Strongly felt ‘I’

Disappointment can be a tremendous inspiration. It can give us the opportunity to see ourself more deeply, as we really are. When bad news is received, the normal reaction is become upset, sometimes angry, or sometimes down on ourself. Shining the “spotlight” on our own ego can be immensely beneficial. The sense of ‘I’ is so strong, you could cut it with a knife. The opportunity to exam it is right in front of our eyes. Who is this strongly felt ‘I’? Is it the same as my body and mind? No, this is not possible for there would be two ‘I’s.’ It would also disrupt karma and its consequences as the body dies yet the mind continues. Can this strongly felt ‘I’ be totally separate from my body and mind? No, this also is not possible, for we could not say, “my head hurts.” Nor could we say, “I feel sad.” If this strongly felt ‘I’ is not the same nor different from my body and mind, then we can’t find it anywhere. If we cannot find it anywhere it cannot exist. This strongly felt ‘I’ is like an illusion, like a dream. It appears and is strongly felt, but it does not exist!