Self-realization is the direct awakening to your true nature as pure awareness or spirit, beyond the roles, thoughts and personality we usually identify with in daily life.
Why It Matters
Self-realization is regarded in the yogic and advaita teachings as the goal of the spiritual path, the moment you know yourself as the awareness behind every thought. Teachers such as Paramahansa Yogananda and Ramana Maharshi pointed to meditation, devotion and self-inquiry as the way. It is a lived recognition more than an idea.
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Go Deeper
Read the full guide: Self-Realization: The Teachings of Yogananda and the Path Within