Here is a place to continue any conversation or questions that arose from Thursday’s community call. Please share below.
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What an amazing call today. Here’s what I wrote during our exercise today…sharing it for a few people who asked for it:
“Who Am I”
I am so much more than Michael Benjamin Messeroff…
I am the stars, the trees, the birds, the bees.
I am you, but not me,
I am all that I see,
All that exists, here and now, past and future,
The voices in my head, and yours too,
The sky and earth and ether,
The mist on the morning lake, and the lake,
The mountains,
All friends and family…everyone.
No separation, distinctly original, but also not.
How can this be?
Am I special?
Am I unique?
Am I God?
Yes, that I know for sure.
Am I a soul?
Is there a goal?
I am the question and the answer,
The rising tide and the moon that causes it.
But I’m not me, not even close.
Me is fake, a face, a facade,
A mirage, an illusion, a delusion,
Hiding in plain sight,
I am morning, afternoon, and night.
I am not what I see in the mirror,
But the seer who sees through those eyes.
I am the prize,
God awakened,
Hiding no more,
So WHY am I?
No reason,
No rhyme,
No time,
No birth,
No death,
Only life and life and life,
The point of it all,
The here and now,
Giving life to life.
Why I am I.
There is no who.
But what is soul?
Does this end?
Do I?
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That was an amazing call indeed! Thanks to Swap for doing such a wonderful job facilitating and for the mesmerizing chants at the end. Thank you to everyone who shared and who listened. I wish there was more time to hear from others who wanted to share, and hope I did not take up more than my fair share! But I suppose that’s the purpose of the discussion here! Here is what I wrote:
“Who Am I?”
I am everyone, I am myself, I am no one. I am Buddha, the Awakened One, and I am the sleeping one. I am the one who is trying to eliminate the “I am” from my thinking, but know that by trying I am keeping myself stuck in my identity, which is an illusion. I am the one who was a drinker and a stoner, and am now more like a one-year-old baby. I am love, I am uncertainty, I am peace, I am excitement.
I am part of something bigger, more eternal than this life. I am the one who has always known there is more to what I see. I am the one who feels the need to connect with whatever “more” is. I am the one who has connected with “more,” and am learning not to cling to it, not to crave for more of that connection or to relive those moments of connection. All this while trying to cultivate and expand my consciousness so as to increase and prolong those moments of connection with “more.”
I am the one who knows that the connection is always available, the one who knows that I have always been where I am trying to go. It is always here, always now. I am here now. I am loving awareness.
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I thought the conversation was great and I really appreciate everyone who shared.
In terms of the writing exercise, I noticed that I still identify myself by the areas I find myself lacking in when comparing with the “shoulds” of society and culture. Like, how I measure up. I still cling to that. The spotlight is on the negative a lot of the time. I didn’t realize this until I heard how eloquent, poetic and nonjudgemental everyone was in their own writing.
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This was such a beautiful exercise and I loved hearing and sharing with you guys! I think Joel Rosenfeld’s appeal to dance, as well as the appeal to not put words about the ineffable I n pedastals or imbibe them with too much meaning was the highlight of the call!!! It’s really an appeal to quiet and listen during the flow state (from how I heard it) and bring the formless into form without intellectually stepping on it or diluting it with ego.
My favorite talk yet! Can’t wait to unlock next week’s lessons!!! 
Namaste!
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Beautiful, Mike! Thanks for sharing with us 
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Thanks for sharing, Wes! Here and on the call. I’d say you took up exactly your fair share and I think we all appreciated hearing you. Looking forward to connecting more next week
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Hi Nessa, the writing exercise can help us see, from different perspectives, how we relate to ourselves. We’re normally in one ‘ordinary’ or ‘spotlight’ state of consciousness as Alan Watts talks about, but with the exercise and contemplating something so vast, we tap into ‘floodlight’ consciousness. And from there, we can see a bit differently.
Part of the exercise can be reflecting on your own writings afterwards, exactly like you have, and seeing ways in which we relate to ourselves that may not be so clear ordinarily. And if we relate to ourselves in a way that’s maybe feels not so harmonious for us, perhaps just that realization can be the spark needed to start a deeper exploration.
It may be nice to try the same exercise in a few weeks or a few months and see if anything interest pops up!
Thanks for sharing
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What an incredibly beautiful and deeply meaningful group
Although I could not make it live, I felt just as connected to the recording. I have left feeling light, hopeful, happy, and in awe of the awesomeness that is this beautiful planet and its inhabitants. Swapnil was like a wave of calm. I guess more like a lake hah. That musical number at the end was really special. And my God, the people. So many like-minded, kind lights. Their writings were so poetic and powerful. It was something else to discover that there is a whole world of people who see and feel what I do. What a revelation.
To share a bit of what I wrote : ) Who are you?-
“I am sincere and accepting consciousness. I am forgiveness. I am change. I am an intrinsic part of the world, just as everyone else. I am purpose. I am an example of faith, practice, service, and love. I am grace. I am powerful without trying. I am the sunlight that breaks through on a cloudy day. I am the warm embrace on a cold night. I am the wrestling of the leaves when you feel alone. I am the smile that reminds you that we are all in this together. I am the gentle pat on your back when you fall. I am you, and you are me. I am nothing, and everything.”
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, thank you for hearing mine.
Much love to everyone
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When you shared I was just like WOW. Still speechless. You have a gift.
Thank you for sharing it with us
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Wow, these are gorgeous words. Thank you for sharing too
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Thank YOU Swap for hosting such an enlightening and uplifting session
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This warms my heart…I’m so glad it resonated with you Claire
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Is there a recording of Thursday’s meeting and, if so, could someone please provide the link? Thank you.
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So glad you connecting with the group beyond the borders of time and space hehe beautiful - thank you for sharing, and for your kind words. I’m honoured to be a part of this group and a part of this worldwide community of amazing people!
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Beyond words. Amazing. Beautiful.
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Thanks so much for posting this, Claire.
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Thanks so much…truly appreciated
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You’re welcome Mike. I was very moved by your words and thoughts and especially your heart. I wasn’t able to join in the live talk on Monday or the Thursday practicum, but I just watched them both on replay late this afternoon. Thanks for taking the chance to be that open and vulnerable. Not always easy, right?
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