I don’t know of a single living person who:
1. Claims to have reached Ramana’s state by following the method that he taught, and
2. Teaches that method.
The only person I can think of who met those criteria was Arunachala Ramana, the man who started Aham and wrote this book, but he died in 2010. (I think he probably really was in Ramana’s state.)
I mainly know about teachers who write and give talks in English, so it’s likely that I’m overlooking people who teach mostly in other languages.
Who can we add to the list?
Michael Langford perhaps?
Hi Freddie,
Gary Weber seems to have reached Ramana’s state and there is also science to back this up. Gary was part of studies.
https://happinessbeyondthought.blogspot.com/?m=1
In my understanding and experience there are three steps:
1) Landing in Awareness , the first glimpse of Self… you know that thinking and Awareness are different.
2. Start abiding in Awareness… it increases as we start staying in self, even during normal walks of Life. One keeps shifting between Awareness and losing to mind. As we advance moments of Awareness are more and we catch ourselves when we get lost with mind.
3. Effortless , choice less Awareness … Sahaja Samadhi…. where we are in Oneness!
There is no difference between seer and seen! The ultimate state of Being… Sahaja Samadhi.!!
In my view, second stage is where few of us are … but to reach Ramana’s stage, either needs God’s grace ( in rare cases as sudden exaltation ) and/ or incessant practice!
Nevertheless, there is no reason to prove to anyone . It’s better to spend our time to perfect that stage.
Please do not publish my comments, name or details anywhere. My request
Grateful that you have posted this question. I agree as another commenter suggests, possibly Michael Langford, but still not fully certain. I was in a private yahoo group with him almost ten years ago and my experience in this group left me not so sure. Given that I am not self-realized, I acknowledge too that my doubts could very easily be my own ignorance. He has now (at least to my knowledge) almost completely disappeared from his already reclusive public life. I wish he were more available now, maybe my “growth” (God-willing there has been growth), would allow me to see things differently, more clearly in regard to him. This post reminded has me that I need to read his personal account — I actually just paused and ordered it from Amazon in the middle of typing this comment 🙂
A bit off-topic, ie., not specific to Ramana Maharshi, is that I have a long-list of “gurus”, that that at first glance seem quite compelling and possibly self-realized, only to find out that they are abusive, controlling, donned with worldly-possessions and money (not that this necessarily preclude self-realization), and clearly have an ego-self that is alive and well. It is disconcerting and makes an already challenging (and beautiful) path for seekers even more difficult.
Barbara, are you okay? I wrote to you several times this past week by email and Facebook Messenger but no answer. I don’t mean to nag you for a reply, just wondering if you’re okay.
Hi Freddie, yes, I am ok. Will get back shortly
I don’t know of people in Raman’a state (complete self-knowing or absorption without a sense of identity) thanks to his method besides Michael Langford who understood that the ‘I’ Ramana was referring to (and Nisargadata’s I am) is this everyday awareness (dog shit awareness/Paul Hedderman, silent spectator/Paul Brunton) .
Self inquiry is a very clever and direct way.
I used to paraphrase the “who am I?” question:
Who is trying to wake up/find herself/know the truth?
Who is looking for an answer?
Who is looking, period? THAT STOPPED ME..✌
and it still does…
It’s not really a question, it’s a looking.
Right now, even in dreadful situations
I keep on looking at the one looking
(being the looking – knowing – being)
by stilling and relaxing the eyes
even while taking in bad things.
and again and again and again……………
After years of “spiritual searching’ (=reading/writing/talking)
I finally got how simple this is and funny too – practicing myself
❤
An awakened teacher based in Yorkshire, UK uses different tools to help students, including self-inquiry. She makes clear it is not an intellectual exercise. She has talks and meditations available, some of which are on this topic. https://www.helenhamilton.org/