You exist on many levels. On the most superficial level, you are your physical body. Some would say the physical body has attributes like consciousness, thoughts, emotions, feelings, etc.
On a bit deeper level, you are a personality that is beyond the body. The body is just a vehicle.
Some would define themselves by their work.
Some by their family and relationships.
Some by their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs.
Now you may understand all of this, but that is not enough. Take a moment to reflect and to be honest with yourself. Who are you? How do you define yourself? Do not answer based upon a philosophy that you hold true to. Do not answer based upon what you think you should believe or intellectually know. Answer based upon what you feel. Answer based upon how you live your life. Answer based upon what you feel and experience from within your own life, not based upon what you have been told. On what level of life do you put most of your energy? What level are you invested in? To find the answer, do not just think, but FEEL. Also, look at how you live your life. The term for that is IDENTITY. What level of life are you most identified with?
Now, there are many more levels to you than the ones mentioned so far. Your being exists beyond your thoughts and emotions. Take a moment to feel into that. Who are you? What are you that lies beyond thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and the “story” of your life? What part of you lies beyond all of that?
It is quite normal and healthy for your attention to move from one level to the next. Sometimes your attention is mostly on your body. Sometimes your thoughts, sometimes emotions, sometimes the activity you are engaged in. At each moment, your ‘self’ is related to on a different level. That is fine.
But there is a particular level that you identify with as ‘you’ most of the time and put most of your life force into. What level is that? Do ponder this, but do not think you have to have an exact answer.
The value of the question is in the pondering of it, not in the answering of it.
Now, there is a level beyond all the levels we have discussed so far. It is the Transcendental basis of all the other levels of not only you as an individual, but of all life and all things. Just as the earth is the basis and the essence of all the plants, the one Transcendent is the basis, the essence, of everything. It is who you really are. The eternal you. The you that lies beyond space, time, thoughts, emotions, the story. It is the source of infinite bliss, harmony, intelligence, love, wisdom, and yet it lies beyond all of those things. It is pure Is-ness. It is one with all that is. You sense it inside yourself, though you may speak of it differently.
In the state of enlightenment, that is what you know your self to be. That is what you rest into, like the idle of an automobile. The engine is always running. It is always there. But the awareness naturally rests into that.
It is who you know yourself to be. You can still act with passion on all levels of life. But you are no longer identified with anything. You are in the world, but not of it. This is not an attitude or philosophy or belief. It is a state of consciousness. You simply see the world as it truly is. The deepest mystery of life is simply self evident, obvious. You spontaneously and naturally live your life accordingly.
Absolutely beautiful Guruji!
when I read this and then felt into whom am I, I felt a solid base a knowing of depth, but knew I was caught or stuck in the relative or physical world. and then the question, how do I loose the hold of physical. I know meditation. Thank you
When I ponder ‘who am I?’ it’s easy to go with “I’m a man, I do this, etc.” However, as I sit longer with the question, things get fuzzier. I’m here. I feel it all begins and ends with me. I’m the center of my life and everything I know.
I’ll keep pondering.
its wonderful .such a great and complicated issue narated in simple way .now most of the things are hidden so plmake it clear as lord krishna convincing the arjuna.we will become grateful.also i would like to praise sanjaya ratha a magnet person ,a leader,aenlightend personality.hope i will see him pesonally soon om namah shiwaya.
we light a candle to get light it means before light there was a dark ie it means darknes is exits permanently?its for holy sanjaya ratha
This is very helpful. When I’ve sat to ponder this question, it has been easy for me to become frustrated at not having much of an answer. I guess I try to attack these questions in a pretty analytical/logical manner, but the answers lie a bit deeper than those faculties and I get stuck on the surface of my mind. To feel into the question though, and not worry about having an answer is a great reminder to how we should be inquiring within ourselves. It is easy to listen to you explain these things and have some knowing that what you say is true, but truly understanding is so much more elusive. Thanks for your timely messages.
Growing up, I was taught and trained to look to my parents and teachers for answers. It was the answer that was important. “The value of the question is in the pondering of it, not in the answering of it” hit me like a lightening! It is the pondering that leads me to find the answer deep within myself. Pondering requires discernment and answering does not. How profound! Thank you Maharshi!
Always a new learning…a different angle. Thanks Brahmarshi
Requires a whole new level of self-honesty it seems.
Hauntingly beautiful painting, btw…