Self-realization
Self-realization is an expression used in Western psychology, philosophy, and spirituality; and in Indian religions. In the Western understanding it is the "fulfillment by oneself of the possibilities of one's character or personality" (see also self-actualization). In the Indian understanding, self-realization is liberating knowledge of the true Self, either as the permanent undying witness-consciousness, which is "atman" (essence), or as the absence ("sunyata") of such a permanent Self. Jiddu Krishnamurti. Jiddu Krishnmurti had explained about Self through his writings and lectures and advised interested truth seekers to realise self not through past religious  dogmas and rituals but through our daily experiences. In our daily experiences there is an experiencer and the things he experiences. In all our experiences observer and the observed are always present. Krishnmurti says that, "observer is the observed." If one understands how the observer is observed, then through that realisation he will surely understand the real nature of self. We all understand our life through a series of experiences. So to realise the self, the observer, we must understand each and every stage of our experience, the observed. In any life experience, first our sense organs capture images of  the experience, they forward those images to the brain, and the brain stores all images from sense organs into the memory. To make an announcement about the experience, there arises a response from memory. The responses of the memory are the series of thoughts. One thought separates itself from other thoughts and acts as an observer. This is the fundamental split between our thoughts as observer and the observed. The thought of an announcer / observer is our real I, is our real Me. The response of the memory is our real self. After announcing about the experience, 'I thought' could  dissolve itself but he wants to continue. To remain alive, 'I thought' kept chattering all the time, creating various concepts and ideas. All the thoughts, ideas and concepts created by 'I thought' becomes our human consciousness. The response of memory is our I, the self and the things he observes is always from images stored in memory, hence the observer is memory and the observed is also memory, hence they both are one. There is always some time delay between actual experience by senses and the response from our memory in the form of I thought. So I and all  his experiences are not actual but always in the past. That means our I and all his thoughts, ideas and concepts are always part of memory, hence always in the past, I itself can never experience reality or our living life. Life is always live and I is always in the past. I can never experience actual life so he keeps creating illusory concepts about life, in doing so he remains alive through his concepts. Example. We can easily understand this self realisation process by an example of River and bridge. River is a creation of Nature and flows as  per law of nature. We humans, means actually our 'I thought' has created bridges to cross the river. There is some distance between river and the bridge. Those who use bridge will never understand what actually river is. Only those who are interested will abandon bridges to come in direct contact with live rivers. Bridge will not allow us to live with actual river because then his importance will be vanished. To remain a major attraction of our life, more and more bridges will be created and will be maintained. And In actuality, as river can not think so she  do not know about us and our bridges. River will flow either silently or violently as per law of nature and not as per our desires and ambitions. Western understanding. Merriam Webster's dictionary defines self-realization as: In the Western world "self-realization" has gained great popularity. Influential in this popularity were psycho-analysis, humanistic psychology, the growing acquaintance with Eastern religions, and the growing popularity of Western esotericism. Psychoanalysis. Though Sigmund Freud was skeptical of religion and esotericism, his theories have had a lasting influence on Western thought and self-understanding. His notion of repressed memories, though based  on false assumptions, has become part of mainstream thought. Freud's ideas were further developed by his students and neo-psychoanalysts. Carl Jung, Erik Erikson, and Donald Winnicott have been especially important in the Western understanding of the self, though alternative theories have also been developed by others. Jung developed the notion of individuation, the lifelong process in which the center of psychological life shifts from the ego to the self. Erikson described human development throughout one's lifespan in his theory of psychosocial development. Winnicott developed the notion of the true self. Roberto Assagioli developed his approach of psychosynthesis , an original approach to psychology. Assagioli's original approach is one that is dynamic and continuous, rather than one that can be reached at a "final destination" or completed. Western esotericism. Western esotericism integrates a broad variety of traditions, some of which view self-realization as the ultimate goal of a human being.(See also New Age) Indian religions. Jainism. Jain philosophy is one of the oldest world philosophies that separates body (matter) from the soul (consciousness) completely. Individual conscience and individual consciousness are central in the Jain philosophy. Self-realization is one of the major pre-requisites to attain ultimate  enlightenment and liberation (moksha). Self-realization means peeling away fabricated layers of one's own personality to understand the true self and hence the true nature of reality. In Jainism, karma is portrayed as invisible particles of subtle matter that adhere to a living organism or Jiva. These particles come together to form a film of negativity and darkness around the soul that obscures the true consciousness, making the Jiva lose touch with its original essence as a soul. These karmic particles tend to attract similar particles which cause the inflow of auspicious and inauspicious karmic matter into the soul  (Āsrava). This leads the organism to fall into the bondage of lust, worldly pleasures, ego, hatred, jealousy, anger, etc. Thus self-realization paves the way to simply reverse this process and help the seeker to decipher absolute truth on their own. Jainism firmly rejects the belief of a creator, and that one being is solely responsible for his thoughts, actions, and their consequences. Hinduism. In Hinduism, self-realization ("atma-jnana" or "atmabodha" ) is knowledge of witness-consciousness, the true self which is separate from delusion and identification with mental and material phenomena. Shaivism. In Shaivism, self-realization is the direct  knowing of the Self God Parashiva. Self-realization (nirvikalpa samadhi, which means "ecstasy without form or seed," or asamprajñata samādhi) is considered the ultimate spiritual attainment. Self-realization is considered the gateway to moksha, liberation/freedom from rebirth. This state is attained when the Kundalini force pierces through the Sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head. The realization of Self, Parashiva, considered to be each soul's destiny, is attainable through renunciation, sustained meditation and preventing the germination of future karma (the phrase "frying the seeds of karma" is often used) Advaita Vedanta. Ātman is the first principle in  Advaita Vedanta, along with its concept of Brahman, with Atman being the perceptible personal particular and Brahman the inferred unlimited universal, both synonymous and interchangeable. The soteriological goal, in Advaita, is to gain self-knowledge and complete understanding of the identity of Atman and Brahman. Correct knowledge of Atman and Brahman leads dissolution of all dualistic tendencies and to liberation. Moksha is attained by realizing one's true identity as Ātman, and the identity of Atman and Brahman, the complete understanding of one's real nature as Brahman in this life. This is stated by Shankara as follows: Buddhism. Since  Buddhism denies the existence of a separate self, as explicated in the teachings of anatman and sunyata, self-realization is a "contradictio in terminis" for Buddhism. Though the tathagatagarbha-teachings seem to teach the existence of a separate self, they point to the inherent possibility of attaining awakening, not to the existence of a separate self. The dharmadhatu-teachings make this even more clear: reality is an undivided whole; awakening is the realization of this whole. Sikhism. Sikhism propounds the philosophy of Self-realization. This is possible by "aatam-cheennea" or "Aap Pashaanae", purifying the self from the false ego : Guru Nanak says,