Self-Enquiry Isn’t an Investigation of the Separate Self

"In self-enquiry, I look for the separate self as an object and experience it as a cluster of thoughts, feelings and sensations that arises and passes through awareness. It becomes less solid for a moment, but there’s still an immediate pull into a certain someone with needs. When this sense of solidity returns, is it better to rest as awareness or to enquire? And if I enquire, what’s the simplest question? Rupert says: ‘You started with “when I’m practising self-enquiry and I enquire into the separate self” – but self-enquiry is not an enquiry into the separate self. It’s an enquiry into your self. When I asked “tell us about your self”, in the gap before you formulated your answer, you were practising self-enquiry. You weren’t exploring a separate self – you were going to your self. Why are you interested in the separate self? It’s ultimately an illusion – not non-existent, but not what it appears to be. The separate self is awareness clothed in experience, looking temporary and finite. Like (an actor named) John Smith dressed as King Lear. When King Lear practises self-enquiry, he’s not interested in King Lear – he’s interested in who he really is. So don’t go back to the separate self. The finite mind is necessary – it’s what you do, not what you are. Don’t allow thinking and perceiving to become embedded in your identity.’"

From event 27 February - 01 March, 2026 The Nature of Consciousness – Online Weekend Retreat at Home 27 February–1 March 2026

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