Who Are You?

[stvdv]

In Hinduism, it's referred to as the Self. (capitalised) But it's not describable. Still it is the very core of you, and identical to Brahman in essence, supposedly. Has to be experienced mystically in order to be understood. That's very very rare.

How can one experience this Self? Also, isn't it kinda strange that a person has to go through an experience in order to find their True Self?

1) Has to be experienced tells me "can't be Googled or so"
2) "To be understood" is different from "find their True Self"
Anyway words will be insufficient always; even an obstacle

 

[stvdv]

In your simplest, most basic, and truest form, who are you?

 

[Audie]

I am i... Nothing more, nothing less.

Woman, wife, lover, mother. Anything else is just incidental

Ya sounds like popeye. I yam what I yam.

 

[syo]

In your simplest, most basic, and truest form, who are you?

Syo

 

[ChristineM]

Ya sounds like popeye. I yam what I yam.

Ahh, sweet potato, yummy

 

[atanu]

And I claim the exact opposite...that I am all of those things, mind, body, personality, ego, experience past and present, hopes, desires, and more.

Further, I claim that "who I am" is ephemeral, as all of those things change from moment to moment, but that there is continuity of the "I' living from moment to moment through all the changes. And I will continue thus until the moment of my death, and then there will be no "I."

I continues through all changes that the I can observe. So why do you say that I is all those changeable things/aspects?

Do you know the I that you say that I will die? What evidence you have that the I will vanish? I agree that the I’s association with things will finish, as it happens in sleep also. How do you know that the I will vanish?

 

[atanu]

Brilliant!!

Too brilliant actually.

 

[atanu]

Actually thinking it over, I think 'I' can be defined as the totality or accumulation of one's memories and experiences as one goes throughout life therefore IMO there is no fixed or core 'I' since 'I' am always changing as my memories and experiences change. That definition might seem a bit materialistic but as far as I'm aware I have no good reason to think that existence goes beyond the material.

Memories do not read memories, however.

 

[Jos]

Memories do not read memories, however.

What does that mean?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Too brilliant actually.

Agreed. Though I can't be sure that the brilliance of the statement was fully realized by the author.

 

[SalixIncendium]

What does that mean?

It's basically the equivalence of "hard drives do not read hard drives." The sun cannot shine upon itself.

 

[atanu]

Actually thinking it over, I think 'I' can be defined as the totality or accumulation of one's memories and experiences as one goes throughout life therefore IMO there is no fixed or core 'I' since 'I' am always changing as my memories and experiences change. That definition might seem a bit materialistic but as far as I'm aware I have no good reason to think that existence goes beyond the material.

Memories do not read memories, however.

What does that mean?

Memory may be RAM, ROM or any other type. But does such memory possess a self? Furthermore, how does one know the constant changeability of the objects of cognition?

Actually, the Neti-Neti enquiry entails stripping away all memory layers to reveal the core that knows all the changes. Nothing that is of name-form can stand as self.

 

[dybmh]

Actually, the Neti-Neti enquiry entails stripping away all memory layers to reveal the core that knows all the changes. Nothing that is of name-form can stand as self

How is something known without being observed? This is where I am stuck, and why my answer to "Who am I?" is "unknown". As I observe it, it is excluded from neti-neti? All that is left is the question. All that is left is "unknown".

Am I missing something(s)?

 

[stvdv]

All that is left is the question

so, no mind ... then, no question even ...

 

[dybmh]

so, no mind ... then, no question even ...

Literally 'nothing' is left?

 

[stvdv]

All that is left is the question

so, no mind ... then, no question even ...

Am I missing something(s)?

Whenever a questions arises, ask yourself "to whom does this question pertain?"

Literally 'nothing' is left?

Whenever a questions arises, ask yourself "to whom does this question pertain?"

Until the mind gives up ... I met a Master who did this practice (Papaji) ... took 3 years 24/7 hard work he said

 

[shivsomashekhar]

In Vedanta, or more specifically jnana yoga and Advaita Vedanta, there is a process called neti neti which is a Sanskrit term meaning 'not this, not this.' It is an analysis of what one truly is through the process of negation. In essence, anything one can observe is not who they are in their true nature. I can observe my breathing, therefore I am not my breathing. I can observe my thoughts, therefore I am not my thoughts. I can observe my body, therefore I am not my body. And so on.

In your simplest, most basic, and truest form, who are you?

You are @SalixIncendium - plain and simple. There is no reason to doubt this and no way to break this down any further.

Memory tells you who you are for without memory, there is no concept of identity and you would not ask this question. Your body is an intrinsic part of this identity.

If you disagree with this, then I would be very curious about the identity of the entity that is disagreeing. Who is disagreeing?

 

[stvdv]

You are @SalixIncendium - plain and simple. There is no reason to doubt this and no way to break this down any further.
Memory tells you who you are for without memory, there is no concept of identity and you would not ask this question. Your body is an intrinsic part of this identity
If you disagree with this, then I would be very curious about the identity of the entity that is disagreeing. Who is disagreeing?

Interesting OP and interesting responses.

IMHO Self Enquiry (Who Am I) is about "Self" ... "Enquiry"
First step would be "stick to my own thoughts" if I understand this "who am i" process correctly
So stay far away from "Other Enquiry"

 

[shivsomashekhar]

Interesting OP and interesting responses.

IMHO Self Enquiry (Who Am I) is about "Self" ... "Enquiry"
First step would be "stick to my own thoughts" if I understand this "who am i" process correctly
So stay far away from "Other Enquiry"

Who is asking the question "Who am I?"

Why would you ask yourself who you are? You already know who you are (unless, you are in a Jason Bourne like situation).

 

[SalixIncendium]

You are @SalixIncendium - plain and simple. There is no reason to doubt this and no way to break this down any further.

Memory tells you who you are for without memory, there is no concept of identity and you would not ask this question. Your body is an intrinsic part of this identity.

If you disagree with this, then I would be very curious about the identity of the entity that is disagreeing. Who is disagreeing?

I asked, “Who are you?”

I know who I am.