Self-Inquiry, as taught by Ramana Maharshi, is presented as a direct means of turning attention back to the very sense of “I” and thereby revealing the true nature of the Self as pure awareness or consciousness. By persistently questioning “Who am I?” and tracing every thought and emotion back to the one to whom it appears, the habitual identification with body, mind, and personal history is gradually weakened. This process exposes the “I”-thought as a construct and reveals the underlying, changeless awareness in which all experiences arise and subside. In this way, Self-Inquiry bypasses elaborate philosophical systems and aims at direct experiential insight rather than mere conceptual understanding.

As the ego-sense is examined and loses its apparent solidity, there is a corresponding dissolution of attachment, fear, and the various forms of psychological suffering that depend on the belief in a separate individual self. The mind, repeatedly turned back to its source, naturally becomes quieter; compulsive thinking, emotional turbulence, and the constant inner commentary begin to subside. This gives rise to inner peace, stillness, and a growing equanimity that is less shaken by changing circumstances. The recognition that happiness and peace are inherent in one’s own nature, rather than dependent on external conditions, gradually becomes more evident.

Self-Inquiry is also described as a remarkably simple and direct discipline in practical terms. It does not require specific postures, mantras, rituals, or external supports, and can be engaged in amidst the activities of daily life. Because the method is essentially the turning of attention inward to the sense of “I,” it is accessible both to householders and renunciates, and does not demand withdrawal from ordinary responsibilities. Through continued inquiry, there is a deepening sense of objectless awareness and a spontaneous refinement of conduct, as ego-driven motives lose their force and qualities such as humility, honesty, and non-harming naturally emerge.

The culmination of this path is spoken of as Self-realization or liberation (moksha): stable abidance in one’s real nature as pure, non-dual awareness. In that recognition, the illusory individuality is seen through, the fear of death and the compulsion of seeking fall away, and the mind rests in its natural state. This abiding is described as unchanging peace and freedom from the sense of bondage and separateness, where the “I” that once sought truth is understood to be none other than the awareness in which the search itself arose.