We human beings have multiple ways of knowing the world, inwardly and outwardly, presumably more than, say, an earthworm. We have more dimensions to our interior landscape. In fact, even calling it an interior landscape is not really appropriate because it implies an artificial distinction between inner and outer.

Actually, we are continually co-creating what we call the external world through our senses, and it is not quite accurate to personalize the whole thing, when the process is really quite impersonal.

So in regard to who is seeing or feeling or hearing, I encourage people to look deeply into it for themselves in meditation practice, by questioning:

Who is hearing?
Who is feeling?
Who is thinking?

This is a strong practice in the Zen tradition.

You inquire into the sensory phenomena themselves in the moment of their unfolding. What usually comes up is a personal pronoun, as in “I am seeing.”

But if you ask, “Who is that?” you come to realize that the pronoun itself is just a thought.

A very, very old habit of mind which is itself a construct, a fabrication, rather than an enduring, substantial and independent entity.

The way we usually think of “Who I am” when we pop out with our name or some information about ourselves.

Source- Jon Kabat-Zinn

COMMENTS & RESPONSES

Comment - Judith - As English is not my mother-tongue I ask here to get it for sure: so it's about getting a little bit of distance to myself and not see myself as the middle of everything that's happening by taking things personal. just being aware that there is something to hear, to think, to feel. I can feel that this distance creates somehow a view that's less judging. It's going to be a journey to practise that. but it feels very peaceful.

Comment - Mark - I don't understand this. What is meant by coming to realize that the pronoun itself is just a thought?

Comment - Cory - This really works. I've been using this technique ever since I first read of Ramana Maharshi and how he used this as a teacher in the yogic tradition. Having passed in 1950, this simple question never fails to help me remember that I am not just a name or object, but I am the being that is inside looking outwardly at the world.
Response - Ross - Yes, it is pretty awesome.  :-)

Comment - Daniel - I was just thinking of Ramana Maharshi. Is a powerful question to ask ourselves every-time we are meditating: who is feeling, who is listening, who is thinking?.... Who is doing all these brief mental calculations, feeling these volatile emotions? Who is this I?

Response - Ross -Yes, Daniel
The more we substitute I & me, with:
* 'there is ..."
* 'there is sound'
* 'there is sensation'
* 'there is Awareness of ...'
Just, clear. spacious Awareness
Then we are more grounded in the unconditioned peaceful, present moment of Just Being. :-)
Respectfully, Ross