It is the will of the innermost self,which is the soul or consciousness to reveal itself ,not the effort of physical entity with in the waking experience.

Deeper self-search revels the fact that, the Atman ,body and world are one in essence therefore no second thing exists other than Atman, which is in the form of consciousness.  Thus realizing all the three states as consciousness leads to self-awareness.

 The words and thoughts are part of the illusion. The consciousness  is the real, which is the substance and witness of the illusion.  It is the will of the innermost self,which is the soul or consciousness  to reveal itself ,not the effort of physical entity with in the waking  experience.

 When the focus of attention turns on itself [FW] these experiences happen. When the focus of attention stabilizes on its formless non-dual true nature, you will get the state of Sri,  Ramana Maharishi that is, you will be able to view and judge the worldview on the standpoint of FW.  Thus, the physical base/ego base of viewing and judging the three states will be dropped, when the mind is fully matured with firm conviction of the fact that, FW is the true self.  

Raman Maharishi is for the beginners and later stage Nisargdutta Maharaj.  The Ramana’s teachings in present form will not help the seeker to reach the final goal, about this; I posted messages in the forum.    There is a need to find the faults to overcome all the confusion and move ahead in pursuit of truth.  None of the teachings will take one to finality other then path of truth.

Since, all the scholars and gurus does not accepted anything other then accepted knowledge, which are based on the physical self/ego , therefore,  they will never be able to  assimilate the self-knowledge.

The rebirth and reincarnation theory is based on the physical self.  The soul has no birth; therefore, it has no death. When the birth, life and death are reality within the false experience then the rebirth and reincarnation is reality within the falsehood.   Since, man is immersed himself in believing the duality as reality, he is unaware of the ultimate truth.

 When the seeking mind discovers the fact that, the waking entity is not the true self, then identifies the soul as true self, and learns to view and judge the three states on the base of the soul, then the ignorance drops.  Moreover, it becomes aware of the fact that, the three states are mere mirage created sustained and finally dissolves as soul, which is in the form of the spirit.  

Names and forms are part of the false experience. Origin of the false experience is the soul. The soul is the formless substance and witness of the three states.  Without the formless witness, the false experience ceases to exist. Therefore, the false self/ego has to trace the true self in order to overcome the duality and merge in its formless non-dual true nature. 

Sri, Ramana Maharshi  Says: The self is fullness of consciousness. Therefore, there is nothing apart from it. Ramana would humorously say that if god were to be separate he would be self-less. As for Sadguru his individuality is dead. It is merged in the self like waves in the sea. so, he is the Self. The guru and god are not different for their essential nature as unlimited consciousness is the same. [Page-8 – Practical Guide To Know Yourself].

It means the consciousness [Formless Witness] itself is the self.  Therefore, the three states are not apart from it.  We are aware of god, the world and ourselves only in the waking experience. Thus, whatever seen, known, believed and experienced in waking  or dream is witnessed by the Formless Witness[FW]. The waking or dream rises from FW [consciousness] and subsides as FW [consciousness].  Therefore there is no second thing exists other then FW in the whole experience of diversity. [Waking/dream].   

  The waking experience is non-existent without the FW. The FW is the true self and it is in the form spirit or consciousness.  The FW can stay with or without the waking/dream. Illustration is deep sleep. In deep sleep, it is without the waking/dream.  Therefore, it is necessary to understand the fact that, the three states are unreal on the standpoint of FW, and mentally focus the attention on the FW to get the non-dual tranquility.  Only when the focus of attention of the seeking mind then it  gets established in the FW the wisdom dawns and ignorance [duality] drops. 

The individuality and individual experiences are happening within the false experience [waking/dream]. They are reality only on the base of ignorance. When the ignorance drops,   the individual and the individual experiences are mere mirage created out of FW /consciousness.  

To assimilate the “Self-Knowledge” it takes steady, unceasing zeal. Nobody can teach that that zeal. One has to develop that himself. "One can take a horse to water but he cannot make him drink." Yet when the horse is thirsty, it seeks out water with zeal. So, when one   has an immense thirst for knowing the truth, when he will not give undue importance to the experience of duality --then it  will  starts revealing on it own.

Mundaka Upanishad says:  The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing The sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross The sea of samsara on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise In their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

Shruti has directly denied manifoldness in Brahman. The non-dual cause being an established fact, how could the phenomenal universe be different from It?  

The Shruti has condemned (the belief in variety) in the words, “The person who”, being deceived by Maya, “sees variety in this (Brahman), goes from death to death”.

Inasmuch as all beings are born of Brahman, the supreme Atman, they must be understood to be verily Brahman.

The Shruti has clearly declared that Brahman alone is the substratum of all varieties of names, forms and actions.

The Shruti in the form of the Brihadaranyaka has declared that this Atman, which is the Self of all, is verily Brahman.

 

-- Aparokshanubhuti  - By Adi Sankaracharya