Self-Realization and Freedom from Suffering

Introduction: Self-Realization and Advaita Vedānta

Just as raindrops fall into a stream, we flow into our sādhanā (spiritual practice) based on our unique temperaments. While our spiritual practice may change throughout our lives, these various streams lead to the same ocean of eternal freedom and self-realization.

At the heart of my sādhanā are the teachings of Advaita Vedānta and the practice of self-inquiry (ātma-vichār). The Indian sage, Sri Ramana Maharshi recommended self-inquiry for self-realization.

Over time, self-inquiry becomes less of a practice and more of your natural abode. When suffering arises, the inquiry occurs spontaneously, dissolving egoic patterns and revealing your inherent peace and timeless freedom.

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The Biggest Obstacle to Spiritual Liberation

Although we may suffer from physical pain, it is our psychological suffering that hurts the most. Some people walk around every day with emotional wounds, while others carry a heavy burden of guilt and shame. At times, it may feel like life is not on your side or that people are out to get you.

When challenges arise, we lose our peace, become easily triggered, and feel overwhelmed by worry and tension. It may seem like your suffering surfaced from the difficulties in your life.

However, this is māyā (illusion). Māyā does not mean that the material world is an illusion. Rather, it is the sense of separation that we experience that is not real.

Consequently, your biggest obstacle is your mind. Namely, the conditioning of your mind which believes it is a separate entity. This separate self is ego (false self), and it appears to be apart from its source, the Supreme Self and Ultimate Reality.

While you take yourself to be the ego, you will believe that the roles you play define you, your successes enhance you, your failures limit you, and that your happiness is in the world outside you. You will be a slave to the ego’s desires and fear the transient nature of your body-mind.

For this reason, self-realization is your salvation. It is waking up from the dream of ego and realizing that you are the immortal, imperishable, and formless Self. This realization brings everlasting peace and happiness.

Self-Realization and the Urge to Awaken from the Dream of Ego

The sages and saints point the way to freedom, but it is up to us to make the journey home. This journey is one of self-realization, for it is an inward journey from the realm of ego, back to your true Self.

The Bhagavad Gita mentions that the merits you have accumulated from your sādhanā go with you into the next life and that the urge to awaken intensifies (BG. 6.43). It also emphasizes that anyone can attain moksha (ultimate freedom) in this life. It does not matter if you are a sinner, or what your race, caste, sex, or birth is (BG. 9.30 and 9.32).

This is our supreme destiny, to end our suffering and awaken from the dream of ego.

If the call to freedom echoes inside your being, every fiber reaches out in grace to break the bondage of māyā. All it takes is a tiny amount of willingness to be free, and the universe lends Her support.

The Oscillation

Yet, we continue to suffer because we repeatedly return to the realm of the ego-mind. Then, an oscillation seems to occur from the unreal to the real, from suffering to peace, and bondage to freedom.

From my own experience, self-inquiry bears immediate fruit and ends this oscillation. Which is really a wavering from duality to oneness, or separation to union.

Self-realization is the recognition of this sense of oneness and inherent peace, that is naturally present when the ego dissolves.

Duality and The Dissolution of the Fragmented Self

You are neither the slayer nor the slain

When I was reading the Bhagavad Gita, there was one line that really struck me. In fact, it was this line that sparked this post: “there is neither slayer nor slain.” (BG. 2.19) I thought, wow, this is exactly what self-inquiry reveals.

If you have ever observed your mind, you will notice that at times you refer to yourself as both “I” and “you”. For instance, one minute your mind might be saying “you never do anything right”, and the next moment it is saying “I’m so stupid”.

Who is the mind talking to?

You see, our minds have become fragmented due to our conditioning and identification with the ego. The one saying “you never do anything right”, is the slayer, and the one who says, “I’m so stupid”, is the slain. But there is neither slayer nor slain.

Both thoughts are witnessed by you, but you get swept away by them when you believe they are for you. You believe you are the mind, and you believe that you are the one the mind speaks to.

This is the effect of duality. We experience an inner dialogue that is dualistic in nature because we don’t know our true source. Simultaneously, we also experience the world as separate from us and see beings as apart from ourselves.

We become tormented by the world within and begin to look for salvation in the world outside. But everywhere you turn, you see a reflection of this fragmented self and divided existence.

So, you seem to go further from your source and fall deeper into your slumber where you make the dream of duality a darkened reality.

Self-Realization and Seeing Beyond the Dream

In the dream, we believe we can attack each other and be attacked. But as it is said in another profound spiritual book, A Course in Miracles, ‘attack is for the body.’ Do you really believe you are just a body?

A sage knows that what happens to the body is secondary. So, they are said to have transcended the bodily state. This does not mean that you should neglect your body or that the body does not exist. Rather, become aware of what is prior to the body-mind.

You are aware of both mind and body. And you are aware that you can perceive them both. It is you who is prior to the bodily state. But who are you?

As Ramana Maharshi says, “the question ‘who am I?’ is not really meant to get an answer, the question ‘who am I?’ is meant to dissolve the questioner.”

If you have not practiced self-inquiry before, this quote may sound abstract, philosophical, or confusing. Whatever your reaction is to this quote, just notice what is happening in your mind right now. Whether you are experiencing confusion or understanding, it does not really matter.

The key is noticing that thoughts and feelings are observed by you. Are you aware of your reaction to that quote? Are you aware of yourself at this moment?

Is there ever a moment when you are not aware? In the same way, the body is seen by consciousness. You are this consciousness.

This is what meditation reveals.

As you deepen in your sādhanā, it becomes less formal and more natural. You become aware of just the natural sense of being, of just existing without attaching yourself to anything.

This mindful awareness begins to go with you on your walks, as you eat, and as you brush your teeth. Instead of getting tangled in the world around you, and in your supposed identity, you see that awareness is prior to every experience.

Self-realization is the recognition that you are this awareness. You are not the objects that appear in it, but the one source from which all things arise.

So, how can there be suffering for the formless Self? How can there be loss for the timeless One? Consciousness does not suffer, only the ego suffers.

Don’t Kill the Ego, Do this Instead

The term “ego death” and the phrase “kill the ego” makes all this sound very intense. At times, the desire to awaken and to be free of suffering feels very extreme.

So, it is understandable that we use these terms, but being free of the ego is also much simpler than we sometimes realize.

We learn to create various identities about ourselves and others. So, we don’t see beyond the mental constructs that we create.

For this reason, you don’t need to kill the ego. It isn’t real. It is a mental construct. All you need to do is recognize its unreality.

You do this by simply being aware of yourself without identity, just your natural state of being. Can you feel that sense of “I exist”? It is like the space around you, subtle and omnipresent.

Karma and the Law of Cause and Effect

Your experiences, thoughts, desires, fears, attachments, the universe, and literally everything you are aware of, arises from the One Consciousness.

So, when you begin to see the duplicity and multiplicity of the ego, you can drop your identification with the mental construct you have of yourself. In turn, you are released from suffering.

To clarify further, suffering is simply an effect, not a cause. The cause of suffering is duality and separation. So, the end of suffering is union or oneness. Hence, yoga means union. It is union with our Divine nature.

To be totally honest, duality in a sense is also an effect.

All effects arise from the Supreme Self, and are sustained by the Self, and return to the Self where they dissolve and become One with the Self.

Karma (cause and effect) is for the ego. The Self has no karma. For this reason, self-realization is the end of karma.

But don’t worry about all this right now. This is intellectual knowledge and direct knowledge is far superior. Direct knowledge comes from self-realization.

All you need to do is stay as the awareness of what you experience. Just be aware that you are aware, be aware that you exist, and be aware that you are the one who observes all phenomena. See that nothing you observe is you, for you are the witness.

This is all you need. Self-knowledge will unfold on its own. You don’t need to force it.

Self-Realization and Letting Go of Ego

The Sanskrit term “Līlā” describes the divine play of existence. There is nothing wrong with the world or you, and nothing wrong with this divine play.

Those who feel guilt for their actions, or attacked and tossed aside, both are suffering. Both are one. The duality in the mind is no different from the separation in the world.

So, remember that which is untouched by suffering and discover that still space within. In this space, you are already free.

See beyond the roles you play, be aware that a role is playing, be aware of how this limits you and creates suffering for you.

You are neither: the slayer nor the slain, the captor nor the hostage, the accused nor the abused, the superior nor the inferior, the perpetrator nor the victim.

When you let go of these identities, you let go of pain, blame, trauma, failure, shame, guilt, fear, anger, depression, lack, death, and loss. You let go of the ego.

For disidentification to occur, simply return to your source. Be aware of yourself as the one who watches these roles playing out. Don’t try to change them. Any effort to reshape and change the ego, or to transcend the ego, comes from the ego.

The slayer is the ego, and the slain is also the ego. Believing you are either sustains the ego, causing you to dislike yourself and life.

You are not the ego

When you know that these identities are not you, you won’t see their duality in the world. In other words, the moment you see yourself as a victim, you make someone else a perpetrator.

Within each of us dwells the immortal Self, timeless and ever-present, untouched by pain and suffering. Or rather, all things dwell within the Self. You are the Self.

But, when you forget this, you believe that you are a timebound being, separate from others, and far from peace and freedom.

Conclusion: Freedom from Suffering

Nothing you perceive about the world, other people, or yourself, changes the truth of who you are. Nothing you think, no emotion, and no experience can destroy you.

You are the indestructible, deathless, there is no loss or lack for you. You do not experience guilt or pain, only the ego experiences this, and you are not the ego.

You have never attacked another, sinned, or hurt yourself. Only the ego does this, but you are pure consciousness, and consciousness is untouched by this play of existence.

The multiplicity is just a manifestation, let it be because it does not prevail against your true nature.

Trust that you will always be shown the way to freedom when you are earnest.

Satchitananda

In Vedanta, satchitananda essentially describes the Supreme Reality. Sat means existence or being, chit is consciousness, and ananda is bliss. All three are One with the Self.

So, simply remain with the natural sense of being. The sense that you exist. And know that you are already free.

Be aware of what is unfolding. Remember what is prior to perception. Witness what comes and goes, and know that you are already free.

Feel the space in the room and rest assured, the ego is already losing its hold. You are becoming more aware of the spacious dimension within. Who you are is divine bliss, know that you are already free.

Self-realization is already unfolding by itself. There is no need to force anything.

Just keep confirming and acknowledging that which is prior to all that you perceive. This will lead you back to the recognition of your inherent peace and freedom, which has never left and is timelessly present now.

With Endless Love,

Ravelle

You can read more about self-inquiry here.

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