One should lift oneself up by oneself and not let oneself sink down; for the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् | आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ||६-५||
Introspection
Introspection refers to the practice of examining one's own thoughts and feelings. Many spiritual traditions converge on its importance for self-awareness. They diverge in their approaches and interpretations, offering unique perspectives.
116 quotes
Across traditions
Related topics
Quotes
Arjuna said: Krishna, station my chariot between the two armies,
अर्जुन उवाच | सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये रथं स्थापय मेऽच्युत ||१-२१||
The Self-existent pierced the senses outward; therefore one looks outward, not at the inner Self. Some wise one, seeking immortality, turned his gaze inward and saw the Self.
पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत् स्वयम्भू- स्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन् । कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्ष- दावृत्तचक्षुरमृतत्वमिच्छन् ॥ १॥
'Just as a bird tied by a string flies in every direction and, finding no resting place elsewhere, settles down at the very place where it is bound — in the same way, my dear, the mind flies in every direction and, finding no resting place elsewhere, settles down in the breath; for the mind, my dear, is bound to the breath.'
स यथा शकुनिः सूत्रेण प्रबद्धो दिशं दिशं पतित्वान्यत्रायतनमलब्ध्वा बन्धनमेवोपश्रयत एवमेव खलु सोम्य तन्मनो दिशं दिशं पतित्वान्यत्रायतनमलब्ध्वा प्राणमेवोपश्रयते प्राणबन्धनꣳ हि सोम्य मन इति
Om. 'Who is this Self that we worship? Which one is the Self?' It is that by which one sees, or by which one hears, or by which one smells odors, or by which one articulates speech, or by which one discerns the sweet and the unsweet.
ॐ कोऽयमात्मेति वयमुपास्महे कतरः स आत्मा । येन वा पश्यति येन वा शृणोति येन वा गन्धानाजिघ्रति येन वा वाचं व्याकरोति येन वा स्वादु चास्वादु च विजानाति ॥ १॥
in front of Bhishma, Drona, and all the rulers of the earth, and said: Partha, behold these Kurus assembled here.
भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतः सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् | उवाच पार्थ पश्यैतान्समवेतान्कुरूनिति ||१-२५||
so that I may look upon these men standing here eager to fight, with whom I must contend in this enterprise of battle.
यावदेतान्निरीक्षेऽहं योद्धुकामानवस्थितान् | कैर्मया सह योद्धव्यमस्मिन् रणसमुद्यमे ||१-२२||
Yogic practices alone are not enough; purification of the heart is essential. Self-reflection is necessary to eliminate faults and bad habits. Correct your flaws, such as selfishness, pride, jealousy, and hatred. Cultivate your heart by sharing with others and engaging in selfless service, which will lead to a pure mind.
'When one truly reflects, then one understands; without reflecting, one does not understand; only by reflecting does one understand. But one must desire to understand reflection.' 'Sir, I desire to understand reflection.'
यदा वै मनुतेऽथ विजानाति नामत्वा विजानाति मत्वैव विजानाति मतिस्त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्येति मतिं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति
I wish to see those gathered here ready to fight, seeking to please in battle the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः | धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ||१-२३||
He thought: 'How could this exist without me?' He thought: 'Through which one shall I enter?' He thought: 'If speaking is done by speech, breathing by breath, seeing by the eye, hearing by the ear, touching by the skin, thinking by the mind, out-breathing by apana, emitting by the generative organ—then who am I?'
स ईक्षत कथं न्विदं मदृते स्यादिति स ईक्षत कतरेण प्रपद्या इति । स ईक्षत यदि वाचाऽभिव्याहृतं यदि प्राणेनाभिप्राणितं यदि चक्षुषा दृष्टं यदि श्रोत्रेण श्रुतं यदि त्वचा स्पृष्टं यदि मनसा ध्यातं यद्यपानेनाभ्यपानितं यदि शिश्नेन विसृष्टमथ कोऽहमिति ॥ ११॥
He, the Person, reflected: "By whose departure shall I depart? By whose staying shall I stay?"
स ईक्षाचक्रे । कस्मिन्नहमुत्क्रान्त उत्क्रान्तो भविष्यामिकस्मिन्वा प्रतिष्ठिते प्रतिष्ठास्यामीति ॥ ६३॥
Not to be aware of one's own shortcomings is the greatest human shortcoming. To see one's own fault is the sign of modesty.
A proud person never sees his own fault, never admits his own fault. The proud one cannot even accept that he is bad, and not seeing one's own faults is the very root of all faults. To see one's own faults is the mark of humility, the sign of meekness.
The vastness or omnipresence of the Almighty broadens our view point also. Then, instead of pointing out the shortcoming of others, we try to improve ourselves. Religion inspires for self improvement. When we improve ourselves, the entire world improves for us.
However, this criticism holds little value because the mystic's goal is self-awareness and knowledge of God, which can only be achieved through introspection, not through external observation.
The initial effect was the liberation of life and mind from matter, and the final effect was to assist the emergence of spiritual consciousness, will, and sense of existence, allowing the being to look within and discover their inner self, surpassing earthly limitations.
Although we can gain knowledge about our inner self through penetration and introspection, true self-awareness can only be achieved by moving beyond the superficial mind and living from a deeper, inner level of being, and by rising to a higher level of consciousness than our ordinary waking state.
As a result, a planned self-deception is added to a deliberate self-ignorance. The only way to overcome this confusion is to look within and understand the roots of these issues.
Our surface existence is just a surface level, and it's there that ignorance has full control. To truly know, we must look within ourselves and gain inner knowledge.