In a softly lit room, seated in repose, Sri Ashish captures the attention of every onlooker, including those on that are online. His message is revolutionary yet rooted in ancient wisdom. “Modern yoga,” he says with a gentle emphasis, “misses the essence of Patanjali, the ancient founder of yoga, but, perhaps, there’s another path.”
Today, the global landscape of yoga revolves around postures, mindfulness, and stress relief. By contrast, Patanjali’s elaborate Ashtanga Yoga (8-limbs Path), with its methodical steps –
- Yamas (self-restrains in one’s actions, words or thoughts) — Ahimsa (Non-violence), Satya (Truthfulness), Asteya (Non-covertness or not stealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity, marital fidelity and sexual restraint) & Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
2. Niyamas (positive duties or observances) — Saucha (purity, cleanliness of mind, body and speech), Santosha (contentment under all circumstances), Tapasya (austerity), Swadhyay (impartial introspection of oneself) & Ishwarapranidhana (Knowledge of Self)
3. Asana — to perfect the lotus position
4. Pranayama — Breath Control or Life Control
5. Pratyahara — Interiorization of the mind
6. Dharana — Single pointed concentration
7. Dhyana — Meditation
8. Samadhi — Self-absorption
Sri Ashish suggests a radical alternative, a route echoing the teachings of the venerable Ramana Maharshi: the path of Self-Inquiry.
The Detour Through Self-Inquiry
For centuries, spiritual aspirants have grappled with Patanjali’s detailed regimen, trying to sequentially climb its eight steps. From embracing non-violence in thought, word, and deed to sitting in a perfect Lotus Pose, the journey is formidable.
But Sri Ashish asks, “What if we’ve been reading the map upside down?”
Enter Ramana Maharshi, the sage from Arunachala, whose teachings on Self-Inquiry, or “Who am I?” introspection, have captivated seekers worldwide. For Maharshi, the quest for Self-Realization wasn’t about stringent steps but an inward journey, a direct conversation with the self.
Sri Ashish’s perspective aligns with this. While not entirely dismissing Patanjali’s wisdom, he suggests it might not be the only road to the summit of Self-Realization. Instead of entangling oneself in the complexities of the eightfold path, one might find enlightenment more directly through the profound simplicity of Self-Inquiry.
Why the Path of Self-Inquiry Resonates Today
In lives swamped with information and external stimuli, simplicity is revolutionary. The present-day seeker is looking for a direct, unfettered path to deeper spiritual awakening. Sri Ashish recognizes this longing and presents Self-Inquiry as a relevant, potent alternative.
Patanjali’s teachings, though invaluable, might feel out of reach for many in today’s context. But asking oneself, “Who am I?” is universally accessible, requiring no elaborate preconditions. It’s a return to the essence, bypassing rigorous rituals to tap directly into the soul’s core.
Think of our individual identities as waves on an ocean. Each wave seems unique, but at its core, it’s part of the greater ocean. When we ask “Who am I?”, we see ourselves as separate waves. Yet, delve deeper, and we find there’s no standalone “I”. Just as waves are the ocean, we’re all part of a vast, interconnected Consciousness.
“You see,” he begins, with the serenity of a man who has delved into the depths of existence and come out enlightened, “the journey of Self-Realization is not so much about becoming something, but about unbecoming everything that isn’t truly you.”
“Once you come to the end,” Sri Ashish says, his voice a gentle tone that commands attention, “you realize there was nothing to be perfected because your starting point was perfection.”
This idea, though profound, might seem paradoxical at first glance. If we began at a point of perfection, then why the need for spiritual quests, meditation, or even life’s myriad experiences? Why the feeling of incompleteness, the yearning for something more?
By answering this, Sri Ashish unravels the crux of human suffering. “In our relentless pursuit for more — more experiences, more knowledge, more possessions — we lose sight of our inherent nature. We’re like a wave in the ocean, believing itself to be separate, when in truth, its essence is the very ocean itself.”
In simpler terms, the essence of human suffering stems from our forgetfulness of our true nature. By dissolving the ego, the false sense of “I”, and realizing our interconnectedness, we can experience the inherent perfection and wholeness within.
“That’s what Ramana said,” Sri Ashish continues, drawing parallels to the wisdom of the sage. “Meditation can be a great auxiliary method, but in truth, you don’t need anything to be done. Just be.”
This act of ‘just being’ is deceptively simple yet profoundly challenging. It demands the surrender of the ego, the very identity we’ve clung to for so long. But in that surrender lies the magic.
“Once you surrender your ego, nothing else is left,” Sri Ashish emphasizes. “The questioner has to dissolve, not the questions.”
A Beacon for the Modern Soul
With this reinterpretation, Sri Ashish is not just another voice in the chorus of spiritual teachers but a beacon. By marrying the age-old teachings of Ramana Maharshi with the challenges of the contemporary seeker, Sri Ashish offers a renewed vision of spiritual awakening.
In this light, Patanjali’s map is not discarded but refolded. The destination remains the same: Self-Realization. But, as with all journeys, perhaps there’s more than one way to reach it. And for today’s seeker, Sri Ashish might just be illuminating the most direct path.
In an era marked by noise, distraction, and an incessant search for external validation, Sri Ashish’s teachings tell us to turn inward. It’s a journey not to discover something new, but to remember something forgotten. A journey to understand that amidst the chaos, nothing else truly matters except recognizing that our original starting point, our core essence, is already Self-Realized.
And in that realization lies the profound simplicity of existence: that we are, and always have been, enough.
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