Tag: self-awareness

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Philosophy Spirituality

Liberation Through Detachment: Lessons from Astavakra Geeta

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The Astavakra Geeta, one of the profound treasures of Indian philosophy, provides timeless wisdom on the nature of liberation. Unlike traditional scriptures filled with rituals and duties, this text emphasizes simplicity, clarity, and direct realization of truth. One of its core teachings revolves around detachment as the gateway to freedom.

What is Detachment According to Astavakra Geeta?

In the modern sense, detachment is often misunderstood as indifference or coldness. However, the Astavakra Geeta defines detachment as the ability to see the world as it is, without being enslaved by desires, fears, or attachments.

For instance, a person can enjoy relationships, work, and material possessions, but the moment these become sources of identity or bondage, suffering begins. True detachment is not rejection of the world but living in it with awareness and freedom.

The Bondage of Attachment

Astavakra points out that the root of bondage is attachment to the body, mind, and external objects. People cling to achievements, possessions, opinions, and relationships, believing them to be permanent. When these change or disappear, pain follows.

This ancient wisdom reflects today’s reality: materialism, competition, and comparison often create anxiety and restlessness. Astavakra reminds us that freedom comes when we let go of these false anchors.

The Joy of Inner Freedom

The text beautifully states that liberation does not require going to forests, performing rituals, or renouncing family life. Instead, it requires a shift in perspective:

  • See the self as pure consciousness, beyond body and mind.
  • Accept that the world is ever-changing.
  • Realize that nothing external can add or subtract from your true nature.

Such realization brings a sense of inner joy and unshakable peace. One no longer swings between happiness and sorrow based on external events but lives in the bliss of self-awareness.

Practical Application in Daily Life

Astavakra’s wisdom may seem abstract, but it is deeply practical:

  1. Mindful Awareness – Observe your emotions when desires arise. Ask yourself, “Is this need defining me?”
  2. Practice Letting Go – When something doesn’t go your way, pause and remind yourself of impermanence.
  3. Balanced Living – Enjoy success, relationships, and possessions, but don’t allow them to control your peace of mind.

The Essence of Liberation

In essence, Astavakra Geeta declares that liberation is not something to be attained but recognized. The self is already free, infinite, and blissful. What binds us is only the illusion of attachment. Once this illusion dissolves, life flows naturally in peace and harmony.

✨ The Astavakra Geeta continues to inspire seekers across centuries by showing that liberation is not in rituals, but in realizing who we truly are — beyond attachment, beyond fear, beyond limitation.

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Spirituality

How to Stay Centered When Life Gets Messy: Living from the Real You

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So you’ve glimpsed your true nature—you are not your thoughts, not your ego, not your body. You are the witnessing awareness, the silent presence behind it all.

That’s a powerful awakening.

But here’s the question everyone asks next:
“How do I live from that place… every day?”

Because let’s be honest—it’s one thing to feel peaceful in meditation, and another thing entirely when:

  • Someone cuts you off in traffic
  • Your boss criticizes your work
  • A loved one lashes out unexpectedly
  • Old wounds get triggered again

In those moments, the ego wants to jump back into the driver’s seat.

Living from the true self isn’t about avoiding those experiences—it’s about remaining centered through them.

The Observer Doesn’t Disappear in Chaos

Once you recognize yourself as the observer, it doesn’t mean thoughts, emotions, or egoic tendencies vanish forever. But now, you are aware of them, instead of being consumed by them.

This awareness gives you:

  • Space to respond, rather than react
  • Freedom to pause, rather than get pulled
  • Clarity to choose, rather than follow conditioning

You no longer live from habit. You live from presence.

From Ego-Reaction to Conscious Response

Let’s look at a common example.

You receive harsh criticism at work. Normally, the ego reacts:

  • “They don’t respect me!”
  • “I’m such a failure!”
  • “I need to prove myself!”

But when living from awareness, a subtle shift happens:

  • You notice the emotional response arise.
  • You witness the inner commentary.
  • You breathe, pause, and allow it without resisting.

In that gap, you’re free. Free to choose silence. Free to speak with compassion. Free to not take it personally.

This is how you live as the awareness—not by denying emotion, but by not identifying with it.

Tools to Stay Rooted in Your Real Self

Here are a few grounded practices to help you stay connected to your true self during daily life:

1. Use the Body as an Anchor

When you’re triggered, shift your attention to your body:

  • Feel your feet on the ground
  • Notice your breath
  • Tune into your heartbeat

This simple act brings you back into the present—where awareness lives.

2. Catch the First Thought

The first thought that arises during stress is usually the ego. Train yourself to observe it, not believe it.

Ask: “Who is watching this thought?” and you’ll return to awareness.

3. Respond, Don’t React

Let 3 seconds pass before replying to someone who upsets you. This pause brings consciousness into the moment. The ego hates silence; awareness thrives in it.

4. Practice Mini-Stillness

You don’t need to sit for hours. Even 10 seconds of full awareness between tasks can reset your presence.

Relationships Through the Lens of Awareness

Living from your true self radically transforms how you relate to others:

  • You no longer need to win arguments to feel validated.
  • You stop taking things personally.
  • You feel compassion even in conflict.

Why? Because you see clearly: the other person is also acting from their conditioning, their own ego structure. Just like you once did.

From this place, love flows without fear. Communication becomes honest. Boundaries become natural. Life becomes lighter.

Final Insight: Make Awareness a Lifestyle, Not a Practice

Awareness isn’t just for your meditation cushion. It’s not a spiritual “mode” you switch on and off.

It’s what you are.

The more you remember this throughout the day—not just when things are calm—the more your life transforms from within.

You laugh more. You worry less. You forgive easier. You enjoy deeper.
Because you’re no longer living as a persona. You’re living as your presence.

And that’s the real miracle.

Categories
Spirituality

The Ego Is a Lie: How Your False Identity Keeps You Stuck in Suffering

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If you’ve ever said, “I feel broken,” “I don’t know who I am anymore,” or “People don’t understand me,” you’re not alone. But here’s the truth few dare to confront: the “you” who suffers isn’t actually real.

What you’ve been calling “I” all this time—your name, personality, status, beliefs, and opinions—is not your true self. It’s a false self, a fragile construct made from memory, thought, and conditioning. It’s called the ego.

And the ego isn’t just inaccurate—it’s the very reason you suffer.

🧠 What Is the Ego?

The ego is your mental image of yourself. It includes:

  • Your name, nationality, and labels like “introvert,” “smart,” or “unlucky”
  • Your past experiences and traumas
  • Your social roles (student, employee, parent)
  • Your beliefs and opinions

It’s not inherently evil. The ego helps you function in society. But the problem begins when you mistake this temporary construct for your permanent self.

⚠️ The Trap: Believing the Ego Is You

Here’s where suffering begins:

  • When someone insults your opinion, you feel attacked—not because it hurts, but because you think you are your opinion.
  • When you fail at something, it crushes you—not because failure is fatal, but because you think you are your success.
  • When people reject you, it feels unbearable—not because rejection is harmful, but because you think you are your social image.

All of this pain stems from a false identification.

🪞 The Ego Is Made of Thought and Memory

The ego cannot exist in the present moment. It lives only in the past (memories, stories) and the future (imaginations, expectations).

Try this:

Sit still, close your eyes, and stop thinking for a few seconds.

Ask yourself: “Who am I if I don’t think about myself?”

You’ll notice something astonishing—you still exist, but there is no name, no past, no role. Just presence. Just being.

This is the crack in the ego’s illusion.

🧘 How to Break Free from the Ego

1. Observe, Don’t Identify

Thoughts will still arise. “I’m not good enough,” “They don’t respect me,” “I failed again.”
Instead of reacting, observe them like clouds passing. You’ll realize: “These thoughts are happening, but they are not me.”

2. Question the Identity

Ask: “Who told me this is who I am?”
Was it society? Parents? Culture? Memory?
Your true self is deeper than any mental image created by others.

3. Stay in the Now

The ego can’t survive in the present moment.
Practice mindfulness: breathe, listen, feel.
Be where you are—not in your head, but in your senses.

🔥 Why This Truth Is Liberating

When you stop identifying with the ego:

  • Criticism loses its sting—you no longer take it personally.
  • Fear diminishes—because there’s no “image” to protect.
  • Freedom arises—because nothing outside you can define you.

This doesn’t mean you erase your personality or stop playing roles in life. It means you play your role without becoming the role. You no longer act from egoic fear—but from clarity, love, and presence.

🌌 Final Realization: You Were Never the Ego

The ego says: “I am this body. I am these thoughts. I am what I have achieved.”

But your real self—the awareness behind all experience—says nothing. It simply is.

The moment you see this clearly, suffering begins to dissolve. Why? Because you stop defending a lie.

So the next time you feel hurt, rejected, anxious, or overwhelmed, don’t ask:
“What’s wrong with me?”
Ask:
“Who is this ‘me’ that’s suffering?”

That one question could be the beginning of your awakening.

Categories
Spirituality

You’re Not Who You Think You Are: The Truth About Your Real Identity Will Blow Your Mind!

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Who are you—really?

Most of us would instinctively respond with something like: “I’m a teacher,” “I’m a parent,” “I’m this body,” or “I’m my thoughts.” But here’s the radical truth: you are none of those things. What we usually call our “self” is actually a bundle of temporary, ever-changing experiences—thoughts, emotions, memories, and body sensations—that we’ve wrongly identified with.

So if you are not your name, job, body, or even your thoughts… then who are you, truly?

Let’s explore a truth that’s not philosophical or religious, but based on direct self-inquiry and inner observation.

🧠 The Mind Is Not You

The mind is a powerful tool. But in daily life, we confuse its contents—like thoughts, ideas, fears, and judgments—as being us. This is the core illusion.

Think about it:

  • A thought arises: “I’m not good enough.”
  • You don’t just notice it—you become it.
  • That thought colors your emotions, behavior, and identity.

But if you can observe a thought, that means you are not the thought. You’re something deeper—the observer, the seer.

🧍‍♀️ You Are Not the Body

Your body changes continuously—from childhood to adulthood, through illness and aging. Every cell is replaced over time. Yet through all these changes, there’s a sense of “I” that remains consistent.

That’s because your true identity isn’t the body—it’s the awareness that’s aware of the body.

When you say “my hand,” it implies possession—you are the owner, not the hand itself. The same goes for “my mind,” “my thoughts,” “my body.” So… who is this “my”?

👁️ The Real You: Pure Awareness

If you’re not your body or your mind, then what remains?

What remains is awareness—the unchanging, silent witness behind every experience.

  • When thoughts come, you are aware.
  • When thoughts go, you are still aware.
  • When the body feels pain or pleasure, you are the one experiencing it.

This pure witnessing presence is not touched by the thoughts or the pain—it simply knows them. That witnessing is your real nature.

🔄 Why This Matters

You suffer because you identify with what you’re not:

  • You think you’re your failures or successes.
  • You think you’re your physical appearance.
  • You think you’re your mental chatter.

And so you swing between anxiety, pride, fear, and confusion.

But when you begin to see clearly that none of those are you—that you’re the awareness observing them all—you step into true freedom. A calm, silent space opens up within you, untouched by life’s chaos.

🧘 How to Begin Discovering Who You Truly Are

Here are 3 simple ways to begin self-inquiry and connect with your true self:

1. Observe Your Thoughts

Instead of getting carried away by thinking, pause and watch your thoughts like clouds passing in the sky. You’ll notice a space between you and them.

2. Ask: “Who is aware of this?”

When you feel angry, stressed, or happy—ask: Who is aware of this feeling? The answer isn’t verbal—it’s a felt sense of the observer.

3. Sit in Silence

No need to “do” anything. Just sit silently and notice what remains when thoughts come and go. That still presence is you.

🌌 Final Thought: Your True Self Is Always Here

You’ve spent your whole life believing you are your roles, your body, or your mind. But those are just layers. Beneath all of it, there is something that doesn’t change—the pure awareness that sees it all.

The beauty is, you don’t need to “become” this. You already are. You just need to stop identifying with what you’re not.

So, ask yourself—not with words, but with silence and sincerity: Who am I?

The answer isn’t something you can explain. It’s something you awaken to.