How to realize our Self?

Just as you saturate water with salt or sugar, you will have to saturate the mind with thoughts of God or Brahman or Soul or Spirit or Self, with divine glory, Divine Presence with sublime soul-awakening spiritual thoughts. Then only you will always be established in the Divine Consciousness. Before saturating the mind with thoughts of Brahman, you will have to assimilate the divine ideas first. Assimilation first and then saturation. Then comes realization, at once, without a moment’s delay. Remember the triplet always: “”Assimilation – Saturation – Realization”.”

Free yourself from the base thoughts of the mind, the various useless thoughts and imaginations. Just as you render the turbid water pure by the addition of clearing nut (strychnos potatorum), so also you will have to make the turbid mind, filled with subtle desires and false thoughts and imaginations, pure by thinking and reflecting on the Absolute. If the mind constantly dwells on sensual objects, the conception of the reality of the universe will surely increase. If the mind ceaselessly thinks of Atman (Absolute), the world appears like a dream. Mark the word ceaseless. This is important. Then only there will be true illumination. Then only there will be dawn of spiritual knowledge. The Jnana-Surya (the Sun of Knowledge) will rise in the firmament of knowledge-space.

You will find very often these terms in the Gita: “”Ananyachetah” “Matchittah” “Nityayuktah” “Manmanah” “Ekagramanah” “Sarvabhavah”.” These terms connote that you will have to give your full mind, entire 100% mind to God/Soul/Self. Then only you will have Self-realization. Even if one ray of mind runs outside, it is impossible to obtain God-consciousness.

It is the actions of the mind that are truly termed Karmas. True liberation results from the disenthralment of the mind. Those who have freed themselves from the fluctuation of their minds come into possession of the supreme meditation. Should the mind be purged of all its impurities, then it will become very calm and all the worldly delusion, with its births and deaths, will be soon destroyed.

Mind exists on account of “”I.” ” I” exists on account of mind. “I”” is only an idea in the mind. “Mind” and “I” are identical. If “I” vanishes, mind will also vanish; and if mind vanishes, “I” will vanish. Destroy the mind through knowledge of Soul principle. Destroy the “I”” through “Aham Brahmasmi (I am Soul) development, through constant and intense meditation. When mind vanishes or thoughts cease, Name-Form will cease to exist and the Goal is reached.

Reference

Mind – Its Mysteries and Control by Sri Swami Sivananda