Have you ever questioned your own existence? I mean really questioned it, not in a fleeting, abstract way, but with the kind of raw, unfiltered curiosity of a child? For most of my life, I hadn’t. I took my being for granted, rarely pausing to consider the profound fact that I am, that I exist, here and now.
Can I ever truly not be?
You exist, and there’s nothing you can do about it
No matter how you try, you can’t rewind time and undo the reality that you are. Even the idea of not existing seems impossible because awareness itself somehow persists.
The impossibility of non-existence
Being is not dependent on thought or perception. It simply is. Even imagining what it means to be without thoughts hints at this ever-present awareness. That awareness is what we are at our core, though we often lose touch with it by identifying with our conscious experience.
Ancient and modern wisdom traditions affirm this truth. The 8th-century Indian sage Adi Shankaracharya said, “You are awareness itself—pure, changeless, and eternal.” Contemporary teachers like Rupert Spira and Eckhart Tolle point to the same realization: your essence, beyond thought and form, is always present. You cannot not be.
Surrendering to the mystery
If existence is undeniable and inseparable from you, what can we do but surrender to its profound mystery? Rather than trying to solve existence like a puzzle, we can approach it as an adventure of discovery, an opportunity to explore the depths of who and what we truly are.
As the 13th-century mystic Brother Lawrence beautifully expressed it:
To practice the presence is continuously being aware of this underlying reality. It’s to pray without ceasing, not necessarily in words, but in your very being. It’s to ground your daily experience in the steadfastness of this Knowing.
This practice isn’t about arriving at definitive answers to questions like “Why am I here?” which often leads to dogmatic explanations or interpretations based on passing moods. Instead, it invites us to sit with the unfolding of life, to play with the nature of existence as it reveals itself moment by moment.
Just as you don’t demand to know why the ocean exists when standing before its vast expanse, existence itself is not here to be fully understood or dissected. It’s here to be experienced, celebrated, and contemplated, recognizing that our true self is not separate from it.
Bringing it into daily life
Embracing what is, exactly as it is, has profound implications for your daily life. When challenges arise, you can recognize them as part of this grand unfolding rather than as errors to be fixed. Getting stuck in traffic, for instance, may stir up frustration. But if you shift your perspective, you see that even this moment is part of the totality of existence. You are, regardless of whether you’re moving or still.
This awareness doesn’t change the external situation but transforms your relationship to it. Similarly, when you feel lost or question your purpose, remember this: your existence is not a mistake. The very fact that you are means you belong here, in this precise moment.
The “I Am” meditation practice
One powerful way to deepen your engagement with the truth of being is through the “I am” meditation. This simple yet profound practice involves silently repeating the words “I am” to yourself without attaching any labels or descriptions. It’s a way of directly pointing to your fundamental existence prior to any thoughts, sensations, or perceptions.
Here’s a simple guide to get you started:
You can practice this meditation daily or whenever you feel the need to reconnect with your essential being. Over time, you may find that the sense of “I am” begins to permeate your daily life, bringing a deeper sense of peace, clarity, and connection.
Here are some contemplative insights people often report from practising the “I am” meditation:
Conclusión
Existence is not a puzzle to be solved but an ever-present truth to be embraced. By engaging with the undeniable reality of your being through practices like “I am” meditation, you are open to a profound sense of presence, wonder, and belonging.
As you deepen your exploration, you may discover that the very fact of your existence is enough—that you are part of an unfathomable mystery, an indivisible whole. Ultimately, we are left with one undeniable truth: you are. And that, in itself, is a cause for celebration.
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