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"Cidabhasa is the feeling of the self which appears as the shining of the mind. The one become three the three become five, the five become many; that is, the pure self (satva which appears to be one) becomes through contact three (satva, rajas, thamas) and with those three the five elements come into existence, and with those five, the whole universe. It is this which creates the illusion that the body is the self. In terms of the sky (akasa), it is explained as being divided into three categories as reflected in the soul; the boundless world of pure consciousness, the boundless world of mental consciousness, and the boundless world of matter (cidakasa, cittakasa and bhutakasa). When mind (citta) is divided into three aspects, namely mind, intuition and the maker of the "I" (manas, buddhi and ahamkara) it is called the inner instrument or antukarana. Karanam means upakaranam. Legs hands and other organs of the body are called bahyakarana, or outer instruments, while the senses (indriyas) which work inside the body are antahkaranas or inner instruments. That feeling of the self or shining mind, which works with these inner instruments, is said to be the personal soul or jiva. When the mental consciousness which is a reflection of the tangible aspect of pure consciousness, sees the world of matter, it is called mental world (mano akasa), but when it sees the tangible aspect of pure consciousness, it is called total consciousness (cinmaya). That is why it is said that "The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation for man." That mind creates many illusions.
If the secret truth mentioned above is ascertained by self-enquiry, the multiplicity resolves itself into five, the five into three and the three into one. Suppose you have a headache and you get rid of it by taking some medicine, you then remain what you were originally; the headache is like the illusion that the body is the self; it disappears when the medicine called self-enquiry is administered.
It is true that it is only possible for mature minds, not for immature ones. For the latter, repetition of the mantra under one's breath (japa), worship of images, breath control (pranayama), visualizing a pillar of light and similar yogic and spiritual and religious practices have been prescribed. By those practices people become mature, and will then realize the self through the path of self-enquiry.
Ramana Maharshi, quoted in "Vasistha's Yoga" pg. 324
