WHO AM ‘I’ and ‘I AM THAT’ is only for a lower stage it helps only expose the false nature of the ego, which is not the full truth.+

The Man is misled by what confronts him or influenced by what he experiences. Man exists within the world. From the ultimate standpoint, the world is merely an illusion created out of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.   

Due to ignorance, man experiences duality as a reality, because man thinks of himself as Self and he experiences birth, life, death, and the world as a reality.  

Thus, Self-knowledge is necessary to realize the fact that, man and his experience of the world together is an illusion. And the soul is the innermost Self, is not part of the illusion.  The Soul is present in the form of consciousness is the formless substance and the witness of the illusion. The illusion is present as the mind (I) or the universe or waking experience. The illusion is an object to the formless soul, which is the subject. In reality,  the object and subject are one in essence. 

Many seekers in this path of inquiry are still struggling even after long years and waiting for something to happen. Even after reading and inquiring deeply enough, still, they are unable to progress further.  Even they are unable to get any benefit in their spiritual pursuit through self - inquiry they are unable to give up Self-inquiry due to the attraction of Sri, Ramana Maharishi. 

It is necessary for the seeker of truth to realize the fact that Self-awareness is not some mystical experience propagated by yogis. Self-awareness comes only from the Gnana or Nondualistic wisdom. 

 That is why Sage Sankara indicated: -VC -65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out of being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

Self-inquiry prescribed by Sri, Raman Maharshi helps only at the beginning of the pursuit of truth. But the seeker will find it inadequate in later stages. However, it creates lots of doubts and confusion.  The seeker has to find the answers on his own through deeper reasoning, then all his doubts and confusions will be cleared, and he will be able to move ahead in the path of inquiry, and he will be able to reach his non-dual destination.

When one is absorbed in thinking of anything, he forgets the subject, which is consciousness,  the innermost self, that which witnesses all the coming and going of the three states in succession.

One may think for a hundred hours continuously,  but it is all thoughts, hence not consciousness. But when one becomes aware the thinker and the thoughts are one is the essence, one does get consciousness, the knower, the formless witness of the three states. Consciousness the Self is eternal.

One has to get rid of his doubts, But that did not mean, simply going and believing everything he is told. The doubt is to be got rid of "by the sword of wisdom.

WHO AM ‘I’ and ‘I AM THAT’ is only for a lower stage where one gives up externally in order, exposing the false nature of the ego, which is not the full truth. To get the ultimate truth,  one has to inquire into the nature of the mind, which is in the form of the universe.  Inquiring into nature,   the mind or the universe is higher.  Thus,  ‘WHO AM ‘I’? and ‘I AM THAT’   will not reveal the truth of the whole,  thus the journey is incomplete.
 ‘WHO AM ‘I’ and ‘I AM THAT’ - teachings serve only at the starting point. What one has to learn from the teaching of the sages be understood through the exercise of reason as far as the reason might go.  And what one has assimilated must be realized. There are stages in the seeker's goal.

Self-awareness does not mean one is transforming something into something else. In self –awareness there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness in the midst of diversity.  The body and the world have become one in essence. 

There is no duality in the midst of duality.   There is not even the concept of real and unreal. Of course,  it does not mean that when one is involved in practical life within the practical world disappears. But in self-awareness one is consciously aware of ‘what truth’ is and ‘what is not the truth’ in the midst of duality because one sees his ego, his body,  and his experience of the world as consciousness.  

Thus, for a Gnani there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness, even though he is in the midst of diversity.   

Nothingness is an erroneous conclusion because every thought has its opposite every word is tied to its coordinate for all thought and speech can only operate under such dualism. Hence, taking the most fundamental word, existence, its implied opposite non-existence is also there, and vice versa. So the nothingness or “non-entity" is meaningless without "entity". Both are there.:~Santthosh Kumaar