The “I AM THAT” Meditation
Elena Brower’s new book, Practice You: A Journal (Sounds True, 2017) has many thoughtful suggestions on how to connect with the true inner self, and – more importantly – how to improve your self-
views and the experience of your deep inner self. Below I have modified her presentation of the “I Am Exploration” meditation. My modifications bring in very subtle Vedanta and cognitive-behavioral implications. This is a quick, useful, and relatively easy meditation to practice. Here are the modified instructions.
- Sit in a comfortable meditation posture and add a hand mudra of your choice.
- Become as grounded as possible, and begin to breathe slow, deep, rhythmic breaths.
- Continue to deepen and slow your breathing, and be inside your present moment body.
- Be your slow, deep breath. Decide if you wish your eyes to be opened or closed.
- Now contemplate how you view yourself. Do so in a general manner for now.
- Decide on a few key words and images that you feel define you – the “I Am” part of you.
- Decide what your current attitude is about who/what you are.
- Are you satisfied? Are you content? Are you happy? Are you overly anxious or depressed?
- Regarding who you are now and what you wish to become, what is your most powerful emotional need right now?
- Contemplate meeting this emotional need. What have you noticed about your inner peace and wisdom?
- Now deeply meditate on how you will make one change that brings you closer emotionally to your most pressing emotional need. What do you need to do? When will you do it? Who will help you?
- Notice any insights and body-based sensations that have come up during this process.
- Sit quietly for a moment before ending this meditation. Contemplate the implications.
Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC
From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont
Author of Mindful Happiness
