by Ekta Bathija | Sep 2, 2026 | Advaita, Awareness, Bhagwad Gita, Birth, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Duality, Form, History, I, Impressions, Krishna, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Projection, Rama Geeta, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Spontaneous, Truth
‘I-the-Consciousness project numerous forms’ can be corrected to ‘Manifestation appears spontaneously within Me-the-Consciousness’ Question: Ektaji, some sages have said after self-realization that, ‘I took so many births, in different...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 8, 2026 | Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Sensations, Senses, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Truth
Who knows that the Witness is witnessing thought? Dear Ektaji, Noticing that throughout the day the mind is always going on about something. If there is an abiding, a knowing of myself as the awareness of all the chatter, and the mind is going on about empty stuff, am...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 21, 2026 | Buddha, I, Memory, Mind, Reaction, Samadhi, Silence, Spontaneous, Thoughts
Strive for inner softness or Saumyata! Question: Maintaining the Buddha vows helps me keep a peaceful mind free of unnecessary chit-chat. But I broke some vows. How to deal with the broken vows? Answer: Before we discuss what to do about broken vows, it is...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 7, 2026 | Advaita, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, I, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts
Mind is a dead thought. It is the object of Memory. It is not the subject. Question: If the waker collapses and the stand of the witness is taken, then who is recalling the memory of the dream, whose memory is it? Isn’t memory recalling a function of the mind?...
by Ekta Bathija | May 14, 2026 | Birth, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Truth, Upanishad
You cannot deduce your own birth! Question: Didi, as a mother personality, this body-mind complex has a memory of giving birth to another body-mind complex. When I correlate, I assume I was born into the world by my mother. Then how can I be the birthless...
by Ekta Bathija | May 9, 2026 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Buddha, Conscious, Consciousness, Memory, Mind, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
Who carries the Dream memory to the Waking? Question: Namaste Didi, As I understand, during the dreaming state, the witness is witnessing a dream, and the mind is in a semi-conscious state. But towards the end, the mind becomes fully conscious, and then it gets...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 28, 2026 | Advaita, Awareness, Illusion, Memory, Projection, Sensations, Thoughts, Truth
What does ‘projection’ mean in Advaita Vedanta? Question: Dear Didi,You use the word projected many times. I am a teacher and suppose I am teaching students in a class. If you say that I have projected the classroom students’ walls, benches, my own...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 15, 2026 | General Spiritual, I, Illusion, Intellect, Memory, Mind, Sensations, Thoughts
The intellect is unavailable in the gap to record Nothingness Question: Dear Ektaji, Is my understanding correct? At 6 pm, I keep my car keys somewhere in my house. At 8 pm, I want to go out. I am searching for the car keys, but can’t find them. My mind’s story...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 8, 2026 | Body, Desire, Fear, General Spiritual, I, Independent Spirituality, Memory, Mind, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Truth
Nothing outside of your projection can ever be perceived Question: Dear Ektaji, for witnessing subtle projection to gross manifestation, doesn’t the balance of witnessing get tilted when multiple vichara create a story? Is my observation missing something?...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 8, 2026 | Advaita, Body, Concepts, Direct Path, Form, Ignorance, Memory, Parents, Rama Geeta, Spouse, Thoughts, Upanishad
There is nothing personal! Question: Namaste Ektaji, Is this a correct understanding of Samskaras? I recognize personal Samskaras in the waking state, which is nothing but ignorance. This is the state where personhood is most established. I recognize impersonal...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 8, 2025 | Advaita, Buddha, Buddha, Consciousness, Dukkha, Knowledge, Love, Meditation, Memory, Mind, Misery, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Suffering, Thanksgiving, Thoughts
Don’t just forgive but be grateful for all worldly sorrows Question: Dear Ekta, Thanksgiving is difficult for people like me. I am unable to give thanks to my family. I want to follow the Buddhadvaita path and forgive, but bitter memories haunt me. Can you help...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 12, 2025 | Awareness, Body, General Spiritual, Illusion, Impressions, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts
A Memory [Smriti] is not the same as a Karmic Impression [Samskaara] Question: Is the body, mind, world a persistent memory or a relentless impression that recurs ceaselessly? Answer: Let’s explore the difference between a Memory [Smriti] and an...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 8, 2025 | Consciousness, Death, Fear, General Spiritual, Memory, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Thoughts, Wisdom
A dialogue on how only the Wake-Dream-Sleep witnessing reveals the fourth! Question: Namaste Ektaji, there is a statement from Adhyaasa Drishti, “When the continuity of Turiya in all three states is directly seen, there remains no more fear of death.” Is the deep...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 28, 2025 | Adi Shankaracharya, Advaita, Body, Breath, Chanting, Courage, Death, Direct Path, Ego, Energy, God, Guru, Human, Ignorance, Intellect, Ishavasya Upanishad, Kabir, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Soul, Upanishad, Worship
What is NOT Sadhana? Question: Dear Ektaji, What is the purpose of Sadhana? Is it to strengthen my witnessing stand? Answer: There is only ONE sadhana dear – The sadhana of NOT betraying one’s own true Self, as discussed in the earlier verses of...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 13, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, Memory, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Time-past/present/Future
The ‘NOW’ is not the now! Question: When I drop the witness and rest, there is no NOW. Is this understanding correct? Answer: Let’s dive deeper into this, as there seems to be some confusion there, dear. The reality is the NOW itself. The NOW...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 2, 2025 | Body, Concepts, Consciousness, Desire, Form, General Spiritual, Happiness, I, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts, Truth, Unconscious, Wisdom
What is Direct Seeing? Who Sees? What is being Seen? Question: What is direct Seeing? Who Sees? What is being seen? Please help explain it clearly. Answer: Let’s begin with what direct seeing is not. Direct Seeing is not seeing through the eyes: The eyes...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 1, 2025 | Body, Consciousness, Ego, General Spiritual, I, Illusion, Life, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self, Truth
Embrace the erasure of ‘Personhood’, the Beyond will reveal itself! Dear Ektaji, I see everything as an illusion, but when the body-mind gets tired, I lose the Knowingness position. I see it is all but an illusion, yet I get identified with the... by Ekta Bathija | May 21, 2025 | Advaita, Attachment, Awareness, Body, Concepts, Death, Direct Path, Memory, Mind, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Truth, Upanishad
How can the ‘limitlessness’ die in the limited state? Question: Ektaji, I had COVID and went through extreme fear. I think the fear stemmed from my attachments to my family, wife, and kids. I have been walking the Advaita path for years. The silence is...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 8, 2025 | Advaita, Aversion, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Craving, Direct Path, Dukkha, I, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Sensations, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Vasana
Grabbing Vichara is Vasana Question: What is Vichara? What is Vasana? Answer: What is Vichara? Vichara is a spontaneous stream of collective arisings. But arisings are not personal. The perception of sight arises and dissolves. It is a fleeting arising devoid...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 15, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Darshan, Awareness, Body, Buddha, Desire, Direct Path, Guru, I, Ignorance, Illusion, Life, Memory, Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Seeking, Sensations, Spontaneous, Suffering, Thoughts, Truth
How is Self-Inquiry done? What is Self-Exploration? Question: How is Self-Inquiry done? What is Self-Exploration? Answer: Dear Spiritual Seeker, On the self-effacing authentic path to one’s true nature, resorting to Self-Inquiry and Self-Exploration is...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 11, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Buddha, Buddha, Direct Path, Duality, Dvaita, Enlightenment, Faith, God, Human, I, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, Religion, Sensations, Truth, Upanishad
There is No BODY! Question: Dear Ektaji, why do we hear that a human body is essential to attain enlightenment? How much attention do we need to pay to keep ourselves healthy? Answer: Dear One, This is a Dvaitam concept that a human body is essential to attain...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 17, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Conscious, Consciousness, Courage, Direct Path, Intellect, Knowledge, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts, Truth
The Person is a Piece of Mere Knowledge Question: If everything is Knowledge, why is it that the body-mind person is unaware of it and only knows it when taught? Answer: As one progresses from the initial realization of being the witness of the body-mind at...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 13, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, Gnyana, I, Ignorance, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Parents, Seeking, Self, Senses, Soul, Truth
The Witness is the Assumed Self Question: Hello Didi, In I AM THAT Ch 20 there is a journal point ‘All desires, holy and unholy, come from the self; they all hang on the sense ‘I am’. Again Ch 21 says ‘All desire has its source in the self.’. Whereas...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 29, 2024 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, Doership, I, Illusion, Intellect, Memory, Mind, Samadhi, Sensations, Temporary, Thoughts
The doer and experiencer are not the same illusion, even if they seem so! Question: Dear Ektaji,Is my understanding correct? Situation:6pm – I keep my car keys somewhere in my house.8pm – I want to go out. I am searching for the car keys but can’t find...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 28, 2024 | Aagami, Consciousness, Ego, Elements, General Spiritual, Impressions, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Karma, Memory, Raaga/Dvesha, Senses, Sub-conscious, Surrender, Thoughts
How does a “thought” become an Agami Karma ? Question: First one of the 5 elements or the senses hits us (it also depends on my doshas), then it goes to the memory bank & opens one file like, dislike with People, Situation & Thing. (Is there any...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 17, 2024 | Body, General Spiritual, Karma, Memory, Vedic
Transplant Donor Karma Question: The memory and intellect are not associated with the physical body correct? So if someone were to have a brain transplant, the transplanted brain should not come with any memories and karma of the donor. Is that right? Answer:...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 14, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, I, Ignorance, Illusion, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Senses, Upanishad
The witness consciousness is not continuous therefore it is illusory! Question: Didi, in yesterday’s blog, it was mentioned- When one can see the witness+mind+body+world as a single oneness, he transcends beyond. I understand that the mind + body+ world...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 26, 2024 | Anger, Aversion, Awareness, Awareness, Buddha, Craving, Desire, Emotions, Fear, Guilt, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Love/Hate, Memory, Mind, Mindfulness, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sankalpa/Intention, Sensations, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Thoughts, Vasana, Wisdom
Can one use restraint to be celibate? Question: For Brahmacharya to happen, a maturity is required, before this maturity can one use restraint to be celibate? Answer: The act of “restraining the senses” belongs to the circle of sleep. What is the...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 14, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Breath, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, I, Illusion, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts, Upanishad
The waking dream is like the sky! Question: Is my understanding correct? Mahadaakasha = body-mind complex/intellect/memory/ego – the dream character Chidaakasha: the witness consciousness. Paramaakasha: Pure consciousness/dreamer There is identification as the...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 3, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Direct Path, Enlightenment, Feverishness, Just Be, Knowledge, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Scriptures, Senses, Silence, Surrender, Thoughts, Upanishad, Wisdom
Agamya – Inaccessible through words! Question: I wanted to also share that I really found the question and answers helpful after the explorations yesterday where Ektaji was speaking with Shailaja. That mind is only limited to the perception of five senses and...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 13, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Body, Causation, Death, Direct Path, Dreams, Guilt, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Kabir, Karma, Karmaphalam, Love, Memory, Mind, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sankalpa/Intention, Suffering
Contradictions in Advaita! Question: Hello Dear Ekta, in the Ramana Maharishi’s Guru videos you asked us whether we recognize the four stages of creation and manifestation of a personal universe, thru Sankalpa – [Inclination/attraction] Kaama – [Lusting...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 2, 2023 | Aagami, Anger, Anxiety, Attachment, Attention-Seeking, Attraction, Aversion, Awareness, Buddha, Causation, Craving, Desire, Dukkha, Emotions, Expectations, Fear, Fear, Greed, Guilt, Happiness, Hurt, Impressions, Jealousy, Karma, Karmaphalam, Love/Hate, Memory, Mindfulness, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Samsara, Seeking, Selfishness, Stress, Sukkha, Thoughts, Vasana
Vasanas Question: Can you clarify what vasana means? Answer: The mind is stuck in 3 factors – People Situations and Things The association with all these 3 will lead to impressions in the mind. Association with people leads to – Impressions of entanglement, jealousy,...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 8, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Illusion, Meditation, Memory, Mind, Sensations, Silence, Thoughts
Is there a conscious link between thoughts? Question: Thoughts being dead information are simply a result of the memory of people, situations, things, ideas picked up from conditioning. Is there a conscious link between thoughts? Answer: If you are looking for...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 10, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, Memory, Mind, Thoughts
Chittachaya – Borrowed Consciousness! Question: Ekta didi, please would you explain Chittachaya [borrowed consciousness]? Answer: Just like we cannot see gravity but we can experience it, knowingness cannot be seen but its effects are experiential. ...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 27, 2022 | Aagami, Awareness, Bondage, Emotions, Guilt, Impressions, Karma, Memory, Mind, Misery, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Thoughts, Types of Karma, Vedic
Guilt is a safety valve! Question: What is guilt? Why is our conscience so strong (in some cases), for example, if one lies, but later on he feels guilt. He knows he lied for the best, otherwise it would cause hurt to the other’s mind. Answer: Guilt is...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 22, 2022 | Aversion, Craving, Impressions, Karma, Memory, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Sub-conscious, Vedic
How are karma impressions formed? Question: Is there any science on how impressions form in the mind? What are impressions exactly? Answer: Impressions are formed by multiple exposure of the mind to the same stimulus repeatedly. For example: You feel that you...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 17, 2022 | Advaita, Body, Conscious, Direct Path, Dreams, I, Illusion, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Upanishad
Does the dreamer have the waking memory? Question: After waking up we recognize that dream objects are illusory. Similarly, when we go into the dream state do we recognize that waking state objects are illusory. Experientially I do not know. Is the memory of waking...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 26, 2021 | Awareness, Awareness, Buddha, Causation, Faith, Flow with Life, Intellect, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Life, Love, Memory, Mind, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Truth, Wisdom
What if the Karma theory is wrong? Question: I am getting a feeling of missing out. What if this Karma Theory is wrong and I wake up 40 years from now realizing that I missed out on people, places and things that at least gave me short-term pleasure. Now I have to...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 16, 2021 | Consciousness, Desire, Emotions, General Spiritual, Gnyani, Knowledge, Meditation, Memory, Mind, No-Mind, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Self- Realization, Sensations, Sex/Passion/Celibacy
Wanting to look good….. Raaga or not? Question:I have a desire to have clear pretty skin. I was wondering if it is Raaga or it is part of nature? Is it a bad karma or a bad desire to want to look pretty not with make-up but with normal skin?Answer:You are the...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 13, 2020 | Awareness, Awareness, Body, Breath, Buddha, Fear, Impressions, Just Be, Meditation, Memory, Physical, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Satipathana, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts
Shivering during meditation, is it normal? Question: Yesterday, when I was meditating, I could only do three rounds of body observation but I felt I was aware the whole time and I felt for the first time I am doing it as you had explained, I was feeling all my body...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 20, 2019 | Alcohol, Ashtavakra Gita, Commitment, Emotions, Happiness, Hurt, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Let go, Life, Love/Hate, Marriage, Meditation, Memory, Mind, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Purushartha, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Spouse, Suffering, Temporary, Thoughts, Vedic
Karma and its ways Question:My husband is an alcoholic all he does is work and sleep alone. there is practically no interaction or no marriage between us. I feel extremely lonely and very depressed at home.What should I do to come out of this loneliness and depressed...
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