Who Are You?
By: Jim Buchanan
In high school and college in the late 60's and early 70's, I remember laughing about people we knew who had gone away somewhere to 'find themselves". We guessed that they couldn't answer the question, who are you? It seemed like a ridiculous notion, that we have to find ourselves, and I think we generally just chalked it up to they were either crazy, or on drugs (LSD was big back then!), or both. About 40 years later I would realize that it wasn't so crazy after all.
In a previous blog post I've shared my journey of self discovery and awakening over the past four years or so. I suppose everyone who takes this journey has a catalyst and mine was a potent mix of a failing marriage, a hollow career and deepening health concerns. What has opened up for me in my quest to answer the question, 'who am I?' is nothing short of mind blowing.
In the midst of reading dozens of books, talking with yogis and others I considered to be enlightened, I finally and suddenly discovered, or more accurately remembered, who I really am in early July, 2012 in a tiny apartment in London. The sudden and visceral realization that I am pure consciousness, part of God's Holy Spirit, and completely connected to all Universal Reality, hit me like a freight train. Since that moment I have been going deeper and deeper into my Spirituality and Awareness of myself and all of life, from a completely different perspective. Yes, I am still known as Jim, as Dad, as Brother, as Business Man, as... But these are just characterizations of my current physical manifestations. These will pass away when my body passes away, which could be in the next moment or thirty years from now. The real me, the Soul or Spirit, is eternal with no beginning and no end, connected to all living things, conscious of all things 'Jim' and capable to be conscious of ALL things.
You are exactly the same, as is every other human being who lives today and has ever lived, or will live in the future. We each know this somewhere deep inside, from before we are conceived. And, we may hear it from a friend or read about it in a blog post like this one, but it won't make sense until we remember it for ourselves. I believe this self discovery is dependent upon a few things:
First, we must be motivated to answer the question 'who am I?'. This doesn't mean we have to feel "lost", although we may, but we at least have to be really curious to know the truth about ourselves and about life.
We must be open to new information and tough questions that challenge our concepts of life and our identity. We must challenge preconceived notions about self, life, God and the Universe.
We have to be open to change, perhaps dramatic change, in how we see ourselves and others.