Neti Neti As A Spiritual Practice
·“Not I, Not I” Path (Neti Neti) As A Spiritual Practice
Across two great contemplative lineages—Hindu Advaita and Christian monastic mysticism—we find a strikingly similar way of awakening beyond the ego: the path of negation.
In Sanskrit it is called neti neti — “not this, not that.” In Christian mystical language it appears as “Not I, but Christ in me,” and as the via negativa, the negative way, where God is approached not by definition but by release. The metaphysical frameworks differ, yet the inner movement is the same: false identity is removed so that true being may reveal itself.
Both traditions begin from a shared insight: the deepest truth is not found by adding anything, but by subtraction. The ordinary mind is a maker of meanings and labels. The ego is an identity-maker, constantly asserting “I am this” or “I am that.” But the Real—whether named God or Brahman—precedes all concepts, images, and roles. Because of this, the contemplative task is not to accumulate beliefs or experiences, but to dismantle mistaken identifications. Not the body. Not thought. Not emotion. Not the personal story. Not the social persona. Not even the spiritual self-image that wants to achieve awakening. This kind of negation is not nihilistic; it is clarifying. When what is false falls away, what remains is what cannot be removed: pure awareness, or divine presence itself.
In the Hindu Upanishadic stream, neti neti functions like a finely honed blade. The sages insist that the ultimate Self is not an object that can be seen, grasped, or pointed to. Whatever can be observed cannot be the deepest “I.” A sensation is known, therefore it is not who we are. A thought arises and passes, therefore it is not who we are. An identity changes over time, therefore it is not who we are. As each layer of identification is gently released, what remains is the silent witnessing awareness—unowned, stable, and self-luminous—recognised as the ground of being itself. Practically speaking, neti neti is an inner renunciation: the steady dropping of identification with everything that can be seen, until only the Seer remains.
Christian monasticism develops a remarkably parallel discipline through the language of kenosis, or self-emptying, and apophatic prayer. The seed appears already in scripture: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Monastic life then becomes a living laboratory for ego-dissolution, expressed through silence and contemplative prayer, humility and obedience, poverty and simplicity, fasting and inner discipline, and even the surrender of comforting or familiar images of God. Christian mystics repeatedly stress that God is not an object of thought. One approaches God not by refining concepts, but by allowing the mind to fall quiet into unknowing. The “Not I” of this tradition is not self-hatred or negation of life; it is self-emptying into love, where the ego yields so that divine life can move freely.
At their heart, the two traditions converge. Both agree that the ego is not our deepest identity, that ultimate reality lies beyond mental grasp, and that liberation or union comes through letting go rather than acquiring. Where they differ is largely in framing. Advaita often speaks in the language of identity: realisation reveals the Self as one with Brahman. Christianity more often speaks in the language of relationship and grace: the soul is transformed through communion with God. Yet when practitioners describe the lived outcome, the accounts are strikingly similar—less self-importance, a vast and quiet peace, diminished fear, compassion that flows without strain, and a life lived from a deeper centre.
This insight can be tasted directly through a simple, non-sectarian practice. Sit quietly for a few minutes and feel the breath. When a thought arises, note gently, “Not this,” and allow it to pass. When a feeling arises, note, “Not this,” and let it move through. When an identity appears—“I am someone who…”—again note, “Not this.” Then rest as what remains: aware presence itself. In Christian language this may be felt as “Not my will, but Thy will.” In Advaita language it may sound like “I am not this; I am That.” The words differ, but the inner movement is the same: a return to the ground.
The “Not I, Not I” path is a quiet revolution. It does not build a better ego or a more spiritual identity. It reveals what has always been true beneath them. As the false self is gently denied, a deeper life comes into view—known as Christ within, as the Self beyond thought, as presence beyond all names. From there, life naturally simplifies: less self-protection, less striving, more truth, and more love.
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Beyond Belief — Into Knowing
Peter Twigg School of Knowing