Lorwen C Nagle, PhD Profile picture
Aug 2, 2025 19 tweets 5 min read Read on X
The man who heals what therapy can't:

Ramana Maharshi.

At 16, he discovered a method so simple yet profound that anxiety, depression, and suffering vanish when you truly understand it.

Here's his 5-step approach to absolute inner peace: 🧵 Image
At age 16, he was a normal teenager in South India when something extraordinary happened:

A sudden, intense fear of death gripped him.

Instead of running from it, he did something that would change the course of spiritual psychology forever... Image
He lay down and faced death directly.

"What dies?" he asked himself. "Who am I really?"

This simple inquiry shattered his identity as a limited being and revealed a profound truth that would help millions find lasting peace.

Here's his 5-step to absolute inner peace:
Step 1: The Core Question

"Who am I?"

Look directly at the feeling of 'I' right now. Where does this sense of being yourself come from?

This is where true healing begins. Image
Step 2: Trace Your Thoughts

Every worry, every fear, every anxiety belongs to 'me.'

But who is this 'me' they belong to?

Follow each thought back to its source - the thinker. Watch what happens when you look for the thinker. Image
Step 3: The Direct Method

- Don't try to fix your mind.
- Don't analyze your problems.
- Don't practice complex techniques.

Simply ask: To whom do these problems occur?

The answer comes: "To me."

Then ask: "Who am I?" Image
Ramana's teachings unexpectedly align with neuroscience.

The practice of self-inquiry leads to a reduction in self-referential thinking which results in:

1. lowered anxiety and mental chatter
2. increased present-moment awareness
In my ART program, I endorse constructive mind wandering through outdoor walking without devices.

It aligns perfectly with Ramana's teachings.

Let me explain...
Ramana's "Who am I?" paradoxically uses self-reference to transcend rigid self-concepts.

It's not about suppressing self-referential thinking but holding it differently.
This creates what I call a "loose hold" on your identity.

This "loose hold" state is very similar to what happens during constructive walking meditation (a key feature of my ART program).
The key insight is that both practices similarly work with attention.

They create a spacious awareness that's neither pushing away self-reference nor getting trapped in it.

It's like having a loose, open hand rather than a tight fist or a completely open palm. Image
Step 4: Beyond Meditation

Most methods give the mind something to do.

Ramana's genius was different:

Instead of adding new experiences, he taught us to look at who's experiencing.

This shift changes everything.
Step 5: Abiding in Awareness

As you keep investigating "Who am I?", something profound happens:

The questioner dissolves into pure awareness.

What remains is what you've always been: Peace itself.

Here's a story from Ramana:
Carl Jung visited India to understand this teaching.

David Godman dedicated his life to documenting it.

Paul Brunton introduced it to the West.

Yet Ramana never left his mountain. He never charged money nor did he create an organization around his realization. Image
The beauty of Ramana's method:

• No spiritual beliefs needed
• No years of practice required
• No special postures or techniques
• No dependency on teachers

Just one simple question asked with your whole being.
Warning: This isn't a mental exercise.

The "Who am I?" inquiry must penetrate deeper than thought. That's why I call it a "loose holding" of your identity.

When this question is sincerely pursued, suffering loses its foundation.

Because who is there to suffer? Image
Most of us don't have the time to spend 54 years sitting in silence. Nor do we understand the state in which Ramana was established.

Having guidance from someone who understands modern psychology and self-inquiry can be invaluable.
We are launching the Anxiety Relief Transformation™ on August 5th.

12 modules of guided practices combining neuroscience, art therapy & somatic healing.

Join the waitlist for the 25% off early bird discount:

offers.lorwenharrisnagle.com/anxiety-relief…
If this thread resonated with you, I explore psychology, philosophy, and personal transformation in my work.

Follow @Lorwen108 for more insights on the journey to authenticity.

Repost if this helped you. 🙏

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More from @LORWEN108

Feb 8
CO₂ sensitivity is one of the most powerful (and ignored) nervous-system interventions.

But, most people don’t know this system exists.

Here are 7 ways to calm your CO₂ alarm + lower your anxiety (in seconds).🧵
1. Stop “silent overbreathing.” Image
Image
Most anxious people aren’t breathing too little.

They’re breathing TOO MUCH (fast, shallow, chest-only breathing).

That keeps your chemoreflex on a hair trigger.

Instead:

breathe quieter
breathe lower (belly/ribs)
slow your pace
2. Lengthen your exhale.

This instantly downshifts your nervous system's thread detector.

Slow breathing with longer exhales reduces nervous system anxiety and shift body stress within minutes.

Try:

Inhale 4 seconds → Exhale 6–8 seconds

Do 6 cycles at first.
Read 10 tweets
Feb 4
Ernie Hudson is 80 years old.

And he looks stronger than most men half his age.

His secret?

No “get shredded in 30 days"...

Just repeatable systems he’s followed for years: Image
Image
He basically treats physical fitness like mental fitness:

Small reps.
Daily repetition.
No drama.

And that’s why it lasts decades.

The lesson?
Consistency beats intensity.

A system you can run for 20 years beats a “transformation” you quit in 20 days.

Your body and mind are your responsibility.

Hudson says, "Build habits that compound."

At 30 you call it “fitness.”

At 80 you call it freedom.
Read 9 tweets
Feb 3
Anxiety isn’t overthinking.

It’s your brain reacting to uncertainty...
and your soul reaching for freedom.

I condensed Kierkegaard into 4 moves. Use this when anxiety spikes.🧵
At 21, Kierkegaard watched his 5th sibling die.

By 30, he was engaged, famous, and set for a conventional life—

Then he detonated it.
He broke off the engagement.

Rejected the “safe path.”

And wrote the line that explains modern anxiety better than most therapists:

“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.”
Read 13 tweets
Feb 1
David Sinclair is a longevity expert.

But his most underrated “longevity protocol” isn’t supplements.

It’s how he keeps anxiety low in a high-pressure life.

Here's Sinclair's 6-rule system. (you don't want to miss this) 🧵 Image
Image
1. Choose stressors that make you stronger.

Stop lumping all “stress” together.

There are 2 kinds:

1. Biological stress (hormesis) that builds resilience.

2. Psychological stress that grinds you down.

They shouldn’t even share the same word.
2. Schedule “quiet time” like it’s medicine.

Not “vibe” time.
A calendar rule.

Book quiet time daily—so problems don’t hijack your nervous system.
Read 14 tweets
Jan 31
Most people aren’t “burned out.”

They’re stuck in always-on stress.

Here are 7 ways to switch it off (without meds) 🧵

1. Stop putting your brain in scatterbrain mode. Image
When your attention is constantly yanked around, your body stays keyed up.
Even “rest” doesn’t feel restful.

Try this:
Check social 2x/day + 30 minutes phone-free quiet or device-free walking.
2. Get morning light—especially in winter.

Morning light sets your body clock, which stabilizes mood and sleep.

Try this:
10–20 minutes outside early (no sunglasses if you can).
Read 11 tweets
Jan 28
5 personality traits that predict how you handle stress.

Find yours in 30 seconds (and how to work with it) 🧵 Image
Image
First: the Big 5 are not “labels.”

They’re your nervous system’s default strategy.

When you're aware of your default strategy, you can build on it and let it empower you. Image
Let's dive in...

1. High Neuroticism = The Threat Sensor

When you're high on neuroticism, you feel everything early, before others. You're very sensitive.

The signs of Neuroticism are:

→ overthinking
→ health worries
→ tension & rumination
→ The inner feeling: “I can’t turn this off.”

Quick fixes:

Regulate first, analyze second.
One sure-fire way to regulate is to walk outdoors without devices.
You want to downshift your alarm system. Walking is primo.
Read 10 tweets

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