Self-abidance is the deeper aspect of self-enquiry. Most people mistake themselves for a bundle of thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations, etc.
First step: what is it that is aware of my thoughts, feelings, sensations etc? WHO AM I? = What is it that cannot be remo fed from me? What has been continuous all my life? What is the continuous element in all these experiences? Self-inquiry starts with a question, an investigation. Nothing more for the mind to do coz it’s always directed toward objective experience. ASK THE QUESTION THEN WAIT FOR THE ANSWER: THE WAITING IS SELF- ABIDANCE (Atma vichara, sanskrit). Not accurate translation because normally we engage in a series of thoughts and perceptions about that thing. But we cannot think about or perceive ourself because there’s nothing objective there. The larger part of self-inquiry is just self-abidance