There is indeed a definite method in what is called Self-Inquiry, yet it is subtle rather than mechanical. The central movement is always the same: whenever any thought arises, attention is turned away from the content of that thought and directed toward the one to whom it appears. This is expressed through the inner questioning, “To whom does this thought come?” and the recognition, “To me.” From there, the inquiry deepens with the question, “Who am I?” or “What is this ‘I’?”, not as a demand for a verbal answer, but as a way of turning awareness back upon the felt sense of “I” itself. In this way, the mind is gently but firmly led away from objects and back toward its own source.

The practice is therefore not the repetition of a phrase as a mantra, but a sustained, experiential investigation of the “I”-sense. One attends to the bare feeling of being, the simple “I am,” without adding attributes or conceptual elaboration. When other thoughts arise, they are not analyzed; instead, the same procedure is applied again: “To whom has this arisen?” and then a renewed turning toward the “I” that witnesses them. This repeated returning is the living core of the technique, and it is meant to pervade daily life rather than be confined to formal periods of meditation. Over time, this persistent self-attention weakens the habitual tendency to identify with passing thoughts and experiences.

As inquiry matures, the so‑called “I‑thought” begins to subside into its own source. What remains is a silent, non‑dual awareness, a stillness in which the personal sense of “I” no longer stands apart from what is known. This is described as abidance in the Self, the Heart or true “I AM,” and is regarded as liberation in this tradition. The entire method can thus be seen as a continuous tracing of the ego‑sense back to its origin, until the questioner, the question, and the sought‑for answer all dissolve in that silent awareness.