The Trap of “Am I Doing Self-Inquiry Right?”
- Sukhdev Virdee
- Sep 19
- 1 min read
Every seeker asks it.
“Am I doing this right?”
Especially with self-inquiry.
The Mind’s Obsession with Technique
The mind treats inquiry like a skill.
“If I repeat ‘Who am I?’ 100 times a day, I’ll make progress.”
But self-inquiry isn’t about performance.
It’s about seeing.
Not “Am I doing it right?”
But “Who is the one asking this question?”
Dropping the Checklist
The ego loves checklists.
Meditated ✅
Asked ‘Who am I?’ ✅
Read Ramana’s teachings ✅
But the Self isn’t another box to tick.
It’s what’s present before, during, and after every checklist.
Directness of the Question
When Ramana said, “Ask ‘Who am I?’”
he wasn’t suggesting mental repetition.
He was pointing to a turning —
away from objects,
back to the subject.
Each time a thought arises,
instead of chasing it,
ask: “To whom has this thought appeared?”
The answer is always “me.”
And then: “Who am I?”
Until even the “me” dissolves.
You Can’t Get It Wrong
The beauty of self-inquiry?
It can’t fail.
Because even when you think you’re doing it wrong,
the awareness of that thought is the very Self you’re looking for.
The 5 Illusions That Keep You from Awakening – And The One Truth That Sets You Free
One illusion is that realization depends on perfect practice. Let’s clear that.
Bring your doubts. They’re welcome. Together, we’ll see what remains when the doubter is gone.
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