What is Self?

The second step in the Spiritual Journey

Soon after examining the steps of knowing self, the next step is to contemplate on this Self.  If this is not the world, body or mind, what is this?

Before we proceed in contemplating on Self, the foremost and crucial aspect is to nullify the assumption of giving a human image to this Self.  Human is one of the varied forms of this Self, so it can be a big spider as well if spiders were to walk in this path of knowing-Self.  Maybe that is happening, who knows, anything is possible in this Maya.  Many Vedanta scholars may disagree with this; I am not here to bring in a new theory of any sort, my only humble approach is to make it clear that when we mention Self, please do not put a human face to it.  

This nullification of an image is a vital sub-step to progress further but definitely takes considerable time to wipe out this completely.  The simple reason for this difficulty is that attaching human image is deep-rooted conditioning in the human race.

Let us begin this contemplation with a clean slate and be open about what this Self can be.

The most obvious step in this process is to conclude that this self is a void or an emptiness because when we examine by removing the world, body and mind, we tend to land in blankness. 

Self is experiencing this void, then how can it be this void, emptiness or blankness?  Go back to the basic principle, whatever that can be seen or experienced is not the Self.  Self is the seer and experiencer.

This contemplation takes the seeker to deeper levels, or in other words, it helps in removing more layers of conditioning.  The more close the Self is to itself, the reflection of the same in the mind and body is that of peace.  And this peace once achieved or reflected is everlasting.

It is not possible to define Self, because words or language are after Self.  For e.g., any art or painting cannot define its maker.  This is just an example to make one understand the futility of human knowledge and falling short in this pursuit.

Thence, we hear the Spiritual Masters of every culture concluding with, "It is".

The spiritual journey should begin by Knowing-Self and progress with contemplating on whatever that can lead the seeker into by removing objects of experiences.

Remove the experiences completely and what remains is the Self.  This emptiness is the nature of the Self.

More later!

Thank you