From Support to Self-Awareness: The True Journey of a Seeker

A True Journey of a Spiritual Seeker: Self-realization

In spiritual life, every seeker begins somewhere. Some begin with worship, some with meditation, some with mantra-japa, some with devotional music, some with bhajan, some with scriptural recitation, and some through the influence of a Guru, a sacred place, or a powerful spiritual atmosphere. These supports are not meaningless. They are often necessary in the beginning, because they help the seeker get a glimpse of something deeper within oneself.

Spiritual support is not weakness; it is preparation.

Whenever we feel the need to do something in order to enter a peaceful, elevated, devotional, or meditative state, it shows that we are still trying to simulate or invoke a state that resembles our natural state of self-awareness. Even when people seek intense experiences through external substances or artificial means, what they are unknowingly searching for is a glimpse of freedom, silence, release, expansion, or heightened awareness. But such methods are unstable, risky, and misleading, because they do not lead to true realization. They only create temporary states.

The true meditative state, the state of pure self-awareness, is not something manufactured from outside. It is not produced by music, mantra, ritual, emotion, or even meditation as an activity. These may help, purify, prepare, and guide the seeker, but the true state is already here and now. In truth, every being already exists in the light of self-awareness. It is only an illusion to think that one exists without awareness. What is required is not the creation of the Self, but the recognition of the Self.

This is where the Guru becomes essential.

By the voice of the Guru, by the presence of the Guru, and by the grace of the Guru, a seeker may sometimes feel a natural and effortless state of self-awareness. It may appear only for a brief moment. But that brief moment is precious. When the seeker identifies such a state, even for a few seconds, a new journey begins. The seeker then understands, “This is what I must return to. This is what I must deepen. This is what must become natural.”

The Guru does not merely give an experience; the Guru points the seeker back to the source of all experience.

From that point, the seeker tries again and again to abide in that awareness until it becomes steady, effortless, and natural.

Therefore, seeking help or support is not wrong. It is not weakness. It is very much required. Worship, mantra, music, sacred company, prayer, pilgrimage, discipline, and the Guru’s guidance can all give us a glimpse into our deeper state. They can show us what our awareness was like before the mind became restless, scattered, and identified with outer things. But external support can only give a peep into the truth. It cannot permanently replace the truth.

The true state of Self-realization is not actually a “state” in the ordinary sense. A state comes and goes. Joy comes and goes. Excitement comes and goes. Devotional emotion comes and goes. Visions, sensations, tears, goosebumps, and euphoric experiences come and go. But the Self does not come and go. Awareness does not appear and disappear. It is the ever-present reality behind all experiences.

Since time immemorial, human beings have sought the help of gods, sages, parents, teachers, and Gurus to guide them toward this realization. This is how the sacred lineage of Guru and Śiṣya, father and son, deity and devotee, teacher and student, has been established. It is a divine bond that continues to protect and guide humanity.

But the true journey begins only when one sincerely seeks to know the source of the “I am.” When a seeker turns inward and asks, “Who am I? What is the source of my existence? What is the awareness by which I know everything?” then the path becomes real.

Every effort made toward that realization is worthy and essential, provided the seeker remains balanced, mature, attentive, stable, faithful, and sincere. Spiritual life needs intensity, but it also needs steadiness. It needs devotion, but also discrimination. It needs surrender, but not superstition. It needs enthusiasm, but not emotional imbalance.

The final goal is not to enter a state, but to abide as that which is beyond all states.

A seeker must be careful not to become maverick, over-enthusiastic, delusional, fanatical, dogmatic, or superstitious. Such tendencies are extremely harmful. They may lead the seeker away from the real objective and place the seeker on a self-destructive path. Instead of moving toward Self-awareness, the seeker may become trapped in ego, fantasy, emotional dependency, or spiritual pride.

For example, some devotees build the entire foundation of their faith only upon miracles, extraordinary experiences, emotional ecstasy, aggressive possession-like states, or sudden eruptions of joy. Such experiences may occur for some people because of their temperament, emotional nature, or psychological condition. But they are not the final goal. They are momentary. They may inspire faith in the beginning, but if the seeker constantly tries to repeat those experiences, the true objective is lost.

One should not keep chasing the same earlier experience again and again. That becomes another form of dependence.

External supports are boats to cross the river; they are not the shore itself.

Instead, the seeker must progress. From bhajan, one may move toward mantra-japa. From mantra-japa, one may move toward sacred recitation. From steady recitation, one may move toward meditation. From meditation, one may move toward inner silence. From inner silence, one may be led toward natural self-awareness. In this way, the seeker gradually accumulates inner strength.

At some point, the Guru gives a gentle push. Sometimes it is soft. Sometimes it is strong. Sometimes it comes through words. Sometimes through silence. Sometimes through life itself. That push is meant to help the seeker take a leap of faith.

Only those who are ready to take that leap rise to the summit of awareness. Some require only one small push. Some require many hard pushes. The time taken depends on the seeker’s readiness, discipline, maturity, and inner reformation.

The essential point is this: external supports are useful, but one should not become permanently dependent on them. They are boats to cross the river; they are not the shore itself. They are lamps that help us see; they are not the sun of awareness itself.

A seeker must finally become capable of remaining firmly established in one’s true state. When that happens, there is no dependence. There is freedom. Such a person does not require anything in order to “be in the state.” Such a one does not need a particular song, place, ritual, emotion, or experience to feel connected.

Such a one is always in the state.

And finally, such a one goes beyond even the idea of a state.

That is true freedom. That is natural Self-awareness. That is the summit of the spiritual journey.

-Madhavananda

(Phani Madhav Guruji's Article Dated: 02.07.2026)