The fastest and best way to awaken

The fastest and best way to awaken is not self-inquiry, not observation, or being the witness. Those things are for the disciples or for seekers but for the devotee the fastest and best way is the silence. Keeping the mind quiet, keeping the mind peaceful. Not fighting the mind. When you fight the mind it's like beating a cow with a stick to take the cow where you want him to go. 

Looking at the mind in quietness without troubling to change any thought is like coaxing the cow with some grass, so the cow will follow you wherever you want him to go. When you learn to sit in the silence, in the quietness, everything will happen by itself, everything will take care of itself, everything will happen by itself. 

There are those of you disciples or seekers who say, "Robert, I've tried this for years. I cannot sit in the silence. For as soon as I sit in the silence the thoughts come, feelings come, I've got to move, I got to get up, I've practiced self-inquiry — it doesn't work. I've tried being the witness and it doesn't work." 

The idea is not to care or be concerned about your thoughts whatsoever. It does not matter what type of thoughts come into your mind. It makes no difference what thoughts come into your mind.

 Do not try to observe them or be the witness to them or try to change them or even to ask, "To whom do they come?" 

Merely sit with a smile on your face and allow what to happen to happen.

 Allow what is going to happen to take place.

 Without your interference. 

Just to be still.

 So that is the fastest and best way to awaken in this lifetime. 

— Robert Adams, from Three Commonly Asked Questions , 23rd January, 1992