Whom Scroll

Meditation XXIII · 15 minutes

The Mirror's Question

Gnosis Self-inquiry

The mirror shows every face but its own. Ask it whose it is.

Most meditations watch thoughts come and go. This one uses a single question to turn your attention around, from the thoughts to the one they appear to. The question isn’t a puzzle and it doesn’t lead to more questions. It points you back to the plain feeling of being you, and you rest there.

The working

  1. Sit comfortably with your back upright and close your eyes. Let a few breaths settle you.
  2. Notice the simple feeling of being here, the sense of “I” that is present before any thought about yourself.
  3. When a thought arises, don’t follow it. Ask quietly, To whom does this thought arise?
  4. The answer comes by itself: to me. Then ask, Who am I?
  5. Don’t answer in words or ideas. Let the question turn your attention back to that feeling of “I”, follow it back toward where it comes from, and rest there as long as it lasts.
  6. If a new thought comes, even one like who is asking?, treat it the same way. It is just another thought arising to you, so return to the feeling of “I” and rest. There is no need to go round again and again.

Closing

Let the question go and rest for a few breaths before you open your eyes. Ramana Maharshi said the inquiry needn’t stay on the cushion, so you can ask it again at any quiet moment in the day.