Hi All,
I have recently exchanged emails with long time practitioner, Ranko Bon, who has been utilizing the AYP writings since around 2007. In 2016 he published a book called “Who is Yoga?” covering his experiences with the AYP practices and many other aspects of his path. It is available for free download on his website here: https://cabongallery.org/WIY.pdf
I am also posting here about our recent interchange (with his permission) because he pointed out that the Self-Inquiry book does not include, “writing as a self-inquiry practice.” He is right, and I am including my reply below. His comments on this can be found on his website here: Residua : Book L 2025 | ON SELF-INQUIRY AND WRITING
And my reply:
Hi Ranko,
Thanks for writing. Yes, you are right that writing can be an important part of the spiritual path, an inner mirror we can hold up to ourselves, and not including it in the original Self-Inquiry book is a shortcoming, with only brief mention of the witness in relation to writing and reading on page 66. While writing has always been an important part of my path, I thought it might be presumptuous to be recommending it to others as “formal practice,” as it is generally not considered to be part of traditional self-inquiry methods.
That said, “journaling” is mentioned as a useful tool on the path in several places in the AYP lessons. And eventually I caught on and included the importance writing on the path in Lesson 395 - The Power of the Pen, and the Keyboard, and also in the Liberation book, which is an expansion on methods discussed in the Self-Inquiry book, finally giving writing as spiritual practice the attention it deserves.
So apologies for being slow on that, and thanks for pointing it out. With your permission, I’d like to add this discussion to the Support Forum (with link to your blog), so others can be informed. Many who are there are already well aware of the benefits of writing on the path. It is always good to have a reminder…
All the best!
The guru is in you.
Yogani