Lorwen C Nagle, PhD Profile picture
Aug 2 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

Aug 1
This man who heals what doctors can't:

Jiddu Krishnamurti.

It's impossible to be psychologically trapped, stressed, or anxious after understanding his teachings.

Here's his 5-step approach to unlocking mental freedom: 🧵 Image
At age 14, the Theosophical Society declared Krishnamurti the next World Teacher.

By 27, he was set to lead one of the largest spiritual organizations in the world.

Then he did something that shocked everyone... Image
He rejected it all.

"Truth is a pathless land," he declared. "No guru, method, or system can lead you to it."

He dissolved the organization, returned the money and properties, and spent the next 60 years teaching a radical approach to psychological freedom.

Here are his 5-steps to unlocking your mind:Image
Read 15 tweets
Jul 29
HOT TAKE:

Traditional therapy is a SCAM for 99% of high-achievers.

I've spent over 20 years as a Harvard-trained psychologist helping CEOs & founders worth $100M+.

They were all suffering from the same ONE problem.

Here's the protocol I created that actually works: 🧵 Image
Image
Most of my clients are accomplished professionals — dentists, doctors, and company founders with impressive careers.

Despite their success, they struggle with overthinking and procrastination, they can't seem to shake it.

But why?
When we dig deeper, we often discover these high-performers aren't just dealing with work stress...

They're battling unresolved childhood trauma that conventional therapeutic approaches struggle to address, Gabor Mate said it best below...

And that's when the problem arises: Image
Read 22 tweets
Jul 28
Your anxiety didn’t start in adulthood.
It started when you became "The Good One."

People-pleasing is harmful.
It rewires your brain and fractures your sense of self.

Here's what most therapists won't tell you.
This is important. Please open 🧵 Image
Being a people pleaser is an adaptation that hides your true self.

Over time, people-pleasing:

1. Reshapes your brain for survival.
2. Destroys your sense of identity.
3. Sets you up for chronic anxiety.

Here’s what you were never told:
1. Most anxiety is learned in childhood.

A form of self-abandonment developed to preserve your safety in emotionally unpredictable environments.

You weren’t born anxious—you were trained to be nervous. Image
Read 23 tweets
Jul 26
Emotional intelligence is a superpower.

After 30+ years as a Harvard psychologist, I can spot people with high emotional intelligence (EQ) in 30 seconds.

It's not about being nice or controlling emotions.

They share these 12 traits... 🧵 Image
1/ They feel emotions without becoming them.

When anger arises, they notice: "I'm experiencing anger."
Not: "I AM angry."

This tiny linguistic shift represents massive neural rewiring.

They have emotions. Emotions don't have them. Image
2/ They're comfortable with uncomfortable silence.

No nervous laughter.
No rushing to fill gaps.
No compulsive phone checking.

They can sit with awkwardness because they've learned: Discomfort is just another sensation passing through awareness.
Read 18 tweets
Jul 22
I'm 63.

At 10, I began my 53-year study of ancient Eastern texts—Kashmir Shaivism, Vedanta, and Buddhist sutras...

What I discovered? Most Western "gurus" are reselling kindergarten versions of Eastern philosophies.

Here are my 7 best insights from a lifetime of spiritual work:🧵Image
Image
1. Consciousness Creates vs. Consciousness Observes

Modern day: "Consciousness means being aware of the present moment."

vs

Ancient texts: "Consciousness is the creative force that manifests all reality."

This changes everything about how you practice. Image
2. Map The Universe vs. Empty Your Mind

Modern day: "Empty your mind of thoughts."

vs

Abhinavagupta: "Here are 36 precise levels from pure consciousness to matter."

They wanted you to understand reality's architecture, not just get calm. Image
Read 16 tweets
Jul 21
I'm 63.

I've spent over 20 years as a Harvard-trained psychologist helping high performers inlcuding CEOs & founders worth $100M+.

They all face one similar issue.

If you're burnt out, stressed, and your immune system is always in chaos, read this: 🧵
In my PhD program at University of Texas Austin, I discovered the mind isn't just thoughts...

It's a whole system that includes your body, emotions, and nervous system...

This insight has helped my highest-performing clients recover from burnout when nothing else worked.
The first psychology lab opened in Berlin in the 1870s, what I call "the beginning stages of psychology."

While Americans know Freud and Jung, most don't know this German beginning.

Psychology was born measuring the mind, not healing it.
Read 20 tweets

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