“उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।”
Uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet — Bhagavad Gītā 6.5
“Let one uplift oneself by one’s own Self; let not the Self be degraded.”
Awakening the Inner Flame
Every being carries within a silent radiance — the inner flame of consciousness. This flame is not kindled by external means but uncovered when the layers of conditioning are lifted. The ancient sages called it Ātman — the Self that neither rises nor sets. When we turn inward through stillness, meditation, or self-inquiry, the flame begins to illumine the shadows of ignorance. The awakening is not dramatic; it is gentle, steady, and luminous. As awareness deepens, the seeker realizes that enlightenment was never something to be achieved, but simply remembered — the light was always there, awaiting recognition.
SADHANA
Supratim Chowdhury
10/24/20251 min read
There is a silent radiance within every being — a subtle flame that neither flickers nor fades. It is not kindled by any outer fire, nor can it be extinguished by the winds of circumstance. This flame is the essence of consciousness itself — the living light of awareness that shines through every breath, every thought, every heartbeat.
The ancient sages called it Ātman — the Self that was never born and will never die. Hidden beneath the layers of conditioning, it waits patiently for recognition. We spend our lives seeking meaning in the external world — in relationships, achievements, possessions — yet the source of all meaning glows quietly within.
The spiritual journey is not about lighting this flame, for it has never gone out. It is about removing the veils that obscure its glow — the clouds of doubt, fear, and illusion that form through habit and forgetfulness. Meditation, self-inquiry, and mindful silence are not acts of creation, but of remembrance.
When the mind becomes still, the inner flame begins to reveal itself — not as something new, but as something eternal. It is a gentle illumination, not a blaze; steady and compassionate, not dramatic. The awakening it brings is not a thunderbolt from the heavens, but a dawning from within. Like the first light of morning that does not break the night but transforms it, awareness softly unveils the truth: the light was always there.
To live in this awareness is to move through the world with quiet grace. The ordinary becomes extraordinary. Every act, every encounter, every breath is touched by that same golden light. The flame within each of us is not separate — it is the same flame that burns in all creation, the same consciousness shining through the stars and the eyes of every being.
When we turn inward and recognize it, we awaken not only to our own essence but to the sacred unity of all life. The inner flame is not just within us — it is us.