When you know yourself beyond your thinking mind, you are free.

Who are you beyond your thoughts, beliefs, stories, and roles? Do you take time to move beyond those ideas to truly know yourself? This is the quest for most of us on the spiritual path; to know and experience our true spiritual selves. Yet how many of us still get caught in thought forms and concepts instead of experiencing reality as it truly is?

When we meditate we touch into that expansive, pure presence of who we are, but once we open our eyes and engage with the rest of the world it tends to slip away as the mind takes over. We judge what we see, label and categorize everything, and if we’re not stuck rehashing the past, we plan and strategize for the future. We override the present moment; the only place we can really experience ourselves as spiritual beings.

It’s amazing how many of us live our lives based on ideas we have about ourselves. The ideas come from our childhood experiences, memories, labels, judgments, invalidation and so on. We have an unpleasant experience as a toddler, misinterpret it to mean that we are not loveable, capable or what have you, and we live the rest of our life with that belief guiding us. And to top it off we retell our traumatic stories, which further reinforces them as our identity.

Who would you be without your stories, without your interpretations of events, without your limited beliefs? You would be your expansive true self with fresh eyes to see the true essence within each person, form and situation you encounter. You would have a blank slate to create whatever you want with ease in every moment. You would be free.

How to Know Yourself Beyond Your Thinking Mind

We’ve all heard, read and practiced various techniques for quieting the mind and touching into the spacious awareness and presence of who we really are – the I Am place. But it helps to have reminders along the way so here goes.

Center within yourself. When I catch myself getting lost in my thinking mind or reactive ego, I bring my awareness into the center of my head, where my pineal gland is. This is an energetic space that supports you to know yourself beyond your thoughts. Try it now and notice how peaceful it feels.

Be in your body. So many of us live in our heads or slightly out of our body (I discovered that when I was concerned about the future, I would move in front of my body, checking things out so to speak, instead of being within my body). Our bodies are a physical expression of who we are as spirit, and we came here to experience ourselves in this form, consciously.

Notice right now how much you are in your body. Can you feel sensations in your body? Can you sense the subtle flow of energy moving through your body? Do you know what emotions your body is trying to communicate to you at this moment? Life becomes much richer when you live in the body.

Stay in the present moment. Thinking takes us out of the present moment and propels us into the past, future or fantasy. Make a commitment to be present with yourself, your body, your current activities, or your breath and inner stillness when relaxing. It’s in this now moment that we as spiritual beings can emerge and express ourselves.

Be the observer. Instead of taking your thoughts and reactions seriously, just watch them. Observe how they dissipate when you shine your light on them. When you feel small or overwhelmed remind yourself that this is based on a limited or false belief, not on your truth. Ask the potent question, “Who would I be without this thought, belief, story etc.”

Open to your Source. Say yes each and every moment to yourself as spirit. Marvel in the fact that you are the light and love of God, Allah, the Creator or whatever term you use to describe the Source of all life, expressing itself right here, right now, in this body, on this planet earth.

When you move beyond your thinking mind you know yourself as spirit, free to express your love, light and truth.