Here is a short guided meditation you can use or modify for your own True Self practice. The imagery and suggestions are based on the practice of self-enquiry taught by Sri Ramana Maharshi and the “I Am” practice of Nisargadatta Maharaj. You can either read it out loud to yourself or record it in your own voice. Use Garage Band or another recording app to add music and effects to create a powerful meditation aid on your journey to Awakening to the truth of who you are.
Enjoy!
“Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position. Allow your body to begin to relax, your mind to quiet, and your breath to flow naturally. Feel the surface beneath you supporting your body fully, and know that in this present moment, there is nothing you need to do but simply be.”
(Pause for a few moments)
“As you breathe in, you can begin to feel a sense of calm entering your body. And as you breathe out, allow any tension, worry, or stress to begin to dissolve and float away. With each breath, allow yourself to sink a little deeper into a state of relaxation, deeper into the stillness just beneath the surface…of your thoughts…your feelings…your sensations. Recognize that all of these are just temporary movements that arise out of that deep stillness.”
(Pause)
“Now, with each breath, feel your awareness gently moving inward, away from the outer world, away from the sounds and sights around you. It’s ok if you notice sounds and sights around you. Simply allow them to move to the background as your attention settles into the quiet backdrop of the silence of your inner being.”
Deepening Relaxation
“Now, your subconscious mind is very powerful and you have a powerful imagination. Begin to imagine yourself…simply imagine yourself…in a powerful place…a magical place…a mystical place…maybe even a sacred place. It can be somewhere you’ve been before, somewhere you want to go, or somewhere completely fresh and new.
Move into this powerful place now, feeling a sense of peace and comfort and ease wash over you and through you. Notice how everything here invites you to relax even more deeply.”
(Pause for imagery)
“As you walk further into this sacred space, you notice a soft, radiant light in the distance. This light feels familiar, almost like an old friend, calling you inward. It represents the pure awareness and loving intelligence of your True Self.”
Guiding to the Inner Self
“Now, as you begin to become more and more aware of that radiant light, I want you to turn your attention to a simple yet profound question: ‘Who am I?’
“This question isn’t about your name, your roles, or your story. It’s deeper than all of that. This question points to the essence of your being…the truth of who you are.
So, as the question arises—‘Who am I?’—just let it echo gently in your mind, without needing to answer right away. Let it simply guide your awareness inward and allow yourself to be content without any answer whatsoever.”
(Pause)
“Notice any thoughts, emotions, or sensations that arise. Just let them flow without trying to stop them. Instead simply ask, “To whom are these thoughts, emotions, or sensations arising?” (repeat question)
(Pause)
The answer is simple: to me…to the “I”.
Now simply ask, “Who am I? What am I?”
Without needing an answer, begin to recognize that the only thing you can ever be truly certain about is the fact that you are…you simply are…no matter what you have ever experienced-whether waking, dreaming, or even in deep sleep-the fact remains that you exist.
Connecting with the ‘I Am’
“Now, shift your awareness to the simple sense of ‘I Am.’ This sense of being—the feeling of presence, the quiet awareness that you exist—is always here. It is not your thoughts, not your emotions, not your body. In fact, you are not your thoughts…you are not your emotions…you are not even really your body. You are the pure awareness behind, beneath, and throughout all experience.”
(Pause)
“Feel into this ‘I Am.’ Notice its stillness, its simplicity, its completeness. There is nothing that needs to be added to it, nothing that needs to be taken away. Just rest here now for a moment, in the quiet, boundless presence of ‘I Am.’“
(Pause)
Dissolving Boundaries
“As you rest in this awareness, notice how everything you once identified with begins to soften and dissolve. The body… the mind… the labels and stories… they all fade into the background. And what remains is this pure, infinite, unchanging awareness. And you can begin to recognize that you are this awareness. You have always been this awareness.”
(Pause)
“Now, feel yourself expanding beyond all boundaries, beyond time, beyond space. There is no separation here. You are not a part of the universe; you are the whole universe; the whole universe is within you. Rest in this truth.”
(Pause for as long as you wish)
Integration and Closing
“Now, take a moment to anchor this experience within your physical body as well as your more subtle energy bodies. Know that this True Self, this infinite awareness, is always here now. It is always accessible to you now. No matter what happens in your life, you can return to this presence at any time.”
(Pause)
“When you’re ready, begin to gently bring your awareness back to the body. Feel the surface beneath you, the air on your skin, and the rhythm of your breath. Bring back with you a sense of peace, clarity, and connection to the love, wisdom, and intelligence of your True Self.”
(Pause)
“And now, in your own time, begin to open your eyes, returning fully to the present moment, carrying this deep sense of inner stillness and truth with you.”
“Welcome back. Take a moment to feel gratitude for this journey, for the light of your True Self, which is always shining within you…from this moment forward.”
