Who am I? What am I? Koham? Self-enquiry, Atma Vichara, Adhyatma Chintana, Vichara Marga, Path of Self-Enquiry, Direct Path, Vihangama Marga

Those who practice Self-enquiry or "who-am-I meditation" keep on questioning themselves "who am I?" They try to understand the answer with their minds or hope that someone from within will give them an answer.

During meditation, when a thought comes to the "who-am-I meditation" practitioners, they question "whom did the thought come to?" Then they will question "who is asking the question 'whom did the thought come to?'" Then they will again question, "To whom did the above two questions come or who raised/brought up the above two questions?" They will answer "To me or I; so, who am I after all?"

They may also do it like this: "who is meditating?" They will answer to themselves, "I am." Then they will question, "So who am I?"

There are lot of other ways they keep asking this "who am I" question.

Is there any end to such questioning? Can this be a good meditation practice? Can you ever be silent with such questioning? Is this not a kind of mental activity? Can such questioning ever give an answer, because of the activity of the mind? 

Questioning is an activity of the mind. The mind is cunning. It will trick you into asking many questions and will trick you with equal number of answers. You will be asking questions and answering them all by yourself all your life. Will this lead to any real spiritual experience?

TRUTH: I have been with or seen people asking themselves "who am I?" for 40 years or all their lives and still not getting any answer.  Not only that, it was surprising to know that they did not even have a single meditation experience to share. If you think I am wrong, then you can check for yourself by visiting the places where such practices are popularized and practiced. You can enquire the people who have been living, working, and/or meditating there for a very long time and find out the answers for yourself. Of course, you need to be smart enough to get an honest answer because people who cannot or do not want to speak the truth will come up with some cock and bull stories; the usual miraculous physical and psychological benefit stuffs of meditation.

SELF-INQUIRY ACCORDING TO INDIAN SCRIPTURES:

A verse from Yogavasishtha or Adhyatma Ramayana:

Koham kathamayam dosha samsaarakhya upagate, nyaayeneti paramarsho vicaareti kathyate

Vicharat Gnaayate Tattvadvishranti atmana, atho manasi gnatattvam sarva dukha parikshaya

Translation:

Who am I? How did I come into this defective samsara (world)?

Such investigation is called Vichara (enquiry).

Through enquiry, Tattva (The Knowledge/Reality of the Self and the Cosmos) is known.

Such knowledge brings repose in the Self, then follows peace and the end of dukha (suffering).

Vicharam na sahate sa maya

Translation:

That which cannot stand Vichara (enquiry) is Maya (illusory knowledge of the world).

Self-enquiry has been misunderstood by 99.99% of the people who practice it. Self-enquiry is finding the answers to questions such as Who am I? What am I? Where did I come from and where will I go to? What is death and what will happen to me after death? How am I conscious? What is consciousness? Who created me? Is there a God or a creator? etc. Such questions should turn a person toward spirituality, i.e., the course of one's life should change from worldly to spiritual. When this person turns spiritual, then he/she will have to seek the answers through meditation. The answer will come in Samadhi through Kundalini/spiritual awakening.

Self-enquiry is not an intellectual meditation technique! It is a spiritual Samskara (spiritual conditioning/inclination of a person), i.e., such doubts as who am I? will come to those persons who are spiritually evolved. Spiritually evolved persons are those who have very little or no attachments to the world, family, friends, and the triples desires of Kaama-Kaanchana-Keerti (sex, wealth, name and fame/ego satisfaction). Without getting rid of worldly attachments, if you do "who am I?" meditation for your entire life, you will not  get any answer.

By thinking, questioning and answering, you cannot become silent. Activity (questioning, answering, thinking) and Silence are the opposites. Without silence, you cannot have any spiritual experience/knowledge. Spiritual experiences are a must to get an answer for who am I?

"In Silence, Know Thyself!"

"In Silence, The Supreme Sound (Aham) is heard!"

"Be still, and Know That I am (Aham is) God!"

To know the answer for Koham=Who am I? What am I? What is Aham? What is ham? click:

http://kundalini-brahmajnani.blogspot.com/2016/05/brahm-parambrahma-naad-brahm-veda.html

When the mind becomes still or silent, the breath becomes equanimous, or a momentary swabhavika kumbhaka (natural cessation of breath) is achieved--spiritual awakening happens and the answer for "who am I?" will be known through direct experience.

Warning: If you have been practicing "Who am I?" meditation for more than 3 years and have not had any meditation/spiritual experiences listed in the link below, you need to rethink about spirituality and meditation.

http://kundalini-brahmajnani.blogspot.in/2016/05/kundalini-experiences-mediation.html

WARNING: It's okay if you don’t meet a Brahmajnani (Self-realized seer) or realize yourself in this life, but never ever meet or follow a BHRAMjnaani (fake guru who will make you delusional).  If you do, then you will suffer your entire life.
http://kundalini-brahmajnani.blogspot.in/2016/05/bhram-jnana-bhramjnani-brahmajnana.html

SHUBHAMASTU – Let Good Happen to You!