Exploring Identity: How Would You Answer the Question "Who Are You?" in Life's Big Moments?

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Hi friends, I am forwarding a topic titled "Who are we?" This is an interesting story... hope you'll like it.

A woman in a coma was dying. She suddenly had a feeling that she was taken up to heaven and stood before the seat of judgment.

"Who are you?" a voice said to her.

"I'm the wife of the mayor," she replied.

"I didn't ask you whose wife you are but who you are."

"I'm the mother of four children."

"I didn't ask whose mother you are, but who you are."

"I'm a school teacher."

"I didn't ask you what your profession is but who you are."

And so it went. No matter what she replied, she didn't seem to give a satisfactory answer to the question, "Who are you?"

"I'm a Christian."

"I didn't ask what your religion is but who you are."

"I'm the one who went to church every day and always helped the poor and needy."

"I did not ask you what you did but who you are."

She evidently failed the examination, for she was sent back to earth. When she recovered from her illness, she determined to find out who she was. And that made all the difference.

"Our duty is to be. Not to be somebody, not to be nobody—for therein lies greed and ambition—not to be this or that—but just to be."

Oh Shikha, can you provide an example for your explanation? I feel confused by your words. I am really curious to know who I am.

Understanding Your True Self

I think who you are means your inbuilt character and nature. You need to know yourself, which means understanding your potentials, limitations, weaknesses, strengths, etc. After doing that, decide what you can do and what you can't. Remember, we are all unique. Just as our physical appearances differ, so do our inbuilt qualities and nature. You are who you are; you can't be somebody else. So, do not try to be someone else, as it will lead to failures.

However, in this world, we don't always have the choice to act according to our nature. Neither are we raised nor educated based on our nature. That's why our full potential may never come out. A natural doctor might become an engineer, or a natural artist may end up working as a mechanic, and so on. Despite all that, it is better to know yourself and focus on areas where you can excel, avoiding situations where you are not designed to be.

Thanks for the story. Please note this answer. We are all spirit souls that have left the Kingdom of God many lifetimes ago to enjoy the material world. When we start to ask who we are, it means that we are starting our quest back to home, back to Godhead.

Regards,
Ian

Thank you for your explanation. I understood who I am. As per Madhu's story, when one faces the judgment seat and is asked the question 'who are you?', what one-word answer would you give?

Dear Madhumita, This is a good question. Everyone should ask this question to ourselves in our life to take our first step towards 'SELF-REALIZATION'. The great saint "RAMANA MAHARISHI" asked the same question and wrote a book with this title.

Who Are We?

We are SOUL. There is no birth or death for the soul, no end for the soul, no gender for the soul.

How to Realize?

Pure LOVE is the only and simplest way to 'SELF-REALIZATION' and "GOD-REALIZATION". Do meditation to gain soul awareness; through that, you will achieve self-realization.

So, keep smiling and love all. May the blessings of GOD be with you.

"Hai Friends.... I am forwarding a topic that "Who we are?" This is an interesting story...hope you'll like it....

A woman in a coma was dying. She suddenly had a feeling that she was taken up to heaven and stood before the seat of judgment.

"Who are you?" a voice said to her.

"I'm the wife of the mayor," she replied.

"I didn't ask you whose wife you are but who you are."

"I'm the mother of four children."

"I didn't ask whose mother you are, but who you are."

"I'm a school teacher."

"I didn't ask you what your profession is but who you are."

And so it went. No matter what she replied, she didn't seem to give a satisfactory answer to the question, "Who are you."

"I'm a Christian."

"I didn't ask what your religion is but who you are."

"I'm the one who went to church every day and always helped the poor and needy."

"I did not ask you what you did but who you are."

She evidently failed the examination for she was sent back to earth. When she recovered from her illness, she determined to find out who she was. And that made all the difference.

"Our duty is to be. Not to be somebody, not to be nobody - for therein lies greed and ambition - not to be this or that - but just to be."

Thank you very much, Madhumita, for that very interesting piece. The question "Who am I?" doesn't have easy answers. One person who thought about it threw away his royal robes and went searching for the answer, ultimately becoming enlightened, and people called him Gautam Buddha! Maybe we need to really cast off the robes of many notions we have about ourselves before we discover who we truly are. It is a long and tedious journey; there is a chance we may return with the expression "It is not worth it!" (as already voiced above). However, many who have embarked on that quest have found real joy and happiness after discovering themselves. Anyway, it's worth a real try, I would say.

Regards,
KK Nair

Hi Madhumita, such an inspiring story. Thank you for sharing this. I would like to share it with my friends if you give the green signal. Please consider the same and proceed 

Once again, thank you for sharing.

Regards,

Thank you for the beautiful Conscious Awakening story. What I would say, combined with what Mahavirsinghji has said, is: "I am a human being on this earth to fulfill the task of 'HUMANITY' for which I should be loving, caring, hopeful, and optimistic." This is just my opinion with an open end for others to opine on it with positivity.

Thanks again.

Regards, Harish M. Mody
BPP Coordinator
LAXMI DIAMOND PVT. LTD.

It was not my message to you. You have thoroughly misunderstood me. In AOL, they discuss "who R U"? Ramana Maharshi was always asking those who approached him this question. That doesn't mean I support them. But I approve (give consent) of this because it makes you aware of what you are.

My message was that, as told in Vishnu Sahasranama, one should practice - that is kaya, vacha, manasa, indriya, buddhi, prakruti, and swabhava. One should go and search for the answer. If one practices anything in this way, he may attain it easily, quickly, and definitely. That is, one may get an answer to the question. But that is not easy, as the mind has to be controlled. This is called Sadhana. THIS IS THE METHOD.

But who does this in this fast world? One in a million may be. If one practices this way, he will get the answer to your question. Hope I have made myself clear.

Regards,
M.J. SUBRAMANYAM, BANGALORE