This article is a translated excerpt from my ebook. For a more comprehensive exploration into this topic, check out my full ebook.
The blank space after 'I am...' can be filled with anything. Labels are temporary, perishable, but what is really our 'Self' or our 'I' is immortal.
The 'self-consciousness' of the living being is its pseudo-personality which is formed on the basis of desires, actions, habits, memories etc. When the mind perceives the impressions through the senses, our ego classifies those impressions as Raga (Like) or Dvesha (Don't like).
Gradually, this classification becomes part of our being, our 'I' because it is 'I' who is liking or disliking that experience. It is this ego based on attachment and aversion that creates a false identity around us.
When the ego likes the experience of playing tennis, it sees itself as a tennis player. In this way the journey from ‘I like tennis’ to ‘I am a tennis player’ is completed. The verb becomes a noun.
Whenever we do any activity for a long time, we identify ourselves with that activity. By enjoying painting we become painters. By learning the art of taking care of patients, we become nurses or doctors. We become mother, father, son, husband, lawyer, student, player etc.
The blank space after 'I am...' can be filled with anything. This empty space is filled by the ‘I-maker’. In the Adi Granth, it has been considered as an enemy by calling it 'Aapabhava' and the message has been given to kill it. The reason for this is that we are nothing like mother, father, son, lawyer, manager etc. These are all labels. The reality is something else. These labels are temporary, perishable, but what is really our 'Self' or our 'I' is immortal. Quote from ‘Nirbhay, Nirvair, Akalmurti’ 16.
Key Highlights:
False Self: Our perceived "self" is an illusion, built on desires, actions, habits, and memories.
Likes and Dislikes: The mind categorizes experiences as "like" or "dislike," forming attachments and aversions that solidify this false identity.
"I Am" Statements: Identifying with activities leads to statements like "I am a tennis player," making the temporary role part of our perceived self.
Labels vs. Reality: We wear various labels like "mother," "doctor," or "student," but these are temporary and don't define our true, immortal "Self."
Killing the "Aapabhava": The text encourages dissolving the ego (Aapabhava) formed by these labels, recognizing our true, unchanging essence.
What the Text Tells and How it Helps:
The text encourages readers to:
Question their perceived self: Recognize the illusionary nature of the ego constructed by desires and attachments.
Observe thought patterns: Notice how likes and dislikes create a sense of "I" associated with temporary experiences.
Detach from labels: Understand that roles and labels are temporary and don't define who you truly are.
Seek the true Self: Encourage readers to seek their true, unchanging, and immortal essence beyond the limitations of the ego.
By offering a new perspective on the "self," the text can help readers:
Cultivate self-awareness: Gain a deeper understanding of the mind's mechanisms and how they shape their sense of self.
Reduce attachment: Detach from fleeting desires and external circumstances that create a sense of self-worth.
Embrace their true nature: Discover the unchanging, spiritual essence that persists beyond the limitations of the ego.
Find greater peace and freedom: Transcend the anxieties and limitations associated with the conditioned self.
The text offers a spiritual path towards self-discovery and liberation from the limitations of the ego.
Excellent.