By Danya Keeley

Who are you?  The Spiritual Masters down through the ages believed this to be the most essential question.  This powerful question was designed to take you deeper than your own thoughts, beliefs and judgments about your self.

Can you imagine discovering that the personal identity you have adopted all these years is a pale imitation of the Truth? What if you suddenly recognized that ‘Who You Think You Are,’ is completely bogus? Could a profound realization of your True Nature, change how you relate to Self and your current surroundings?   My guess is--Yes!!

Every decision you’ve made and will make in your life is influenced by how you ‘see’ yourself. Each choice you are faced with is measured by the beliefs you hold, specifically about ‘who you are!’ Therefore, your perceived identity has a very biased view of what you can achieve, experience, learn or own in your life. 

For example, if you felt wanted by your parents, you may have judged yourself as a ‘good person’ or ‘worthy.’ Conversely, if you thought yourself to be unwanted, you may have labeled yourself as a ‘bad person’ or ‘less than’ in some way. As you can see, your definition of yourself need not be rooted in truth.  However, it still holds tremendous sway in your life and impacts every facet of your existence.

The acquisition of an artificial identity is a natural phase in your development, common to everyone; under most circumstances it would not be in your power to skip this process. 

(I have often wondered if the toddler’s game of peek-a-boo is so hilarious, because it reminds us that trying to hide is a trick we play on ourselves over and over.)

Fortunately you are not able to hide the Truth from yourself for ever. As you mature incongruence arises between your inner Self and the counterfeit.  An inner pressure which challenges all that does not line up with your Authentic Self or Truth within.

The emergence of your True Self or Identity is also a natural process; a phase one might describe as an evolutionary impulse to awaken to One’s Self! This IS an essential step because every aspect of your life depends on how you see yourself.  

Whatever you want in life is measured by your judgment of yourself.  Are you the kind of person who owns ________?  Can you see yourself living in _____?

When you create goals for yourself, your success is not determined by your talent, your education, your bank account or your courage. No. Your triumph is dictated by a question like:  “Does doing such-in-such or marrying so-in-so, match the image you have of yourself?” If your inward answer is not yes, you will never reach the goals you most deeply desire.  The fate of your choices continues to lay with the false vision you have of yourself. 

No matter how effective or ineffective your identity works for you, it is still not the Truth of WHO you are!  Your counterfeit identity will persist in creating parameters; defining, shaping and dictating how and what your life will look like.  

So it is imperative you allow the Truth to come forward, especially if you are still haunted by unfulfilled longings and unquenched dreams.

Byron Katie, an American born teacher, has suggested questions, which can aid you in determining whether a belief you hold about yourself is True.  For example, if you want a certain job, but don’t believe you could get an interview, she would ask “Is that True?” “Do you know that to be absolutely true?”  I will pose an additional question, “What is your evidence that this is true?” 

Those questions challenge and potentially cut through the beliefs and limitations you’ve held against yourself.  

With the birth of a new year, bless yourself with time to explore your True nature and pose the questions to yourself.  Allow the Truth of your Being to blossom and unearth your True Identity.

Discover for yourself—who are you?  Really?

Remember—it is in you to succeed.

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