Self-inquiry: who am I? (ātma-vicāra)

At the heart of Advaita Vedānta, this inquiry gently turns attention around: from perceived objects, the body and thoughts back toward the awareness that lights them up. By noticing that whatever I can observe is not the one who observes it, identification with the body and mind loosens. In this tradition, what remains is the ātman, the witnessing self. Today it helps you step back from the whirl of thoughts and emotions by resting in the steady presence that witnesses them.