A lady had a precious necklace round her neck. Once in her excitement she forgot it and thought that the necklace was lost. She became anxious and looked for it in her home but could not find it. She asked friends and neighbours if they knew anything about the necklace. They did not. At last a kind friend of hers told her to feel the necklace round her neck. She found that it had all along been round her neck and she was happy. When others asked her later if she found the necklace which was lost, she said, 'Yes, I have found it.' She still felt that she had recovered a lost jewel.
Now, did she lose it at all? It was all along round her neck. But judge her feelings. She was as happy as if she had recoverd a lost jewel. Similarly with us, we imagine that we will realize that Self some time, whereas we are never anything but the Self.
From Be As You Are Teachings from Ramana Maharshi by David Godman.
