"Who Am I?" Is a Question That Leads You to Peace

You are receiving this because you are one of 78,062 people who have pledged to meditate daily for peace.

Earlier this morning, I took this selfie after pondering the question, "Who am I?"

To quote author Katie Arnold writing in her excellent book, Brief Flashings in the Phenomenal World, "This is one of the most famous Zen koans, a simple inquiry to be asked over and over for a lifetime. Who am I? Sit with the question, in all the seasons, beside the river, on a mountain, in your backyard, deep in a canyon at dawn.

"Who am I? Ask it enough times and it will be like seeing the spelling of a familiar word you know by heart but suddenly no longer recognize. The answer keeps changing. Also, it will never change."

To be somewhat less mysterious, my perception is that the question is intended to lead you to inner peace, which is a necessary precursor to peace in the world.

You are not your body.

You are not whatever your name is.

You are neither separate from everyone else nor alone.

You cannot be destroyed by death.

Here's the kicker: it is not enough to intellectually grasp these statements. To achieve inner peace, you must know at the deepest level that these statements are true.

And yet... every step you take in this direction... helps. Every moment you take to remember who you are... is a step in a positive, nurturing, loving direction.

Peace to you and all those you love.

Bruce