What is the means for constantly holding on to the thought ‘Who am I?’

When other thoughts arise, one should not pursue them, but should inquire:
‘To whom do they arise?’

It does not matter how many thoughts arise. As each thought arises, one should inquire with diligence,
“To whom has this thought arisen?”.
The answer that would emerge would be “To me”.
Thereupon if one inquires “Who am I?”,
the mind will go back to its source;
and the thought that arose will become quiescent.
With repeated practice in this manner, the mind will develop the skill to stay in its source.

When the mind that is subtle goes out through the brain and the sense-organs, the gross names and forms appear;
when it stays in the heart, the names and forms disappear.

Not letting the mind go out, but retaining it in the Heart is what is called “inwardness” (antar-mukha).
Letting the mind go out of the Heart is known as “externalisation” (bahir-mukha). Thus, when the mind stays in the Heart, the ‘I’ which is the source of all thoughts will go, and the Self which ever exists will shine.

Whatever one does, one should do without the egoity “I”. If one acts in that way, all will appear as of the nature of Siva (God).

~ Who Am I? (Nan Yar?)
The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

Search for the source of
the ‘I’-thought. That is all one
has to do. The universe exists
on account of the ‘I’-thought.
If that ends, there is an end
to misery also. The false ‘I’
will end only when its
source is sought.

Shri Ramana Maharshi

Your duty is
to be:
and not to be
this or that.

“I AM that I AM”
sums up the whole truth.
The method is summed up in
“BE STILL”.
What does “stillness” mean?
It means “destroy yourself ”.
Because any form or shape is the cause of trouble.
Give up that notion that “I am so and so.”

“ The I' is always there – in deep sleep, in dream and in wakefulness. The one in sleep is the same as that who now speaks. There is always the feeling ofI’.
Otherwise do you deny your existence?
You do not.
You say `I am’.
Find out who is.”

“ If you hold this feeling of ‘I’
long enough and strongly enough,
the false ‘I’ will vanish
leaving only
the unbroken awareness of the real,
immanent ‘I’,
consciousness itself.”

“ The only permanent thing is Reality;
and that is the Self.
You say “I am”,“I am going”,“I am speaking”,“I am working”, etc.
Hyphenate “I am” in all of them.

Thus I – AM.
That is the abiding and fundamental Reality.
This truth was taught by God to Moses: “I AM that I-AM”.
“Be still and know that I-AM God.”
so “I-AM” is God.

You know that you are.
You cannot deny your existence
at any moment of time.
For you must be there
in order to deny it.
This (Pure Existence) is understood
by stilling your mind.
The mind is the outgoing faculty
of the individual.
If that is turned within,
it becomes still in course of time and
that “I-AM” alone prevails.
“I-AM” is the whole Truth.”

~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

“People often ask how the mind is controlled. I say to them, ‘Show me the mind and then you will know what to do.’ The fact is that the mind is only a bundle of thoughts. How can you extinguish it by the thought of doing so or by a desire? Your thoughts and desires are part and parcel of the mind.

The mind is simply fattened by new thoughts rising up. Therefore it is foolish to attempt to kill the mind by means of the mind. The only way of doing it is to find its source and hold on to it. The mind will then fade away of its own accord.”

~ Ramana Maharshi (20th century Indian Advaita mystic)

He saved me,
his humble devotee,
from destruction,
bringing me to salvation
through his own ambrosial being,
even as I languished in the dark night
of my mind’s deadly delusion.
Then indeed did the holy feet of my noble Master,
bestowing his grace in holy silence,
become immovably established within my heart,
illuminating my inner being
with the golden light of true spiritual practice.

(Muruganar – Sri Ramana Anubhuti)

Transporting me into a realm of pure bliss,
the vision of the authentic Self expanded within my heart
and I attained the state of grace whose essence is love.
Then, in the state of holy silence,
bliss and love merged together into realization
of the one true reality,
which is the experience of Lord Siva.

(Muruganar – Sri Ramana Anubhuti)

Prayers
From Face to Face with Sri Ramana Maharshi

I am tied to myself, by myself, through myself. The knot is out of reach. I am in your hands. Whatever you like, you are welcome to do.
Thou hast risen in my heart like the sun destroying darkness.
Be with us every fleeting hour. Increase our silence. Focus our vision on the Self Lord!
Grant that let at least my tongue may repeat Thy name even when my mind strays.
Hail to the Lord who through his love refreshed my heart, banishing my deluded attachment to property ownership, wealth and lust.
Merge my mind in the Self as salt is dissolved in water and restore my natural happiness.
I lay offerings of UNCHANGING love at Thy Holy Feet.
Remove our darkness with your searching light.
I pray to Thee for light and guidance that I know are ever there.
Thou art my Mother, Master and Friend, my only Beloved- All glory to Thee! All glory to Thee! Transmute me until I am blended with you so that both are as One.
A prey to my unsteady mind, I lack patience, I lack constancy, I lack purity. Forgive the grievous wrong of that poor self, and do as Thou wilt, Thou who knowest best. But grant me only ever increasing love For Thy Feet.
Lord! You are our only refuge. You alone can save us.

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/downloadbooks/Selected_Quotes_from_FacetoFace.pdf