Self-discovery - Do I know who am I

Do we know who we are? If we know who we are, then there is no suffering in life at all. If we don’t know who we are, there is a need to find it out. The questions baffle common man and scientists alike. However, the great masters of Eastern Wisdom, who discovered Yoga, Mantra, mindfulness, and meditation declare that our true nature hides behind the body, breath, life, mind, intellect, and ego.

Why we never desire to find out what is our true nature? Because we are misguided by wrong notions and thinking about it. We have taken for granted that we are the sum of body, breath, mind, intellect, and their activities. The mind perceives the body, life, mind are all changing from moment to moment and at the same mind is searching for permanent peace and happiness.

This trigger in the mind to search for permanent happiness must have some basis deep within, behind all that is changing. The great masters have found out that it is our true nature – real-self, SatChitAnanda, pure consciousness, or subjective reality.

The subjective reality cannot be known or searched by the mind because the mind cannot perceive what lies beyond and behind the mind. This understanding led to the understanding of mindfulness/ meditation, yoga, and tantra. The method of self-discovery is very well-designed by our great masters and validated for over 10000 years. The first step is to become a qualified seeker, the second step is to know the principles of self-discovery, the third step to follow the personalized practices given by the teacher, fourth step is to experience the change and learn from experiences. These are the steps that lead to awakening and relaxation of one’s true nature or self.

Relaxation and Mindfulness: a perspective from Eastern Wisdom

What is Eastern Wisdom

The Eastern Wisdom is known as Sanatan (eternal or no changing) principles that are applied, simple, and easy to lead a life beyond suffering. It aims at the end of suffering and awakening to inner peace and happiness. Relaxation and mindfulness are natural states of every human being, according to Eastern Wisdom. It is baffling for scientists to accept this notion of natural state because science discovers the objective reality, and Eastern Wisdom discovers the subjective truth of man. 

Two different approaches to knowledge seeking truth differently

Our technology is remarkable, but our psychology is deplorable. We are enjoying outer riches at the cost of bankruptcy within. The inner poverty causes suffering in our personal, professional, social, and family life. It is because of our perception and notion about life, relationship; work is based on objective reality. Relaxation and mindfulness are the states beyond the mind, according to Eastern Wisdom, that reflects our existence and our real nature. 

Knowledge is that power which liberates one from suffering 

According to the teachings of great masters of Eastern Wisdom, knowledge (of self) is the highest knowledge that liberates one free pain. The moment knowledge dawns of the self, suffering ends and relaxation and mindfulness state are realized. The wisdom of Eastern Wisdom is more than 10000 years old, supported by 3000 texts and masters. There is a systematic approach to learning and practice. 

1. Learning and listening to the principles of Eastern Wisdom with masters.

2. Contemplation and reflection on the principles to understand it and remove doubts.

3. Applying the principles through many customized practices to evolve the mind.

4. Experiencing the change and learning from experience until the final stage is reached. 

Eastern Wisdom always leads to relaxation and mindfulness 

According to Eastern Wisdom, the entire universe can be divided into two central division, namely self and non-self. Who am I is our true nature, and who am I not is nonself? It is not easy to recognize the two – self and non-self without understanding the principles of Eastern Wisdom. That is the reason master semphasizes learning the principles by listening from the teacher.

The self is SatChitAnanda or the absolute existence consciousness bliss. It is a state of pure consciousness. We say it is pure consciousness because it is an object-less state of mind devoid of objectivity of the mind. There are thousands of practices passed on to us by our great masters to realize the object-less state of relaxation, and the mindfulness includes, Mindfulness, Kundalini, Rupa Meditation, Mantra, Yantra, Mudra practices. 

Relaxation and mindfulness

Google is flooded with practices, guidance, and teachings of relaxation and mindfulness- 2 -5-10 minutes of instant methods. All these are aberrations because they do not conform to the principles of Eastern Wisdom. Why it took Buddha more than 13 years to discover relaxation, mindfulness, compassion, love, and wisdom? Because he learned the principles from many masters, practiced and applied in life. There is no doubt every practice gives some relaxation and glimpse of mindfulness state. Still, people do not discover the permanent state of mindfulness. It is a journey to objectless state that can be attained only when the mind is disciplined and educated by principles of Eastern Wisdom aims at self-discovery. 

About Girish Jha, MA 

40+ years of experience in teaching, research, educating thousands of people includes diplomats, engineers, doctors, kids, professors. Many Himalayan masters have mentored Girish Jha. He studied psychology, philosophy, applied mindfulness, Tantra, Yoga, Spirituality. He has a master’s in science and applied mindfulness. He has helped people overcome the challenges of HIV, Substance Abuse, Opioid addiction, Stress, anxiety, ADD, ADHD, depression, relationship problems.