Sri Ramana Teachings

What is self-investigation, and what is self-surrender?

In a Zoom meeting between Ludovic and Michael James, on 25th September 2024, Michael answered questions and talked about the basics of Bhagavan's teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

 

How does Arunachala eradicate ego when thought of?

In an online meeting on 22th September 2024, to celebrate Bhagavan's advent (arrival) to Tiruvannamalai on 1st September 1896, Michael discusses Bhagavan's how Arunachala eridactes ego when thought of.

The four main verses Michael discussed in the video are the last two of Śrī Aruṇācala Padigam and first two of Śrī Aruṇācala Aṣṭakam, the meanings of which are:

Padigam 10: I have seen a wonder [something extraordinary and miraculous], [this] magnetic hill that forcibly seizes [or attracts] the soul. Subduing the mischievous [outward-going mental] activity of the soul who thinks of it once, pulling [dragging or attracting] [that soul] to be facing towards itself, the one [reality that shines in the heart as sat-cit, pure being-awareness, ‘I am’], [thereby] making it be acala [motionless] like itself, it takes [and consumes] that sweet [spiritually ripened and pure] soul as bali [food offered in sacrifice or alms]. What [a wonder] this is! Souls, be saved [by] thinking of the great Aruna Hill, this killer of the soul, who shines in the heart [as the heart, namely sat-cit, the fundamental awareness of being, ‘I am’].

Padigam 11: Like me who think this hill to be the Supreme, how many are those who have [thereby] been destroyed! O people who are wandering about thinking of a means to give up the body, having given up desire for this defective life due to [its] expanding [or unfolding] misery, there is on earth one rare medicine that when thought of once within the mind will kill [ego] without killing [what we actually are]. Know that it certainly is Aruna Hill.

Aṣṭakam 1: It sits calmly as if a hill bereft of awareness [or knowledge], [but] ah, its action is pre-eminent [extraordinary or wonderful], difficult for anyone to know [understand or recognise]. Though from [my] young age, [when I was] bereft of knowledge [of anything else], Arunachalam shone brightly [and clearly] in [my] awareness [or mind] as what is exceedingly great, even [after] getting to know from someone that it is Tiruvannamalai I did not know [understand or recognise] its poruḷ [substance, essence, reality or what it actually is]. When, enchanting [or possessing] [my] mind, it pulled [me] close, at [that] appointed time [proper or opportune moment] of coming close I saw this to be acalam [motionless, still, steady or a mountain].

Aṣṭakam 2: When investigating within the mind who the seer is, I saw what remained when the seer [thereby] became non-existent. The mind does not rise to say ‘I saw’, [so] in what way could the mind rise to say ‘I did not see’? Who has the power to elucidate this [by] speaking, when in ancient times [as Dakshinamurti] [even] you elucidated [it] without speaking? Only to elucidate your state [of silent and motionless pure self-awareness] without speaking, you stood as a hill [or motionlessly] shining [from] earth [to] sky [though actually beyond the limits of both].

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

Understanding ego as an erroneous awareness of ourself

Following the book launch in August 2023 of Ramana Maharshi's Forty Verses on What Is, a compilation of the writings and talks of Michael James on Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu, Michael and Sandra have started a series of talks in which Michael explains the essential import of these verses and all of Ramana's teachings in 8 key points -- 8 talks (videos). This is the fourth talk with the fourth point: since ego is an erroneous awareness of ourself, it can be eradicated only by correct awareness of ourself, which means awareness of ourself as we actually are. After explaining this point, Michael answers questions related to Ramana's teachings. 

FREE SAMPLE OF THE BOOK:
You can find the 8 key points in the introduction that Michael wrote to this book (pp. xxxi-xxxii), which is also part of the 108-page free sample that you can download here: https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZbcyp0ZeohBWWHhHf8gs7k3TN2vMz02WIBy

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:

New Home page SriRamanaTeachings.org
https://www.sriramanateachings.org/

Introduction to Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu: https://blog.sriramanateachings.org/2024/09/introduction-to-ulladu-narpadu.html

Pure intransitive awareness alone is real consciousness and what actually exists
https://blog.sriramanateachings.org/2024/09/pure-intransitive-awareness-alone-is.html

Is there any such thing as a ‘self-realised’ person?
https://blog.sriramanateachings.org/2014/11/is-there-any-such-thing-as-self.html#yarjnani

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

 

 

What causes ego to rise from sleep?

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 14th September 2024, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham verses 18 and 19

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 7th September 2024, Michael James discusses Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu Anubandham, verses 18 and 19.

The translation of verse 18 by Michael can be found here: https://blog.sriramanateachings.org/2024/05/ulladu-narpadu-anubandham-tamil-text.html#una18

The translation of verse 19 by Michael can be found here: 
https://blog.sriramanateachings.org/2024/05/ulladu-narpadu-anubandham-tamil-text.html#una19

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

Real knowing is devoid of both knowing and not knowing

In a Zoom meeting with the San Diego Ramana Satsang (ramana-satsang-sd@googlegroups.com) on 1st September 2024, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

Only by persistent practice can we gain the power to remain subsided in our being

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 31st August 2024, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

Bhagavan's Advent and the path of self-investigation

In an online meeting on 30th August 2024, to celebrate Bhagavan's advent (arrival) to Tiruvannamalai on 1st September 1896, Michael discusses Bhagavan's advent and the path of self-investigation

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

 

What is surrender and how to surrender?

In a Zoom meeting with the Chicago Ramana devotees on 25th August 2024, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.  

The source and substance of ego is our own being, the pure ‘I am’

In a Zoom meeting with the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK on 10th August 2024, Michael answers various questions about Bhagavan’s teachings.

This episode can also be watched as a video here and a more compressed audio copy in Opus format (which can be listened to in the VLC media player and some other apps) can be downloaded from here.