Swami Rama once asked a sishya (disciple), “Tell me one thing you have learned by yourself, that you have not gleaned from anything else, nor any other person!” The sishya was struck dumb, for he had not had any such experience, insight or realisation. Most people are blind to their desires and attachments, fruit of ideations, driven by vasana and samksara, thoughts, impressions and karma brought across from the previous life. It is very hard to stand outside the senses and have self-awareness, like the guru of Arunachala – Ramana Maharshi. We are slaves to the senses, not realising that the Divine is avinasambandhana, divinity that has cloaked itself with maya, illusion.