I’m Not My Body. I’m Not Even My Mind

“I am not my body. I’m not even my mind.”

This is the mantra from a meditation I've been listening to lately. Interestingly, I stumbled upon it the day after a conversation at my last retreat where the discussion turned to a question that has been pondered by many for centuries: Who are we, really?

A common belief among many spiritual practitioners is that we are spirit in human form, here on Earth to have a human experience.

This notion resonates deeply with me for several reasons, not least of which is that it invites deeper compassion for ourselves and others.

I think of spirit as wise—the part of ourselves that is connected to All That Is, and that holds the wisdom we need to become who we were born to be.

In contrast, I think of the human part of our being somewhat like a toddler, learning to walk and run and sometimes stumbling through life, making mistakes, but always learning and growing. And eventually remembering. Remembering that we are more than just our body and our mind.

The mantra, “I am not my body. I am not even my mind,” helps me remember that there is something much more to my being. It reminds me that I am not my thoughts.

Think about that for a minute.

How would your life shift if you truly embraced the notion that you are not your thoughts?

Are you aware of the negative thoughts that might be playing in your head? I often refer to that part of ourselves as the inner critic, or the nasty DJ who keeps spinning the same old hurtful records.

While I know I'm still a work in progress, this identity shift to “I am not my thoughts” has helped me move beyond many fears and insecurities.

During a major life and career transition, I had to let go of the thoughts that I wasn't good enough to be a coach, a retreat leader, or an author. Those thoughts were incredibly loud at first, and they could have kept me playing small if I had continued to believe them.

That wasn't an overnight job either.

It took me over a year to quiet the noise of "not-enough-ness" and lean into the feeling of what was mine to do.

What helped was noticing the thoughts and then connecting with the part of myself that was doing the noticing. The spirit within. The soul that knows better. The part that speaks to your potential rather than your limitations.

When you begin to separate yourself from the negative noise and recognize that the real you is the quiet observer behind the thoughts, emotions, and experiences, you begin to experience real freedom.

After all, it is our thoughts that so often keep us trapped. And when we recognize that we are not our thoughts, the walls of that cage begin to crumble.

Learning to observe the mind rather than becoming consumed by it is a powerful practice. It creates space between who we are and the stories we tell ourselves. It loosens the grip of fear, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs. Instead of being carried away by every thought, we begin to simply witness them.

So yes, I like the mantra, “I am not my body. I am not even my mind,” because it helps me remember that I am so much more.