The following verses are teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi taken from Sri Ramana Gita, Chapter 1 ‘The Importance of Upasana’. Let us start at verse 12:
- The seeker of knowledge does not achieve his end merely by a study of the scriptures. Without upasana [meditation] there cannot be attainment for him; this is definite.
Tom: But what is this Upasana? The next verse explains:
- Experiencing the natural state, during spiritual practice, is called upasana and when that state becomes firm and permanent that itself is called jnana [knowledge].
Tom: But what is this Natural State? Again, the next verse explains
- When discarding sense-objects, one abides in one’s own true nature as a flame of jnana, this state of being is termed sahaja sthiti [the natural state].
Tom: so we can see here that the teaching is to discard sense-objects, and abide in one’s own nature. This is called Jnana or Sahaja Sthiti. Remaining in this state is the principle sadhana (spiritual practice) – this is Upasana (meditation) and this leads to liberation, not just mere study of the scriptures.
Tom Das 
What about when trauma is stuck on the body . And natural flow cannot be experienced . It is a very debilitating experience.
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Fionnuala. If there is the experience that trauma is stuck in the body then there is probably also the experience that you are that body and you are the person that has been traumatized. If that is the case then by all means work with the trauma on a personal level, some sort of therapy with a skilled therapist. Trauma-release. If you feel that you are a person that has been traumatized – then it’s the right thing to do. You can still keep doing your sadhana parallel to the trauma work. I speak of this from personal experience. It’s tricky but as long as you can’t let go of identifying with the person, the most logical thing to do is to try to make that person function as well as possible, otherwise you can’t complete your sadhana.
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