Swami Shankarananda - Self-Inquiry: Using Your Awareness to Unblock Your Life

This book is the result of years of spiritual work and experimentation in which many people took part. First, I want to acknowledge my great Guru, Swami Muktananda, in whose presence my understanding of Self-inquiry was inspired. Later, when I asked the question, he said yes.

I bow to the great sages, especially Ramana Maharshi, who blazed the way.

Next, I want to acknowledge Devi Ma, to whom I dedicate this book. She has worked with the process over many years, helping me shape it with her unmatched intuition.

I must acknowledge my editor, Jacqueline Bos, who worked with me on the text, selflessly giving up her spare time. She held every idea and thought in her mind and always knew when one of my additions was valuable or repetitive. I couldnt have done it without you Jackie.

Let me acknowledge my dear Professor Patrick Mahaffey, Chair of Mythological Studies Program at Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, California, for his sensitive and insightful foreword.

As always, I am indebted to Kali Nolle for the print design of the book and the cover. She turns my books into objects of beauty.

Thank you to Swami Dayananda for creating the index and reading and rereading the text, offering advice on content and structure. Kaymolly Morrelle also read through the text many times and did much valuable copyediting. Thanks also to Dr Jo Hughson for checking the Sanskrit and for general assistance.

And I want to thank Daniel Vuillermin for producing the CD that goes with the book, and Jim Walter who assisted with the mixing.

Thank you to Dr Gary Witus for his suggestions and to Dylan Frusher, Mary-Anne MacCallum and Leigh Saward who helped in various ways. And also to Sandy Kouroupidis who organised the printing, and to Dr Isobel Crombie who transcribed the lectures.

I also must acknowledge Mother Girija, Danny Greenberg and the members of the original Ann Arbor inquiry groups. Also, Amma, who said no.

Finally, I salute all the Shiva Yogis and inquiry practitioners who have worked with me for the past 20 years, giving their heart and soul to the process of Self-discovery. It is because of their dedication to the truth that this method of Self-inquiry is honed and powerful.

They in whom the spirit of inquiry is ever awake illumine the world, enlighten all who come in contact with them, dispel the ghosts created by an ignorant mind In the light of inquiry there is realisation of the eternal and unchanging reality [One who practises inquiry] is free from delusion and attachment he lives and functions in this world and reaches the blissful state of total freedom.

Yoga Vashishta

though truth and falsehood be

Near twins, yet truth a little elder is;

Be busy to seek her, believe me this,

To stand inquiring right, is not to stray;

To sleep, or run wrong, is. On a huge hill,

Cragged and steep, Truth stands, and he that will

Reach her, about must and about must go,

And what the hills suddenness resists, win so

John Donne

Good judgment comes from experience,

and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

Will Rogers

Seek what is immediate and intimate

rather than what is distant and unknown.

Sri Ramana Maharshi