Who Am I?

Who am I? is the title given to a set of questions and answers bearing on Self-enquiry. The questions were put to Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi by Sri M. Sivaprakasam Pillai, about the year 1902. Sri Pillai, a graduate in philosophy, was at the time employed in the Revenue Department of the South Arcot Collectorate. During his visit to Tiruvannamalai in 1902 on official work, he went to Virupaksha Cave on Arunachala Hill and met the Maharshi there. He sought from him spiritual guidance and solicited answers to questions relating to Self-enquiry. As Bhagavan was not talking then, not because of any vow he had taken but because he did not have the inclination to talk, he answered questions put to him by writing. As recollected and recorded by Sri Sivaprakasam Pillai, there were thirteen questions and answers to them given by Bhagavan. This record was first published by Sri Pillai in 1923 (in the original Tamil), along with a couple of poems composed by himself relating how Bhagavan's grace operated in his case by dispelling his doubts and by saving him from a crisis in life.

Who am I? is the title given to a set of questions and answers bearing on Self-enquiry. The questions were put to Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi by Sri M. Sivaprakasam Pillai, about the year 1902. Sri Pillai, a graduate in philosophy, was at the time employed in the Revenue Department of the South Arcot Collectorate. During his visit to Tiruvannamalai in 1902 on official work, he went to Virupaksha Cave on Arunachala Hill and met the Maharshi there. He sought from him spiritual guidance and solicited answers to questions relating to Self-enquiry. As Bhagavan was not talking then, not because of any vow he had taken but because he did not have the inclination to talk, he answered questions put to him by writing. As recollected and recorded by Sri Sivaprakasam Pillai, there were thirteen questions and answers to them given by Bhagavan. This record was first published by Sri Pillai in 1923 (in the original Tamil), along with a couple of poems composed by himself relating how Bhagavan's grace operated in his case by dispelling his doubts and by saving him from a crisis in life.

Who am I? is the title given to a set of questions and answers bearing on Self-enquiry. This is the quintessential, aphoristic work, constituting one of the earliest recordings of the Maharshi s teachings, that spells out the nature of the Self and the practice of Self-Inquiry.

Who am I? is the title given to a set of questions and answers bearing on Self-enquiry. This is the quintessential, aphoristic work, constituting one of the earliest recordings of the Maharshi s teachings, that spells out the nature of the Self and the practice of Self-Inquiry.

One of the trickiest tasks we ever face is that of working out who we really are. If we're asked directly to describe ourselves, our minds tend to go blank. We can't just sum ourselves up. We need prompts and suggestions and more detailed enquiries that help tease out and organise our picture of ourselves. This book is designed to help us create a psychological portrait of ourselves with the use of some far more unusual, oblique, entertaining and playful prompts. The questions are designed to help us cumulatively appreciate how rich our identities are and how complicated, beautiful and sometimes painful our experiences have been. If self-knowledge is central to a wise and fulfilled life, it is because it teaches us which of our many-often contradictory-feelings and plans we might trust, in order that we can be a little more sceptical around our first impulses and less puzzled by the ebb and flow of our moods. We can understand where some of our feelings have come from and what might be driving our convictions and our longings.

One of the trickiest tasks we ever face is that of working out who we really are. If we're asked directly to describe ourselves, our minds tend to go blank. We can't just sum ourselves up. We need prompts and suggestions and more detailed enquiries that help tease out and organise our picture of ourselves. This book is designed to help us create a psychological portrait of ourselves with the use of some far more unusual, oblique, entertaining and playful prompts. The questions are designed to help us cumulatively appreciate how rich our identities are and how complicated, beautiful and sometimes painful our experiences have been. If self-knowledge is central to a wise and fulfilled life, it is because it teaches us which of our many-often contradictory-feelings and plans we might trust, in order that we can be a little more sceptical around our first impulses and less puzzled by the ebb and flow of our moods. We can understand where some of our feelings have come from and what might be driving our convictions and our longings.

Understand your God-given names and walk boldly in the roles that He has assigned for you. Throughout their lives many people struggle to fit in, find their reason for existence, and truly know who they are. For children of God, this does not have to be the case. There are hundreds of names and titles in the Bible that describe the people of God. Studying these names will give you a powerful, panoramic view of who you are in Christ. Each title reveals what your purpose is presently and also the destiny that is unfolding before you--both in this world and the world to come. Fifty-two of the most powerful names that belong to the body of Christ are explained in this book. You will understand the meaning of these names, boldly affirm, "This is who God says I am!", and reflect this confidence in your daily life.

Understand your God-given names and walk boldly in the roles that He has assigned for you. Throughout their lives many people struggle to fit in, find their reason for existence, and truly know who they are. For children of God, this does not have to be the case. There are hundreds of names and titles in the Bible that describe the people of God. Studying these names will give you a powerful, panoramic view of who you are in Christ. Each title reveals what your purpose is presently and also the destiny that is unfolding before you--both in this world and the world to come. Fifty-two of the most powerful names that belong to the body of Christ are explained in this book. You will understand the meaning of these names, boldly affirm, "This is who God says I am!", and reflect this confidence in your daily life.