It's kind of a hard topic to delve in to, especially considering the very esoteric nature of trying to discuss this topic that all of us are very intimately familiar with. And what would that topic be? Well, we all know what it means to 'be'. We all know what it means to have an 'I', so to speak.

These are both aspects of a topic that one could be led to wonder why on earth would one even want to use any electrons of cyberspace to explain what this is all about. After all, isn't it obvious? Duh.

I am here, being. I can 'be' all day long. I be.

What is unclear or needs to be discussed in the context of an insight with this topic, right?

Well, for me, this topic is at the core of an area of my life that I'm learning a lot about and having some somewhat befuddling experiences about, so it seems appropriate to share what this appears to be all about, in the context of helping readers of these e-words, and perhaps even others who have had similar experiences but didn't quite know what to do with them.

Let me elaborate.

You see, Shakespeare's quote about not being, or not to be, in my opinion is rather ludicrous, at best. How can one not 'be'? We are being. We are humans being. All day long we are stuck with being. Even if we don't want to be, we are still being.

There is never not a moment when we are not being. Can you tell when you're not being? Can you ever have a moment of not being? Is it possible to have a moment of not being and then not know that one is not being? Is that even a possibility?

So, how is it that the question is about one's ability 'to be or not to be'. I don't think we have a choice in the matter. We are humans. Being.

Period.

One can think that they aren't being, but they still are. One can desire to not be, but if they're still desiring, then they're being. One can want to not be, but if they're still wanting, they're being. It's pretty rudimentary, at best.

Now, the topic of 'to I or not to I', that is a whole other rhetorical question. And, it's a question that is very apropos for this current time we've been thrusting through. And, it's a question deserving a proper dissecting and contextual discussion.

Can you ever say to yourself 'I am not here'? Can you ever say to yourself that 'I am not I'? Can I not be I?

How can one not be what one thinks one is? One is thinking one is, so one is that which one thinks, right?

I am what I am.

I am I.

I am.

I.

At first glance this all seems rather simplistic and still not worth discourse, but let's see where I can take us with this discussion of 'I'. Pardon the pun.

We would all agree that we're all being. When we are here, we are being. We can be. That is what we 'do': we be.

There's no questioning about that. It's a pretty obvious unconditional fact of existence: being. The fact that we exist is the concrete, definable, incontrovertible proof that we 'be'. We are being.

Now, do we have unconditional proof that we are the 'I' that we think we are and take ourselves to be? Do we know where this 'I' is situated in our self?

Do you know where 'I' is in you? Is it even in you? Is it outside of you somewhere? Can you pinpoint it? Have you even thought about this to-date?

When I posed these, and other, questions to myself I found myself coming up with the only answer that made sense. The 'I' is the mind. The 'I' isn't a thing, per se, it's a conglomeration of thoughts in the mind.

Pretty out-there, eh?

But, that's not the gist of this sharing. The focus here is that this I is something that isn't what we are, truly.

How so? And why not?

Well, didn't we agree before that we are humans, being? We are creatures of being. We have proof: we exist. That is what we are first and foremost. Beings being. Beings. That's pretty simple to agree with.

What happens after that?

The 'I' enters the picture. I am a man. I am a mother. I am a brother. I am poor. I am a president. I am serious. I am fun. I am hairy. I am introspective. I am (fill in the blank). I am. I am. I am. The list is truly endless.

We are whatever series of 'I's we are telling ourselves that we are as we go through our days on this physical plane.

But, in spite of the fact that we do this, and in spite of the fact that this I-ing comes in after the fact of being, does it make it anymore true and what we are?

Of course it does: to our mind. To the sense of I that we have glommed on to when very young children and hold dearly with clutched fists throughout our life till death do we part.

It's not a pretty picture, as we're all too familiar with.

So, what is this all about? Well, do we want to 'I' or do we not want to 'I'. Can we begin to see the many I's that are in each of us and then allow ourselves to begin to experience the being of the moment when any particular I is present? Why?

Again, because that is our true essence. That is truly what we are.

And why do this, even? Well, does your many, many I's bring suffering along with them? Do you suffer over being a man, a mother, a brother, being poor or serious or the many other I's you know you assume and take on during your days?

Do you ever question if there is a different manner of being with the many moments of existence you are having? If so, this is a way to that.

To be or not to be. That is the question? No.

Again, to me, to I or not to I. That truly is the only question worthy of consideration.

Now what is your answer?

Written by Andre Best
President, Ultimate Results, Inc.
http://www.andrebest.com
'Learn About Life From Another Perspective'

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