What do you think?
Rate this book
The Seven Steps to Awakening
The Seven Steps to Awakening is the most powerful collection of quotes ever assembled on the subject of how to directly experience the true Self whose nature is Infinite-Eternal-Awareness-Love-Bliss and how to bring the impostor self, its tricks and all suffering to a final end in this lifetime. Most books on the subject of Self-realization are written by those who have only conceptual knowledge and no direct experience of the infinite Self. All seven of the sages quoted in The Seven Steps to Awakening lived in the infinite and their knowledge came from their direct experience of the infinite Self. The quotes in The Seven Steps to Awakening are doorways to liberation and a loving transmission from the Infinite Self to you. When the impostor self attempts to derail you from your journey to Awakening, reading the quotes in The Seven Steps to Awakening can inspire and encourage you to get back on track. Only the most essential and most powerful quotes that have no distractions or detours were selected for The Seven Steps to Awakening. The first collection of quotes describes how to tell the difference between a conceptual journey and a journey to Awakening. The second points out that the world, etc. is a dreamlike illusion. The third reveals why it is necessary to bring the impostor self to its final end. The fourth is about the importance of increasing your desire for liberation. The fifth is for the purpose of encouraging, inspiring and motivating you to actually practice all seven steps. The sixth is about turning your attention inward. The seventh describes the most rapid, direct and effective method that brings the impostor self, its tricks and all suffering to their final end so that you can remain forever in the true Self whose nature is Infinite-Awareness-Love-Bliss.
238 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2010
13 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
About the author
Ramana Maharshi
247 books585 followersBhagavan Sri Ramaṇa Mahārṣi (Tamil: ரமண மஹரிஷி) born Venkataraman Iyer, was probably the most famous Indian sage of the twentieth century, he was born on December 30, 1879 in a village called Tirucculi about 30 miles south of Madurai in southern India. His middle-class parents named him Venkataraman. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle in Madurai, where he attended American Mission High School.
At age 16, he became spontaneously self-realized. Six weeks later he ran away to the holy hill of Arunachala where he would remain for the rest of his life. For several years he stopped talking and spent many hours each day in samadhi. When he began speaking again, people came to ask him questions, and he soon acquired a reputation as a sage. In 1907, when he was 28, one of his early devotees named him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Divine Eminent Ramana the Great Seer, and the name stuck. Eventually he became world-famous and an ashram was built around him. He died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 70.
Ramana Maharshi was born 30 kilometers south of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India.
His Self-Realization
At age 16, he heard somebody mention "Arunachala." Although he didn't know what the word meant (it's the name of a holy hill associated with the god Shiva) he became greatly excited. At about the same time he came across a copy of Sekkilar's Periyapuranam, a book that describes the lives of Shaivite saints, and became fascinated by it. In the middle of 1896, at age 16, he was suddenly overcome by the feeling that he was about to die. He lay down on the floor, made his body stiff, and held his breath. "My body is dead now," he said to himself, "but I am still alive." In a flood of spiritual awareness he realized he was spirit, not his body.
His Guru
Ramana Maharshi didn't have a human guru (other than himself). He often said that his guru was Arunachala, a holy mountain in South India.
His Teachings
Ramana Maharshi taught a method called self-inquiry in which the seeker focuses continuous attention on the I-thought in order to find its source. In the beginning this requires effort, but eventually something deeper than the ego takes over and the mind dissolves in the heart center.
At age 16, he became spontaneously self-realized. Six weeks later he ran away to the holy hill of Arunachala where he would remain for the rest of his life. For several years he stopped talking and spent many hours each day in samadhi. When he began speaking again, people came to ask him questions, and he soon acquired a reputation as a sage. In 1907, when he was 28, one of his early devotees named him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Divine Eminent Ramana the Great Seer, and the name stuck. Eventually he became world-famous and an ashram was built around him. He died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 70.
Ramana Maharshi was born 30 kilometers south of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India.
His Self-Realization
At age 16, he heard somebody mention "Arunachala." Although he didn't know what the word meant (it's the name of a holy hill associated with the god Shiva) he became greatly excited. At about the same time he came across a copy of Sekkilar's Periyapuranam, a book that describes the lives of Shaivite saints, and became fascinated by it. In the middle of 1896, at age 16, he was suddenly overcome by the feeling that he was about to die. He lay down on the floor, made his body stiff, and held his breath. "My body is dead now," he said to himself, "but I am still alive." In a flood of spiritual awareness he realized he was spirit, not his body.
His Guru
Ramana Maharshi didn't have a human guru (other than himself). He often said that his guru was Arunachala, a holy mountain in South India.
His Teachings
Ramana Maharshi taught a method called self-inquiry in which the seeker focuses continuous attention on the I-thought in order to find its source. In the beginning this requires effort, but eventually something deeper than the ego takes over and the mind dissolves in the heart center.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 20, 2013
I have been contemplating the quotes in this book on an almost nightly basis since January 4, 2012, and I feel that it has made a major impact on how I currently experience ego and Self, it has changed the way I view the world, and on levels that I am sure I am not even aware of, it has changed everything for me!
I contemplated the quotes up to step 6, and finally my inner teacher has released me from it! Yay! This may be because I have been actually practicing steps 6 & 7 since May with my Self-Abidance and other practices. Furthermore, looking over the table of contents I have achieved the objectives set forth, especially that of truly seeing how the false-ego-impostor self perpetuates sorrow and suffering, and more importantly I have been experiencing the way out: Know thy Self!
“The innermost light, shining peacefully and timelessly in the heart, is the real Guru. ~ ~Nisargadatta Maharaj
#55
7steps: Don’t be interested in the words that the mind is serving up for you. It is putting them there to tempt you into a stream of thoughts that will take you away from the Self. You have to ignore them all and focus on the light that is shining within you.
#73
7steps: Unready means afraid. You are afraid of what you are. Your destination is the whole. But you are afraid that you will lose your identity. This is childishness, clinging to the toys, to your desires and fears, opinions and ideas [and attachments!]. Give it all up and be ready for the real to assert itself.
My guidance; SV:
Just as a child refuses to let go of a favorite teddy bear, so does the false self cling to its toys. As I continue to play with the old and worn out toys of: attachment, guilt, fear, desire and opinions…I cannot grow out of ‘I’ and into the true-adult Self.
Yes, I am willing to put away the toys of childhood and grow into the Real-Self.
************
My new website: www.drsherylvalentine.com
If you are interested in the blog where quotes and guidance are archived, click here:
http://stepstoself.blogspot.com/
I contemplated the quotes up to step 6, and finally my inner teacher has released me from it! Yay! This may be because I have been actually practicing steps 6 & 7 since May with my Self-Abidance and other practices. Furthermore, looking over the table of contents I have achieved the objectives set forth, especially that of truly seeing how the false-ego-impostor self perpetuates sorrow and suffering, and more importantly I have been experiencing the way out: Know thy Self!
“The innermost light, shining peacefully and timelessly in the heart, is the real Guru. ~ ~Nisargadatta Maharaj
#55
7steps: Don’t be interested in the words that the mind is serving up for you. It is putting them there to tempt you into a stream of thoughts that will take you away from the Self. You have to ignore them all and focus on the light that is shining within you.
#73
7steps: Unready means afraid. You are afraid of what you are. Your destination is the whole. But you are afraid that you will lose your identity. This is childishness, clinging to the toys, to your desires and fears, opinions and ideas [and attachments!]. Give it all up and be ready for the real to assert itself.
My guidance; SV:
Just as a child refuses to let go of a favorite teddy bear, so does the false self cling to its toys. As I continue to play with the old and worn out toys of: attachment, guilt, fear, desire and opinions…I cannot grow out of ‘I’ and into the true-adult Self.
Yes, I am willing to put away the toys of childhood and grow into the Real-Self.
************
My new website: www.drsherylvalentine.com
If you are interested in the blog where quotes and guidance are archived, click here:
http://stepstoself.blogspot.com/
November 30, 2015
great book
nmpojnon
kj nkjj h
m l k
nmpojnon
kj nkjj h
m l k
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews