Not long ago, I asked on this space: “Who am I?”

If someone asked you that question, what would you say? Who are you really?Are you defined by your job or your social status or your relationships in life or your aspirations?

I thought perhaps it’s first worth exploring who and what I am not.

• I am not my thoughts.
• I am not my emotions.
• I am not my feelings.
• I am not my likes.
• I am not my dislikes.
• I am not my parents.
• I am not my loved ones.
• I am not my job.
• I am not my hatreds.
• I am not my physical appearance.
• I am not my memories.
• I am not my history.
• I am not my hopes.
• I am not my mistakes.
• I am not my race.
• I am not my age bracket.
• I am not my mind.
• I am not my attachments.
• I am not my perceptions.
• I am not my reactions.
• I am not my reputation.
• I am not my ego.

All these things are not me. They are descriptions of me and are part of my life situation. But they are not my life because none of these are permanent. They come and go, they fade with time. And in the end I will be left with just my core self.

So I simply am. When all these filters are gone, I know that only my heart and being will be left. And I hope they will be shining with pure consciousness and presence. But I am not there yet so right now the work lies in turning unconsciousness into consciousness and always being vigilant that my mind does not maketh me.