- In-depth Technique of Self-Inquiry: Leo Gura explains how to conduct the technique of self-inquiry starting with understanding one's current perception of their self. This step involves honestly identifying what one believes they are without relying on fantasies or spiritual beliefs but focusing on what they feel they truly identify with. This could be physical attributes like the body or a specific part of the body.
- The False Self versus the True Self: Highlighting the challenge of self-inquiry, Leo describes the difficulty in distinguishing between the false self, which is the familiar concept of the self from birth, and the true self, which is one's spiritual essence responsible for all existence. The goal of self-inquiry is to look past the false self or ego to discover the true self.
- Separating Consciousness from Physical Attributes: Leo demonstrates how by considering every object one identifies with, like parts of the body or the brain, one realizes that these things are being observed or experienced, suggesting they are not the true self. This leads to less identification with physical attributes, bringing one closer to the true self, which has no concrete properties.
- Discovering the True Self: Observing that all objects and emotions have physical properties and space, Leo suggests that the true self, as pure awareness or consciousness, can be difficult to identify because it has no properties and is empty. He then guides viewers through an exercise to increase their awareness and directly experience their own existence, going beyond bodily sensations to find the deepest essence of themselves.
- Understanding the Nature of the True Self: Leo stresses that the true self is not a physical object or something like an emotion, but rather an empty space, one's core consciousness that has no properties. While it's challenging to find this, it's crucial to practice consistently and focus on it to understand one's true self. He stresses that it requires going beyond common conventions about concrete properties and physical space.
- Mind's Tendency to Veer From Emptiness During Self-Inquiry: Self-inquiry is challenging because the mind tends to veer away from focusing on the pure emptiness within, attaching to body sensations, memories, feelings, or beliefs. These distractions form the false self or ego, and to penetrate through this to grasp the true self, one must keep a radically open mind.
- Mind Training for Successful Self-Inquiry: Beginners may find self-inquiry especially difficult due to the untrained mind's tendency to wander significantly and get distracted. Adequate mind training to focus on the emptiness is necessary to successfully practice self-inquiry.
- Confusions of the False Self and True Self: Our entire life story, body identifications, biological or physical concepts, and all thoughts and beliefs we've ever had about ourselves form the false self. The true self goes beyond all of these constructsthe challenge lies in profoundly experiencing this emptiness.
- Process of Practicing Self-Inquiry: Self-inquiry involves turning your awareness inwards, avoiding tangible sensations or images and focusing on the actual emptiness. But rather than search for a physical, recognizable element to define as the self, it's advised to stay with the emptiness and patiently observe it with a quiet mind.
- Challenges of Concentration and Need for Persistence: It can be extremely challenging for beginners, particularly with distractions like technology, multitasking, etc., prevalent today. Prolonged, patient observation of the emptinesspossibly for hundreds or thousands of hoursis necessary to realize the true self and achieve awakening.
- Outcome of Successful Self-Inquiry: Upon successfully maintaining focus and patience in observing this emptiness, a sudden, massive epiphany, or awakening, could occur where an individual realizes the nature of the true self.
- Importance of Practical Action for Effective Self-Inquiry: The essence of practicing self-inquiry lies in observing and wondering about the unknown, in this case, a part of your own body, over a significant amount of time without conceptualizing or attempting to analyze it with previously known ideas or beliefs. This demands practical action rather than mere theory.
- Understand the Challenges of Self-Inquiry: Leo Gura details how the mind's tendency to wander and develop theories interferes with self-inquiry. This practice involves focusing on internal emptiness rather than on an object such as a body part. The mind often attaches to and objects to various sensations and images, and it can be difficult to maintain awareness of emptiness.
- Preserve Through Difficulties: Persistence is critical when practicing self-inquiry. When the mind wanders, it must be brought back to focus on the emptiness. Even if several personal, scientific, or past experiences arise, they must be brushed aside to continue focusing on the emptiness.
- Distinguish between True and False Self: Leo Gura explains the false self as the attributes born with the biological self, like body, personal attributes, or personal history. The true self is the emptiness, space, or the pure awareness in which the biological self arose. These two have been fused together, causing confusion, and self-inquiry aims to focus on this pure subjectivity to separate it from the physical self.
- Avoid Objectifying Awareness: As humans, people have a natural inclination to objectify everything they experience. However, the goal of self-inquiry is to experience pure subjectivity or awareness without trying to objectify it. Links to the past and science or any other external object must be resisted. Your awareness should be trained on itself until it reveals its true nature.
- Benefits of Increased Consciousness: Despite the challenges, increased consciousness ensuing from diligent practice of self-inquiry offers benefits such as detachment from negative emotions and attachments, and ultimately less suffering. Leo Gura emphasizes breaking free from the false self to reveal the true self within.
- Necessity of Consistent Practice and Patience: Leo Gura encourages patience and persistence, assuring that even if viewers are not yet awake or experiencing awakening, they are still making progress towards becoming more conscious. This increased consciousness will benefit their lives in various situations.
- Focus on Putting Knowledge into Action: Leo Gura emphasizes that only through consistent action one can actualize what one is learning. Watching videos or reading on its own are not sufficient. He acknowledges the difficulties faced in initial years like overcoming old habits, staying motivated even though immediate mystical experiences may not be experienced. But he assures that the benefits will accumulate gradually and lead to profound realizations.
- Importance of continual awareness on the true self: Leo Gura indicates that realizing the true self does not have to be a complicated process, one simply needs to maintain dedicated awareness on their consciousness. This process does not require intellectualization or forced efforts but relies on consistent and prolonged attentiveness. The exact time for full awareness varies for each person but with daily practice, revelation should occur in a few years. However, if the mind is distracted by fantasies and body sensations, it might take decades with no successful realization.
- The fusion of formed and formless: According to Gura, our initial unenlightened state is a fusion of the physical and spiritual worlds. With spiritual practices, we begin to separate our essence from physical sensations, emotions, pain, and suffering, and become more conscious of our true self, the emptiness. While detaching from the physical world and finding a spiritual realm can be liberating, it creates a duality between the physical and spiritual.
- Bringing back together the formless and the formed: Full non-duality is not achieved until we bring the formless back into the formed, recognizing that there is no difference between them. The new fusion leads to the understanding that the physical world is actually the spiritual world and that there is no distinction between the mundane and the divine. Being in this authentic non-duality state allows one to realize that there is no difference between occurrences and non-occurrences.
- Appreciating the power of observation: Gura suggests we can learn more about any subject, including our own consciousness, through careful observation without interference or judgment. In self-inquiry, this implies observing the process of observation itself, understanding what awareness and consciousness entail. However, curiosity and the urge for interaction often hinder pure observation.
- Persisting in self-inquiry practice: For successful self-inquiry, Leo Gura stresses the necessity of maintaining a calm and focused mind, able to persistently gaze inward free from distracting speculations or theories. He likens rudimentary concentration practices such as meditation and yoga to a telescope that steadies the gaze before switching to observe awareness in self-inquiry.
- Understanding the boundless true self: Gura maintains that the true self is not confined to a specific point within us but is an infinite, omnipresent essence. Awakening to this understanding allows us to realize that our true self extends beyond the universe and all of its experiences are merely happening within the immensity of the true self.
- Practicing self-inquiry consistently for realization:Gura reiterates that achieving enlightenment through self-inquiry depends on serious, regular, and prolonged practice. Some people give up prematurely, do it sporadically, or simply lack dedication, making the realization of the true self near impossible. Effective self-inquiry means separating form from formlessness consistently, focusing on emptiness regardless of the challenges this may pose.
- Benefits of awakening and detachment: Awakening or increased consciousness does not necessarily mean full realization of the true self but it does offer benefits. Gura explains that the false self experiences suffering, while the true self does not. Therefore, increased awareness enables detachment from negative emotions, attachments, and less suffering. Detachment here is not about refraining from engaging in relationships but rather gaining a healthier perspective on them.
- Effectively practicing self-inquiry: To achieve detachment from suffering, practices like meditation or Kriya yoga are beneficial in calming the mind. However, Gura indicates that the route to awakening goes beyond simply calming the mind. The practice must involve training awareness on one's true self, questioning the nature of consciousness and awareness.
- Commitment to actions: Gura emphasises the necessity of implementation of insights derived from self-inquiry exercises and not merely daydreaming or fantasizing about the process to achieve personal awakening. In addition, he highlights the importance of patience and persistence despite not instantly achieving an enlightened state.
- Enhancing self-perception: Gura indicates that while initial years of self-inquiry could be challenging and may require breaking old habits, regular practice promises gradual progress towards a realization of the true nature of self. Over time, steadfast observation enhances one's perception to the point of distinguishing intricate details within observations.
- Physicality of consciousness: According to Gura, consciousness or your true self is an empty vacuum occurring within physical experiences. The emptiness is inherently present and focusing on separating form from formlessness leads to the realization and appreciation of this emptiness. Remaining steadfast and dedicated to the practice produces gradual self-realization over time.
- Life Benefits of awakening: The awareness or awakening is not a waste of time, even if full realization does not occur. Increased consciousness enables detachment from negative emotions and attachments leading to less suffering. Enlightenment isn't binary and developing gradual consciousness contributes positively to various life situations.
- Ability to actualize through action: The capability of implementation and taking action on the insights gained is critical. With regular practice, and despite the challenges one encounters, pushing through difficulties and resistance and just doing it will eventually lead to a major breakthrough and understanding of the true self.
- Value of consistent effort and dedication: Even when not experiencing immediate mystical experiences, consistent action is required for transformation & benefits accumulate over time, leading to profound changes. Gura acknowledges the initial struggle but assures the revolutionizing nature of enlightenment.
- Importance of proper self-inquiry practice: Leo Gura underscores the need for focused, continuous, and dedicated practice of self-inquiry for several years. This involves calming the mind, observing without interference, and focusing attention inward. Over time, practitioners can realize their true self as empty and omnipresent, beyond speculations, theories, or physical objects.
- The illusion of self inside the body: Gura explains that the initial feeling of self being located inside the body is an illusion. Upon further introspection, practitioners will understand that the true self, as devoid of any properties, can't signify any specific physical location or boundary.
- The emptiness of true self: The true self, discovered through self-inquiry, isn't a bounded object but rather an infinite essence without any position in space or a size, making it feel omnipresent and not confined to the body. This realization leads to an understanding that the body, the room, and the entire universe exist within this emptiness.
- Understanding awareness through direct experience: One must focus their attention on awareness itself to truly understand it. Intellectualizing, speculating, or drawing comparisons about awareness won't provide any answers. Awareness must be experienced directly by training one's own awareness on it for a significant period.
- Practice of self-inquiry: To practice effective self-inquiry, Leo Gura recommends having a pre self-inquiry practice like meditation, yoga or concentration practice. This involves focusing on an external object, like one's finger, followed by shifting the focus on awareness itself, which serves as the actual self-inquiry.
- Benefit of self-inquiry practice: Even without experiencing full awakening, the increased consciousness achieved through constant and serious self-inquiry practice can greatly benefit individuals in various life situations by potentially reducing suffering and providing a healthier perspective on relationships.
- Misconceptions about emptiness: Gura clarifies that emptiness or the true self is not a state achieved through meditation but is present in every moment. The task is to separate form from formlessness and then bringing them back together. This involves consistent practice and dedication, without being deterred by initial difficulties or resistance.
- Active participation for effective results: Watching videos or reading about self-inquiry isn't enough. Active and consistent participation is essential for gaining real transformation and experiencing a major breakthrough. The initial years of practice might be challenging, but the benefits will accumulate over time, leading to profound changes in one's life.
- Growth and expansion of consciousness through self-inquiry: By focusing your attention on your awareness and practicing self-inquiry, your consciousness will grow and expand significantly. This can benefit various aspects of life like relationships, business, and dealing with emotions.
- Beneficial detachment from form and formlessness: Even minor separation from form and formlessness can greatly reduce suffering and promote healthier detachment in relationships, emotions, and cravings. Recognizing that the entity experiencing suffering is the false self can lead to the elimination of pain and suffering.
- Misconceptions of detachment: Detachment does not mean being devoid of emotions or disconnecting from the beauty of life. It instead involves reintegration of non-duality where you can experience emotions without suffering. The true good life involves accomplishing this detachment and reintegration.
- Need for preliminary practices for self-inquiry: If self-inquiry is too direct, it is recommended to first undertake preliminary practices like ordinary meditation or Kriya Yoga to calm the mind. Moreover, calming the mind is insufficient for awakening, as it also requires training your awareness on your true self.
- Difference between theorizing and actual practice: Merely learning or thinking about awakening and self-inquiry does not lead to actual awakening. Consistently practicing these techniques, however, along with maintaining patience can lead to true awakening and consciousness expansion.
- Risks of not acting on learned principles: An imbalance between the amount of spiritual learning and actual implementation can lead to mental issues like depression and even suicidality. Therefore, it is crucial to embrace discipline, apply the teachings, and remain patient during the initial challenging years of practice.
- Value of patience and future benefits: Most life-changing benefits of the practices like meditation or self-inquiry only become apparent after several years of consistent practice. Therefore, maintaining a long time horizon and vision is vital for enduring the early stages and reaping the profound benefits in the long run.
- Importance of implementation and action: Actualizing teachings or enlightenment requires action. Developing the capacity to implement and act upon the learnings is a critical step. There will be resistance and challenging days, but reminding oneself of the worth and potential benefits can help to persevere, leading ultimately to breakthroughs and self-realization.