Majority of spiritual seekers feel that Self is something to be achieved. It is a misconception. Self is already the case but we are unable to feel its presence because it is clouded by thick clouds of conditioning born out of identity to the body, family, tradition, beliefs, dogmas, nationality, race, caste, creed, profession, gender, etc. Many feel that living a positive life means is to have more ambition, greed, arrogance, accumulating more knowing, always in a state of "becoming" which involves time. Actually these are all the signs of mental disorder and living with them leads to a life of conflict, contradiction, sorrow, despair and we are alienated from our own Self with such way of living. So it is a negative way of living and humanity is unfortunately conditioned in that way. Positive way of living involves a life of living in the present moment and act spontaneously. In this way we act from pure conscious without intermediary distortion of the ego. Life is action in relationship. So how we act is very important in determining the way of life. Because of Self ignorance we are acting from the ego, the "me" which is the summation of experiences born out of incomplete action. "Me" is limited and its action is limited leaving the residue of non-understanding in the form of experiences. They are stored in memory cells and thought arises from that center and we are acting from that center. So we face ever changing reality from a fixed, dead past center. When acts like that such action is naturally incomplete and brings us sorrow which is quite obvious if we observe our life. So there is a need to investigate into that urgently otherwise sorrow goes on accumulating. So in self-inquiry we go into the question why we are identifying with all these degenerating factors. Identity and ego are possible in a state of non-awareness of the activity of ego. In self-inquiry we do it with the light of awareness, and gradually the thick clouds of condition first become thin and finally disappear. When those clouds disappear we perceive Self-effulgent Self. S o in self inquiry the veil over Self is removed and our mind is posited in Self and we live a positive life with love, compassion.
About the Author: The author, Dr.P.V.S.Suryanarayana Raju is pediatrician from Andhra Pradesh, India, born on 12th December 1950.He is working on the subject of self-inquiry for the past 30 years under the living Presence and guidance of Ramana Maharshi which he discovered 30 years ago in Ramanasramam.He is a frequent visitor to Ramanasramam and out of greatfulness to Bhagawan he wrote many books analyzing his teachings and these books are some of them.His works include The Art of self-enquiry, Alpha and Omega of self-inquiry, The essence of self-inquiry part 1 & 2, Insights in self-inquiry Part 1 & 2, Theory of self-inquiry, The Practice of self-inquiry, The theory and Practice of self-inquiry, The comprehensive book on self-inquiry, Know Thyself, self-inquiry in yoga Vasista, Self-inquiry in Adi Sankara works, he wrote self-inquiry quotes in two volumes, commented on "who am i", Upadesa saram, Akshara Mana Malai of Ramana Maharshi and all are his products of his own experience.He wrote many books on Bhagawan in Telugu which include "Nenevadanu? which is a commentary of him on "who am i" in Telugu, Nija Vicharana and his most recent books in Telugu Vichara Chudamani, and Vichara Chandrodayam mainly deal with the practical aspect of self-inquiry and he explains in them why self-inquiry is a direct and easy way for realizing the Self.He also wrote self-inquiry in Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavad Gita commentary vol1, The essence of Bha