Are there prerequisites for self-investigation?

In a Zoom meeting with ‘Yo Soy Tu Mismo’ (a group of Spanish devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana) on 19th September 2021, Michael James first answers the questions:

“For people with a lot of mental and emotional agitation, so much so that even it has an impact on their bodies, to what extent is it necessary to achieve first of all a certain degree of mental stillness before they start to practise self-enquiry? Is it necessary to achieve a certain degree of Ekagrata (sustained focus of attention on a single point) before beginning the practice of self-enquiry? For people with such mental and emotional agitation, wouldn’t trying to quieten the mind by mantras, japas or meditation be something done by force? Would it perhaps be better for them instead to try to acquire a deeper understanding about how their beliefs, judgements and fears are leading them to think the way they think, feel the way they feel and suffer the way they suffer?”

and then answers more questions about this and other aspects of Bhagavan’s teachings, particularly the practice of self-investigation and self-surrender.

While answering these questions, Michael refers to and/or discusses the following passages from Bhagavan’s writings:

Nāṉ Ār? paragraphs 8, 11 and 19

Aruṇācalaramaṇaṉ

This episode can also be watched as a video: 2021-09-19 Yo Soy Tu Mismo: Michael discusses whether there are prerequisites for self-investigation.