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Guided Meditation: Who are You When Answering Without Thought?

So, warm greetings, everyone, and welcome to our meditation together. One of the great questions that some religious traditions ask, or a practice that people take on, is the question, "Who am I?" And so, who are you? It can be quite a powerful thing to ask that question. I know a different question that maybe comes closer to the teachings of the Buddha^[1] would be: who are you when you don't answer that question with thoughts? Who are you if you don't use thinking to answer? So, what would respond to that question? And how thoroughly can you not apply ideas, thoughts, and concepts? It's almost as if, without thoughts, maybe there's something different than an answer. So, that's the introduction to this meditation.

Take a meditation posture. A posture which clearly places you here as a living person who is going to embody being here. Embody the possibility of inhabiting one's place. Taking one's place, at least here in your meditation seat. Without apology, without hesitation. Clearly.

And this clarity of presence, this clarity of here I am, can be done through the body, and perhaps supported by taking some clear, embodied breaths. The deeper breaths help establish yourself here in this body at this time. At this place.

The long exhale is a releasing into this place. To your seat. Into your torso. Into this time. And then, letting your breathing return to normal, you continue being aware of the rhythm and massage that breathing does throughout the torso. Let it be gentle, or let yourself be gentle in feeling that breathing body.

And as you exhale, be accepting of how you're breathing. Whatever way you're breathing, surround it with acceptance, allowance. So it's okay for it to be the way it is. And your task is to receive it in the body, the sensations and feelings associated with breathing.

And to spread that acceptance of how you are beyond the breathing to your whole body, your whole being. Accepting does not mean approving of everything or believing that everything is just right. Accepting means to not be in conflict with anything. Not resist, or push away, or be of any hostility, shame, or guilt about your present moment experience. Just a deep feeling, a deep offering, it's a gift. A deep feeling of okayness. To sit here breathing and being attentive in whatever way that works for you now.

And perhaps as you exhale, soften and relax the body some. In whatever way it's easy to settle in as you exhale. And receive the inhale as if you have infinite time. All the time in the world to breathe in. Whatever speed, whatever way you breathe in is fine. It's okay. Whatever way you breathe in is completely fine, even if parts of it are uncomfortable. Great patience and openness to breathing in.

And as you exhale, perhaps also relax your thinking mind. Letting go of your thoughts. Letting thinking recede to the background. Relaxing any physical tension or tightness associated with thinking. And perhaps relaxing, letting go into the end of the exhale. Into that place between breathing out and breathing in.

And if there's a little pause, however small that pause is, between exhaling and inhaling, let that be a place where the thinking mind becomes quiet. So, you're in harmony with that pause. At ease in that gap. Quiet. Sensitive to feeling. The absence of exhale, the absence of inhale, just the pause.

And perhaps in that pause between the exhale and inhale, you can ask yourself the question, "Who are you?" When you don't use thoughts to answer the question, what responds inside of you? What is highlighted? What is allowed? What becomes okay? Who are you when you don't use thoughts to answer the question?

And if anything responds to this question—who are you when you don't use thoughts to answer?—can you relax around that? Offer that acceptance, okayness. Allowing it just to be without thoughts, ideas, and commentary. Relax into it. Open to it.

Reflections

To ask the question, "Who am I?" and not use thoughts to answer it, can be a way of not looking for an answer, but being open to discover something. And maybe it's in the openness to discover the interest to find something new. The ability to listen, or hear, or feel, see, perceive without pre-existing ideas. Maybe in that openness, that awareness is part of the answer.

And what would it be like for you to have this openness—free from ideas, attentiveness, presence—in which to take in another person? To be in the presence of someone else, and to ask yourself, "Who is this person?" without using a thought to answer. To really take in, to accept, to allow. To make space for the person as the person is. In your openness, in your curiosity, in your availability to perceive and take in and to know something new.

And perhaps in that open space of awareness, to meet someone else that way. That's also the channel, conduit, for your care, for your kindness, for your respect. And may it be that each of us can take the time to really know someone else. Not in the knowing that can be answered through words and thoughts, but the knowing of being fully present. Being willing to allow the person to be there. Without ideas, without bias, without categories and commentary. And to really, maybe, have the heart receive the other.

And may it be that through this practice we do, we discover new ways to be with ourselves and new ways to be with others that are conducive to peace, respect, care, and kindness. May it be that we are a force of peace in this world, of love. And may this practice we do be for the welfare and benefit of many people. May all beings be happy. May all beings be free. May all beings be peaceful.