me
through the brave act of depending totally on grace.

Surrender all to me

6. If you completely surrender all your responsibilities to me,
I will accept them as mine and manage them.

See Arunachala Ramana.

why do you have any worries

7. When bearing the entire burden remains my responsibility,
why do you have any worries?

See Arunachala Ramana.