A Vedantic journey inward through neti neti
The diagram moves through the layers commonly mistaken for the Self: external objects and possessions, body, mind and thoughts, emotions, intellect, and the ego-sense that claims “I am the doer.” Each layer is known, changing, or sometimes absent, so each is negated as “not this.”
The reveal
What remains is awareness: the witness of body, mind, emotions, intellect, and ego. It is present through waking, dreaming, and deep sleep; it does not come and go as an object. Self-knowledge is therefore the removal of misidentification, expressed by the Upanishadic recognition “Aham Brahmasmi”—I am Brahman.
A simple practice
- Observe the body, thoughts, feelings, reasoning, and doer-sense.
- Negate each observed layer as not the final knower.
- Rest as the awareness to which all layers appear.