Who am I?  What’s my identity?  Who am I without my toys—my iPhone, my iPad, my iWatch, my books, my piano, and all my other stuff?  Who am I without the compliments I receive from others?  Who am I without the acceptance and rejection I experience from friends and acquaintances?

A big Ah-Ha! came to me in the form of a mantra:  I am loving awareness.  

Many before me have used this mantra, as well as countless others.  It’s one that resonates with me.  You can spend, say, 2-20 minutes in gentle meditation simply repeating this mantra, or reflecting on it—or both.  You can pause and repeat it through the day.  You can even set an alarm to remind you to pause and remember your mantra.  And for what it’s worth, there are other mantras that you might find more meaningful than this one.  If you don’t resonate with the mantra I have adopted, you can use a search engine to find mantras.  I’m guessing that you will easily find one with which you resonate.  

Why am I suggesting a mantra?  I’ve found that a mantra has a huge benefit: it easily gets me out of my thinking mind, or my monkey-brain which can devolve into endless chatter—sometimes chatter that gets me sidetracked, or leaves me paralyzed.  The mantra helps me find that place of quiet tranquility in my soul.  

That said, what I love about the mantra, “I am loving awareness,” is that it embodies the way in which I want to interact with others.  It’s how I want to treat people.  And of course, it has the added benefit of helping me to remember my identity—who I am without my toys or feedback from others.  The mantra, “I am loving awareness,” gives great meaning to my life.

I wish you deep meaning on your journey.