Finding The Answer To “Who Am I?”: Lose the labels and learn the art of beingness

Before anything can be known, before anything can come into existence, there must be someone who is the background to all that exists. When we wake up in the morning, everything blooms in our awareness. But would it all be there if we weren’t around? Can there be anything without us first being aware of it? The “I am” is present before anything else exists. Thus, you are before everything else can be.

Once we start giving labels to the “I am”, problems arise. Food, clothing, shelter, personality – all of these things exist only because we have identified with them. But before we identified with them, who or what, are we?

We are the background on which everything occurs. Although we identify with the body upon waking, we are not the body. Even before identification with the body and any labels can take form, the “I am” is the first to emerge when we wake up every morning. It is present before everything else can be. Really explore the “I am”, such as by asking “Who am I?” or “What am I?” These are important questions that we want to take time to discover because even before we start using labels for the things around us or identifying with certain things, the “I am” is already in existence.

It is the mind, the ego, that begins to take on labels. Try to stop doing this and allow yourself to be with the “I am.” Quiet the mind. Be still. At first this idea of not taking on an identity or labels can seem quite a daunting task because we’re so used to adopting labels and defining ourselves.

But when we identify with the mind, the body, thoughts, possessions, ideas or political stances, we cause ourselves to suffer. Instead, just identify with the “I am”, the beginning of everything, beingness, the background on which everything else occurs. If you can do this, you’ll being to explore what you are not as well as discover what you are. The sense of “I am” has always been with you and will always be with you. See in that ultimate stillness what beingness is truly like.

You’re not your job. You’re not your name. You’re not your family. Saying you are this person or saying that you identify with a job or person or event is an untruth. It is meaningless. All that you can say is, “I am.” Without you experiencing the world and everything around you, nothing can exist. Discover who is the background of everything; discover who you are. Ultimately, you are the beingness on which the entire universe is created.

We have identified with all the mind chatter and taken on labels which can’t even occur unless you are. Go back to the state of beingness where you can just be. From there you can discover who you are and let go of all your attachments. There is no thought there. In this space, there is just silence that affords you the opportunity to explore the world. Be that silence and discover who, or what, you are.

Enlightenment is something you can have right now, but you have to let go of everything and become completely unattached. Let go of your identity and find yourself discovering who you are, who you’ve always been and who you’ll always be. All you have to do is be still and just be.