I am a writer, a nurse, a healer. I am 5’8”, a redhead, and an avid learner.

These descriptions, however accurate they may be, don’t actually describe me, or rather, my self.

When you describe yourself, do you ever stop to think of who is doing the describing? Who is the ‘I’ in your statements? Not all of the descriptions you use describe only your body, neither do they all describe your mental state. It is curious then, that we continue to use these ‘I am’ statements without ever thinking about who is doing the describing, and what exactly is being described. You cannot be what you are describing, so who are you?

As a human being, you are composed of many distinct but interconnected selves. There is your physical self, the body through which you experience your life. You also have a mind, the mental self that activates your body, produces your thoughts, and generally allows you to function in the world. Your ego, the part of yourself that houses pride, anger, and overall emotion, adds another layer to your human experience.

Then you have your soul, your spirit, or your essence. The word used to describe this aspect of the self varies depending on who you talk to, but the meaning is always the same. Somewhere within you resides a peaceful, loving, compassionate essence, which is the spiritual basis for your existence. This essence is most often felt through ‘gut instincts’, those impulsive feelings that are almost always right.

However, you are not any one of these things. Who ‘you’ are is ultimately a beautiful conglomeration of all these ‘forms’.

Scientifically, when you are conceived, there is a spark of light. I believe that spark is the beginning of our existence as humans, the moment when our soul unites with our mind which unites with our body, all based on an energetic blueprint.

You are that spark of light. You are the life that encompasses mind, body, soul, and ego. Thus, you are not your body or your mind. You are not even the one who thinks your thoughts, but you are the observer of your thoughts. You notice the feelings and emotions within you, just as you observe your mind, your body, your energy and your soul.

You are the observer.

Take a moment, and look around the room you are in. But don’t look as you usually do, from your mind. We tend to see through eyes that are clouded by our thoughts, and tinted by our worries.

So take a moment and just observe. Feel yourself looking around the room, as someone who is watching a movie. Take two minutes, and look up. Feel your eyes moving around your head as they see things. Feel the air coming in through your nose, feel the chair you are sitting on.

Now look around the room. Watch the movie of your life playing out before you. Do nothing, but notice everything. Just observe.

Observe the colors. Observe any windows or doors. Notice the books, the furniture, the decorations. Then, take a moment to recognize that you are the observer. That which you can observe, cannot be that which you are.

So, you are not your body. You are not your mind, and you are not your ego. Neither are you your soul.

You are the observer.