Forgotten Existence

Is it possible to forget who we are?  People who have suffered a severe head injury sometimes have amnesia and do not know who they are.  What about those who have not suffered an injury?

Sadly, most people in life do not remember who they are.  They believe themselves to be what their roles are and identify themselves by their jobs instead of their essence. What is our essence?  It is the breath that sustains us without which we would be no more.  Our personal history – our stories are important to our ego centered nature but what if we could not remember our stories? What if our slate for this lifetime were to be whipped clean? What if we can begin from scratch creating ourselves without karmic cause and effect payback to complete, what would we do?

Essentially, this is possible with each passing moment.  Since each moment is new yet to be written, we have the opportunity to construct it the way we wish.  Maybe we cannot change our physical surroundings, say for example, because you are in prison, but you can determine where your emotions, mind and thoughts will be and this directly controls your situation.

If you want your true essence to shine through, you need to consciously set aside these exact emotions, thoughts, and experiences that you so dearly cling to.  Don’t let the past old news define your present.  Let your essence shine through to define you instead.  Begin by thinking with your heart.  This is not to say you should let your emotions rule you, absolutely not.  By using the tools of the Eightfold Path and the Six Perfections, combined with a loving heart, we will always know what to do.  (Link to the teachings:  http://www.rk-world.org/introlotussutra.aspx)