Be Yourself
What characteristics define "you" as an individual? What characteristics or thoughts come to mind when you consider your sense of "self?" How you conceptualize who you are at your core will shape how you show up in the world and how you interact with other people.
Over-reliance on the outside world leads to an insecure and easily altered sense of self. Imagine if a person's sense of self was based solely on externals like their level of education, job, family, marriage, or even their interests. Over-identification with these parts of life poses a risk, yet there is nothing inherently "wrong" with having a strong connection and alignment with them. All of these things are temporary and come from the outside, which is why they pose such a threat.
With practice, mindfulness strengthens the bond between the observer and the observed. You are pure consciousness in this portion of yourself. The part of you that takes note of everything you do, say, think, and feel is called the observing self. You are now reading these words and processing them in some way. Maybe you're aware of your bodily feelings because your current seated position is making you uncomfortable.
You also have a component of yourself that does not engage in mental processing or sensory perception. Your conscious self is the portion of you that can recognize and understand your own internal experiences. I imagine that your heart is pounding and your lungs are filling with air right now, too. Because I brought it to your notice, you are now conscious of your breathing.
You Are Not Your Thoughts
No matter how calm and relaxed you feel on the inside from practicing mindfulness, thoughts will still arise. You are self-aware enough to realize when thoughts enter your mind. The thing with being "aware" is that it makes it impossible to "be" it; rather, awareness involves merely the act of observing. Your ability to reflect on your own mind demonstrates the space that exists between you and your thoughts.
The gap between your mind and your thoughts is real. With the help of mindfulness meditation, you may detach yourself from your ideas and see them clearly, without becoming caught up in them. When you think about the future, do you "know" what you'll be thinking? Maybe not, but you do recognize your own ideas as they happen. They exist independently of "you."
You Are Not Your Emotions
Just as your observing self may be attentively aware of thoughts as they arise, so too can it be aware of feelings as they occur. If "you" were your feelings, then you wouldn't have to fight them or deal with them in any way. Mindfulness teaches you to detach yourself from your constant flow of thoughts and feelings in the present moment. Unless you give it to them, they have no "power" over you. Feelings as they occur are your genuine nature.
"You" are the entity that is awake, aware, and able to observe its own bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions. Even if you lost all sense of your body, "you" would continue to exist. When you pay attention to your thoughts and learn to detach from them, "you" do so. "You" are the one who is aware of your feelings as they wash over you like waves. "You" are the completely awakened immaterial presence that will never die. Make the conscious decision to break free of identification with your body, mind, and heart. In reality, "you" have always been liberated.
