Let’s talk about something that’s been nagging at you—something you’ve probably asked yourself in quiet moments: Who am I?
It’s a big question, isn’t it? One that philosophers, poets, and seekers have wrestled with for centuries. But here’s the thing: the answer isn’t in a book, a lecture, or even in someone else’s words. It’s in you.
The Body and Mind: Gathered, Not You
Let’s start with what you’re not.
Your body? It’s borrowed. Every bite of food you’ve eaten, every drop of water you’ve drunk—it’s all gathered from the outside. Your body is just a collection of these borrowed materials.
Your mind? Also borrowed. Every thought, every memory, every belief—it’s all picked up from the world around you.
So, if your body and mind are just things you’ve gathered, can they really be you? No. They’re tools, vehicles, instruments. But they’re not you.
A Lesson
Let me tell you a story.
A man rushes to the front of an airport check-in line, shoving his ticket at the attendant. “Do you know who I am?” he demands.
The attendant, unfazed, picks up the microphone and announces, “There’s a man here who doesn’t know who he is. Can somebody help him?”
Funny, isn’t it? But here’s the deeper truth: You’re asking the same question. Who am I? And just like that man, you’re looking for an answer outside yourself.
But here’s the thing: No one can tell you who you are. Not me, not anyone.
Trap of Labels
If I tell you, You’re divine, you might puff up with pride. If I tell you, You’re nothing, you might shrink with doubt. But both are just stories. Pleasant or unpleasant, they’re still stories.
The problem with labels is that they box you in. They limit you. And the moment you believe them, you stop seeking.
So, instead of asking, Who am I? ask, What am I not?
Process of Elimination
Here’s a simple way to find out who you are: Remove what you’re not.
Your body? Not you.
Your mind? Not you.
Your job, your relationships, your possessions? Not you.
Strip away all these layers, and what’s left? That’s you.
But don’t rush to label it. Don’t try to define it. Just let it be.
Pain of Non-Existence
Now, let’s go deeper. What if you discover that you don’t exist? What if all this—your body, your mind, your identity—is just an illusion?
If that’s the case, then why are you suffering? Why are you stressing, striving, and struggling? If you don’t exist, then what’s the point of all this pain?
This isn’t just a philosophical question. It’s a practical one. Because if you don’t exist, then life is a farce. And if you do exist, then you owe it to yourself to find out who you really are.
Seek, Don’t Conclude
So, here’s the invitation: Stop trying to conclude.
Don’t settle for labels. Don’t believe stories—pleasant or unpleasant. Just seek.
Every time you catch yourself identifying with your body, your mind, or your roles, remind yourself: This is not me.
And as you peel away these layers, something incredible will happen. You’ll start to sense what’s left. Not as a thought, not as an idea, but as a living, breathing reality.
The Ultimate Truth
You are not your body. You are not your mind. You are not your job, your relationships, or your possessions.
You are something far greater, far more profound. And the only way to discover it is to let go of everything you’re not.
*P.S. The next time you ask, *Who am I?* remember: The answer isn’t out there. It’s in the space between your thoughts, the silence beneath your breath, the stillness within your being.*