Who am I?

I keep hearing this about a “True Self” and that I’m not the “ego” what does all this mean??

It means that where we place our identity - our “sense of self” - is a major pathway to our liberation.

And, “who we are” or if you prefer the “True” version of us has essentially two answers. And, depending on what stage of the path we’re on each answer will have more or less significance.

There are both Relative and the Absolute answers to the question of “who am I?”

The Relative answer is:

We are the form that is ACTUALLY impacted by external and internal events that arise and then pass in reality.

And since REAL events ONLY occur in THE NOW, we are that form that abides in the present. We are NOT the abstract mind-based “me” that is the "actor" in mental movies, thoughts, and stories about the past and future. We are the form of the now, the other form – the “little me” in my head - is an illusion.

And the Absolute answer is:

We are no-thing and every-thing. We are love. We are the universe. We are god. We are the Tao.

And depending on where were are in the “seven stages of liberation” one or the other of these pointers will be more or less useful as a guide. That is, until we reach the seventh stage “Beyond Words” where we can dump all pointers and “Abide in the Self” - in silence or sound - as love itself.

Until then, one or both of these pointers will guide us well on the path to ourSelves, to freedom from thinking and karma, to liberation.