vichara: self inquiry
One of the finest practices of Vedantic Meditation is Internal Dialogue. You can enter into a dialogue with yourself and That which lies beyond. The practice is called Vichara in Sanskrit; it means “to think,” “to contemplate,” and “to introspect.”
A dialogue between the student and the teacher is called “upanishad.” Spiritual traditions of the world are full of such dialogues: between Arjuna and Krishna, between Rama and Sage Vasishtha, between the sages of the Upanishads and devout seekers, between Jesus and the Apostles.
You can also enter into such a dialogue with your own inner self and gain access to the secrets of your mind and THAT which lies beyond. Vichara is called Internal Dialogue because it is a dialogue between the observer and the internal aspects of the mind: manas, buddhi, ahamkara and chitta.
Buddhi is the higher mind, it knows, it judges and decides. It is your inner voice of wisdom, intuition and your teacher within.
Ahamkara, literally the I-maker, has a tendency to identify with particular thoughts such as “I am ugly, I am clever, I am weak, I am old, I am a man” and create self-identities.
Manas has a dual role; it works as an interface between the internal and external worlds, and coordinates the senses.
Chitta is the vast and powerful storehouse of our memories, emotions, fears and desires.
The only way to understand Vichara is to practice it. You can do Vichara anytime, anywhere. Close your eyes if possible and talk to your own mind. It sounds like a strange idea to talk to oneself, and in fact, your first reaction might be, “I’m not crazy!” But on second thought you might want to try an exercise that the sages have been talking about for many millennia.
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1. Begin by raising fruitful questions
In the initial stages Internal Dialogue helps the practitioner to develop a relationship with his own mind. We know so little about ourselves, often not knowing what we want from our life and what makes us happy. This dialogue may relate to small things or to the purpose of life.
You can raise fruitful questions to get to know yourself.
“O Mind, What do you want? What is the purpose of life?”
Through Internal Dialogue you can ask your mind to remember the transient nature of the world.
“O Mind, observe the impermanence of those objects you long to achieve. What is the difference in the objects of dreams and the objects of the waking world? What reason is there for clinging on to the things of the world?”
With Internal Dialogue you can gradually convince your mind to change its ways.
“O Mind, Truth is unchanging and Absolute Reality is eternal. O Mind, do you not want to follow in the footsteps of the sages and tread the path of enlightenment?”
2. Learning to Listen
Generally the mind is engaged in a monologue and is lost in its own maze of thoughts, images, fantasies and memories. Vichara must not become a monologue. It is a dialogue between you and your mind. If you ask a question, just listen. Listening is the key to this practice.
“O Mind, please be my friend. Let us talk. I am listening.”
“O Mind, I want us to be friends. Will you be honest with me?”
Set a regular meditation time and have a dialogue with yourself
3. Developing a relationship with your mind
Once we get in touch with our mind, we discover there are so many layers within. The process of self-discovery can, in fact, lead us astray, for the mind can be your greatest friend or your worst enemy. In this stage we learn to make friends with our mind and establish a relationship.
Do you speak to your mind as friend, mentor, mother, father or child?
Don’t order your mind around. Be a friend and cultivate a relationship as you would with your friend. Observe what kind of mind you have. Be patient, not judgmental. Be gentle and loving. Do not create conflicts with your mind.
“O Mind, do not condemn yourself. Be gentle and forgive yourself.”
“O Mind, is this thought useful, is this thought healthy?”
“O Mind, all that is pleasant is not good, all that which is good is not pleasant. Is this desire good or just pleasant?”
The Yoga Vasishtha, one of the foremost Vedantic text is profusely illustrated with examples of Vichara. This text recommends Internal Dialogue as the highest and most direct path to Self Realization. Below is a profound dialogue narrated by Sage King Janaka. It is with the aid of this Internal Dialogue that the Sage King rests in his Self:
“O mind, this worldly life is not conducive to true happiness. Hence, reach the state of equanimity. It is in such equanimity that you will experience peace, bliss and the Truth. Whenever you create perverse thinking in yourself out of wantonness, it is then that this world-illusion begins to expand and spread out. It is when you entertain desire for pleasure that this world illusion sprouts countless branches. It is thought that gives rise to this network of world appearance. Hence abandon this whim and fancy and attain to equanimity. Weigh in the balance of your wisdom, the sense pleasures on one side and the bliss of peace on the other. Whatever you determine to be the Truth, seek that. Give up all hopes and expectations, freed from the wish to seek or to abandon, roam about freely. Let this world appearance be it real or unreal, let it arise or set: but, do not let its merits and demerits disturb your equanimity.”
4. Inviting the hidden to come forward
It is best to practice Vichara daily before you start with your meditation. Allow the mind to present you with all its doubts, questions and fears. Invite these to come forward so that the mind does not disturb you with these during your meditation.
The practice of Vichara or Self Inquiry helps the practitioner take a different stance. In this stance the practitioner “invites” the hidden and unrevealed to come forward. In this manner the practitioner begins to be unattached to the stream of thoughts that comes forward and is better able to maintain focussed awareness.
“O Mind, Whatever thoughts and images you present before me, I will not be disturbed by them. Come thoughts, come.”
“O Mind, let all the questions and doubts come forward. Won’t you share your secrets with me?”
Once a sincere seeker starts the process of self discovery with Vichara, the hidden part of the mind comes forward. It is similar to pulling apart a pullover. The initial dialogues are akin to pulling on one of the threads. As the artificial structures imposed upon the mind, by ourselves and the society we live in, fall apart, the question, “Who am I?” emerges spontaneously.
5. Attaining Wisdom
Once the hidden comes forward, the seeker begins spontaneously to ask questions. You do not have to attempt to practice, the practice takes over and has a life of its own.The practitioner is flooded by questions such as, “What is the nature of the mind?” or “What is the nature of the Universe?” One question emerges from the depths of the heart, a question that cuts through the layers of the mind. The question is “Who am I?” Now the seeker is well on his way to a deeper practice of Vichara, one that leads you to the Center of Consciousness.
The “Who am I?” form of Self Inquiry is a special form of Vichara. To find the answer the seeker uses the ancient Vedantic aphorism neti, neti which means “not this, not this.” Thus by elimination, he arrives at the answer. By nature the mind is contemplative when it is not dragged out by the senses. Deep within, it revels in its own nature and contemplates upon and realizes the great truths (mahavakyas) of the Upanishads. The seeker goes through the process of negation to arrive at the answer.
Vichara, in the form of a dialogue, begins with a dualistic aspect of “I am talking to my mind,” until the practitioner rests within having realized the epitome of non-dualistic truth “We are all One.” The practitioner revels in his own nature, contemplates upon and realizes the great Truth.