Who Am I? - A Journey of Self - Discovery

“Who am I?” This is the most frequently heard question when one starts to be curious on the path of spirituality. This fundamental question has been asked by every saint, marking the beginning of their journey of self-discovery. Though it may sound very simple, it is not asked by just anyone, but by someone who feels that they are lacking something in this materialistic world and wants to seek a deeper meaning in their life.

So, really, “Who am I?”

"I" is not merely a name given at birth, a profession we identify with, or the roles we play each day—such as parent, friend, employee, or citizen. These are just the layers we wear to identify yourselves at any point in our lives. These layers keep changing at each stage of life. The true "I" is an unchanging entity that was created by an infinitely small fragment of the vast space of the universe. So essentially, "I" am a part of the vast "Nothing" of the universe.

The Chivality practice focuses on only one ultimate goal: to realize our authentic self, thus attaining Mukti. To reach this understanding, we must let go of all negative qualities that cloud our mind. Qualities like anger, fear, jealousy, pride, etc. These qualities are not who we really are and serve neither us nor others.

The path to self-discovery requires us to become like a speck of sand in the vast ocean. A speck is silent and makes no disturbance. This is why the Silentation practice is so powerful.

Where silence begins, the soul awakens

Through silence, we learn to dissolve the noise of our restless minds and connect with something deeper. To become this peaceful speck, we must first become Nirguna—free from all negative qualities that weigh us down.

These roles we play in the materialistic world are necessary for functioning in society, but only a Gnani can help us understand that we are none of these roles. These roles are just for us to pass the time in this life, and they are nothing to be taken seriously. One who truly understands this remains undisturbed within and therefore does not react easily.

What makes us human is our mind, but this same mind often becomes our greatest obstacle in knowing our true selves. We must learn to empty our mind through silence, which has the power to dissolve all negativity. Our mind can be compared to an onion. Like the many layers of an onion, the mind also has many layers. Attachments, identities, and old impressions each form a separate layer. Through dedicated practice, we peel away these layers one by one until nothing remains. This "Nothing" is our true self, free from all limitations and suffering.

When we begin to shed our negativity and become more positive, it's a clear sign that we're making genuine progress toward Mukti.

One of the biggest obstacles on this path is how we handle our daily responsibilities. Responsibilities themselves aren't the problem — they're a natural part of life. The real issue is worrying about what we haven't accomplished or what we might not complete. This worry creates a heavy burden on the mind, leaving deep impressions that eventually become karmaphala.

The key is to fulfill our responsibilities without anxiety about what remains unfinished. We must do what we can with sincerity and dedication and let go of the outcome. This doesn't mean being careless or lazy. It means acting from a place of inner peace rather than worry.

Today, we may identify strongly with the various roles we play and take pride or pain from them. But the deeper truth is that we are none of these roles. When we truly understand this, we can perform any role without mental suffering. The pain, stress, and struggle we feel are not truly ours, for at our core, we are beyond them all. You're not the “thing” that receives any pain, since you are “NOTHING.”

Therefore, in essence, the journey to discovering our true selves is not about escaping life but about engaging with it more consciously. When we perform our responsibilities without attachment and free ourselves from the mental weight of worry, we stop creating new impressions. Through silence, self-inquiry, and letting go of negativity, we gradually return to our original state — pure, peaceful, and free.

True liberation, or Mukti, is not something far away. It is the natural result of realizing that we are not the changing roles we play, but the unchanging awareness behind them. In that realization, all suffering ends, and what remains is stillness, clarity, and an unshakable inner bliss.