The practical discipline centers on turning attention back to the basic sense of “I” whenever the mind moves outward. Instead of following thoughts, one is instructed to ask, “To whom has this thought arisen?” and, seeing that it has arisen to “me,” to inquire further, “Who am I?” or “Whence am I?” This questioning is not meant to elicit a conceptual reply, but to redirect awareness from the objects of thought to the subject, the bare feeling of being, the simple “I am.” In this way, attention is steadily withdrawn from identification with body, mind, and circumstances, and allowed to rest in the pure “I”-consciousness without attributes.

As this inward turning becomes more consistent, every arising thought, emotion, or desire is treated as a pointer back to its source. When fear, anger, or longing appears, the same method is applied: “To whom does this arise? Who feels this? Who wants this?” Rather than suppressing or battling thoughts, they are allowed to subside naturally by refusing to follow them and by returning again and again to the “I”-feeling. Over time, this tracing of the “I”-thought back to its origin leads to moments in which the ego-sense falls silent and there is a quiet, simple awareness free of the usual sense of a separate self.

This inquiry is not confined to formal meditation but is to be carried into the midst of daily activity. While engaged in ordinary tasks, a portion of attention is kept turned inward, maintaining a subtle awareness of the “I”-sense and questioning any fresh identification that arises. The practice thus becomes a continuous sādhanā, in which the mind is gently but firmly trained to remain with its own source rather than scattering itself among changing experiences. When the “I”-thought subsides, one simply abides in that stillness as long as it lasts, resuming inquiry whenever the sense of individuality reappears.

Underlying all these instructions is the counsel to persist with patience and earnestness. Self-inquiry is presented not as an intellectual analysis but as a direct turning of consciousness upon itself, a steady refusal to move away from the one who seeks. By repeatedly asking “Who am I?” and resting in the felt presence of “I am,” the false, constructed “I” is gradually seen through, and the ever-present awareness that is the true Self stands revealed as both the path and the goal.