According to Ramana Maharshi’s teaching, the inquiry into “Who am I?” is indeed a path that can be undertaken without dependence on an external teacher. He presented Self-Inquiry as a direct and fundamentally self-sufficient method, rooted in the understanding that the true Guru is the Self itself. The outer teacher, in this view, serves mainly to turn the mind inward, while the essential work of recognizing one’s real nature takes place through one’s own sustained attention to the sense of “I.” His concise written instructions, especially the text commonly known as “Who am I?”, were given precisely so that earnest seekers could engage this practice independently.

The inner orientation of this path rests on the conviction that the Self is self-evident and self-luminous, requiring no external authority to be what it already is. The practical emphasis falls on persistent self-attention: tracing the “I-thought” or feeling of “I” back to its source, and refusing to be carried away by secondary thoughts and identifications. When thoughts or experiences arise, the method is to turn back toward the one to whom they appear, rather than becoming lost in their content. In this way, the inquiry does not become a mere intellectual exercise, but a steady returning to the immediate sense of being.

At the same time, the tradition does not deny that guidance can be helpful. A competent teacher or clear written teachings can clarify the method, prevent it from degenerating into abstract analysis, and address doubts or subtle misunderstandings. Such support may ease the passage through common obstacles like restlessness or dullness, and can offer encouragement when the practice feels arid or confusing. Yet this supportive role does not amount to an absolute requirement, since the decisive factor is the earnestness and persistence with which attention is turned back toward its own source.

From this standpoint, the presence of a teacher is best understood as an aid rather than a prerequisite. The essential “Guru” is the very awareness that asks the question and follows it inward; external guidance, when available and authentic, simply points back to that. Thus, Self-Inquiry can be undertaken wherever one finds oneself, provided there is a sincere resolve to remain with the sense of “I” and to investigate it to the end. Ramana Maharshi’s own life and teachings are often cited as a testament to the sufficiency of this inward turning when pursued with genuine dedication.