Trace the Sense of I

Turn attention back on the one who is aware; the 'I' has no edge you can find.

How to practice

1. 1Notice the felt sense of being "me", the one who is reading and aware.
2. 2Turn attention back toward that sense — look for its centre.
3. 3Search for where the "I" actually is. Notice you cannot find an edge or an object.
4. 4Rest in the open, edgeless awareness that the search reveals.

Terms in this technique

aham

The sense of "I"; the self that is inquired into.

ātman

The true self; awareness as one’s own being.

cit

Consciousness itself, the aware principle.

Sources consulted

• Jaideva Singh, Vijñānabhairava: The Manual for Self-Realization (Motilal Banarsidass, 1979)
• Bettina Bäumer, Vijñâna Bhairava: The Practice of Centering Awareness (Indica Books, 2011)