You are much more than just the body

Most of suffering is caused by identification with the limited body and surroundings. You are much more than your body and what you are surrounded by. You are much more than your hands, legs, stomach, forehead, hair. You are much more than your home, your walls, your family, your friends, your workplace, your vehicle. The universe includes all things you can perceive and it even includes all things you cannot perceive. This universe that includes both perceivable and non-perceivable entities is but a part of you.

To develop awareness of your true identity - Sit straight, close your eyes and ask yourself - who am i? Try and answer the question. Are you your arms, are you your legs, are you your stomach? You know that you are much more than these parts of your body. Then try and locate the center of your self. Where are you? Contemplate on who and where you are, until you can concentrate and locate a part of your body where you feel a tingling sensation (e.g., somewhere along your spine). You are there. Now raise your level of awareness to feel that center of your self rise along the length of your spine. You are now there. Finally locate that center on the top of your head. Then raise your center above your head. Now you are not within your physical body. So where are you now? You are outside the body and now perceiving the body as an outsider.

Once you are able to perceive the body as just a part of you and not the whole, shift your center even further. Are you the chair? Are you the walls? Are you the building? Are you the person next door? Are you your mother? Are you your friend? Who are you?

Then you will realize that all these so called external objects are but a part of you. They are not you the whole but they are not outside of you either. They are but a part of you. The universe but a part of you. As you shift your center and feel it outside of your physical body, tell yourself "I am much more than just the body. The entire universe is but a part of me"