Some of my favorite imagery from the works of Lewis Carroll is that of the green caterpillar perched on a broad leaf regarding Alice as she makes her way through a place that is not Kansas anymore. Disregarding his hookah for a moment the caterpillar inquires of Alice, "Whooo are youuu?" in a drawl that just has to be taken seriously. Indeed, this question 'must' be taken seriously, for the answer illumines for us the only Truth that we can know. Try it. Ask yourself. Now.
If you are reading this, then you already know that we are not the body, neither are we the mind. We are that sublime purity of divine presence that enlivens the body and lends intelligence, wisdom, and inspiration to the mind. But it is not enough to just know this. The knowledge is merely a superficial pacifier if we do not make the leap consciously to become the pure Self of all. How do we know if we have imbibed this perfection? Check the reality. How does it look out there?
The sages say that the outer world is a reflection of our inner state. So if life gets to be a bummer sometimes, let's take a closer look inside. Just exactly who is it that we really think we are? One who is attached to the stuff of the world will be needy and tormented by bondage. One who feels inadequate will be chased by fear and will pursue power. One who feels hurt will attract injury and will desire healing. One who is self-alienated will find rejection and need acceptance.
One who is Krishna will be loved by all. One who is Shiva is surrounded by reverence. One who is Lakshmi lives in abundance, and could Indra be anywhere but heaven?
So again, "Whooo are youuu?"
Once we experience the exalted clarity of the inner Self, it is easier to divorce the body from who we think we are. The mind, however, is a little more difficult, because of the urgency of the emotions. Here we have to face the hard fact that, like the gross body, the emotions are of the lower nature. While in the grip of feelings, our true nature is shrouded by the ego. We forget. Again.
We can use the turmoil to remind us to return to the steady state, to expand into the love that wells up continuously from within. Then we look up and the world is perfect again; a perfect reflection of the perfect radiance of light and being; consciousness regarding itself with sublime joy.