To have a heart as pure as crystal,
                                             a mind as luminous as the sun,
                                              a soul as vast as the universe,
                                               a spirit as powerful as God
                                                        and one with God
                                                                                               ~Omraam Aivanhov

      What is the purpose of life?

It is to find out who we really are; the realization of our True Self or Atman.

That is the main purpose of every human being. All other purposes have a secondary
place in our life. Self-realization, self-knowledge, God-realization, liberation, enlightenment,
are synonymous terms. They point to the same goal. The realization of our real Self whose
nature is pure awareness.

'The highest goal of man is to enquire, "Who am I?" and realize the Self. If a human being
does not try to realize this, he lives in vain.'
                                                                                          ~   Ramana Maharshi

      What is illusion?

Illusion is the imagination that you are a body-mind entity, an illusory image, separate from
God and the universe. Because of ignorance (maya), and the impurities of mind
(the qualities of rajas and tamas), you cannot discriminate the eternal Self or awareness that
you really are from the impermanent vehicles (body-mind) that are objects in awareness.

‘Ignorance supervenes and draws a veil over the pure bliss. This ignorance consists in
wrong knowledge. The wrong knowledge consists in the false identification of the Self
with the body, the mind, etc. This false identity must go and there remains the Self.’
                                                                                                                        ~  Ramana Maharshi

Nobody can really explain when this illusion started or why. This is the game of life.
This illusion can be destroyed, if you are sincere and do rigorous sadhana (spiritual disciplne or practices).
In the course of time, it will flash through you that you are awareness itself and not the body-mind entity.

‘There must be untiring effort to go inward all the time until the Self is realized.’
                                                                                                                                         ~ Ramana Maharshi

      What is the Self?

The Self or consciousness is the eternal, timeless, formless, causeless, essence of life. It is the one
without a second (nondual) reality beyond this perceptual universe. It is a homogenous mass of
consciousness, without parts, without attributes, without birth and death.

It is the substratum of all gross and subtle experiences. It is the centerless center in every creature.
It is within and without, above and below, it permeates and fulfils everything.

The Self in you is the Self of all. Bodies are many, minds are many but the Self is only One.
The One Self appears as many owing to the illusory appearance of bodies and minds.
As the one sun in the sky appears as many owing to its reflection in the water of many different vessels,
the one without a second (nondual) Self appears as many owing to its reflection in different minds.

This immortal Self shines in the chambers of your heart as your own Self. It is your real identity, your origin
and your final destination.

     How can the desire to find my true nature arise within me?

Consciousness (the Soul from within) impels you to find out the truth because awareness itself wants to
be awakened in you. But you, the person, have to do the sadhana. We are all instruments of the divine will
but we become conscious of it only after awakening.

     How is possible to get liberation or enlightenment?

Even to win a lottery you have to do something, at least to buy the ticket! Similarly, Self-realization is not
going to happen accidentally, except in some very rare cases in which it seems to happen so.

The scriptures and the sages declare that instant realization and liberation can only happen to those who
did intense sadhana in their previous births. This is the case of Sri Ramana Maharshi, but this is unknown
to the majority. So you have to do sadhana or spiritual practices to prepare yourself for the dawn of jnana
(knowledge).

'Without spiritual practice (upasana), there cannot be attainment. This is certain.‘
                                                                                                                                                 ~  Ramana Maharshi

     What is the right spiritual practice or the right way for me?

Any practice given from the scriptures and great spiritual masters are appropriate for sadhana.

For you, good is the practice that is suited more to your temperament, maturity and the present conditions
of your life. There is no such thing as good or bad practice. What suits you is a good practice for you.
That does not mean it is good for all. Furthermore, what is appropriate for you this time maybe is not so
at a more advanced stage.

‘To each person that way is the best which appears easiest or appeals most. All the ways are equally good,
as they lead to the same goal, which is merging of the ego in the Self.’
                                                                                                                                              ~  Ramana Maharshi

Man is a composition of body, mind and spirit. Therefore, it is necessary to include in your sadhana practices
for all these aspects of existence. You need a healthy body, abundant energy, mental and emotional balance
and harmony. The spirit can be revealed where there is predominance of sattva quality, which brings harmony
at all levels of human existence.

It is absolutely necessary to increase the sattva quality, through spiritual practices and a sattvic lifestyle.
Sattva is the foundation of physical and mental well-being and Self-realization.

‘If the aspirants have not one-pointed mind - which is possible for him who has pure mind full of
sattva - dispassion, discrimination etc., Self-inquiry is impossible.’
                                                                                                                                           ~  Ramana Maharshi

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(If interested, there is more on this subject here:
http://www.stillnessspeaks.com/ssblog/nityamukta-ananda-the-purpose-of-life/