Discover Your ‘I AM’: The Key to a Life of Purpose, Passion, and Possibility
Learn a Powerful Technique from the Sufi Mystic Gurdjieff to Connect to I AM
“The only thing that you really are is the I AM. Everything else is an appearance. The body, the mind, and the world are all appearances. The only reality is the I AM.”
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Have you felt a deep inner calling to follow your spiritual path? You’ve likely felt it for years. Many of us recall the beginning of our spiritual journeys. In my case, it was during my late teen years. I spent every spare moment of my first year in college meditating, reading as many metaphysical books as possible, and honing my out-of-body experience skills. Some people experience the sensation of wanting more from life at an early age. Some people may not feel the need to explore their spirituality until later in life. It doesn’t matter when it comes knocking on your door. What matters is that something deep inside of you is trying to get your attention. Where does this urge come from? What is this greater Self that keeps calling you forward?
“The Self is the source of all happiness. When you find the Self, you will find happiness.” Ramana Maharshi
What Is This Higher Aspect of Who You Are?
Various names, such as Higher Self, Universal Self, Transcendental Self, Source, and Soul, refer to this entity. However, I will refer to it here as I AM.
At a certain point in your spiritual journey, realizing the existence of I AM becomes necessary. I AM is your true Self. It is the creative force in your life. One of the most powerful things you can say is “I AM.” When you declare “I AM,” you are speaking from your authentic Self and being present in the moment. When you say ‘I AM,’ you can access the boundless creative force of the cosmos.
“The words ‘I am’ are the key to the kingdom of heaven.” Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
How To Speak “I AM”
Speaking the words “I AM” correctly is crucial to accessing the eternal being within you. You must be self-present to do so. Self-presence is a feeling-sense that you exist in this moment, here, now. You are aware of your existence in the moment. Self-presence is a state of being as I AM. Beingness is the essence of who you are as I AM and is the source of peace, joy, and love.
The Sufi mystic Gurdjieff, founder of the Fourth Way School, taught Self-Remembering as a key to spiritual awakening. Self-remembering is a form of Self-presence. Gurdjieff defined self-remembering as becoming aware of oneself as separate from one’s thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Ouspensky, one of Gurdjieff’s primary students, described self-remembering as the act of “keeping one’s attention on Self.” This Self Gurdjieff is referring to is I AM.
Gurdjieff gives us a powerful technique to access the power of I AM. He says that when a person says “I AM” with full awareness, there is a sensation in the solar plexus. Gurdjieff describes this sensation as a “reverberation” or “vibration.” He says this sensation is a sign that the person is connecting with their true being (I AM). Gurdjieff also says that this sensation can be challenging to feel. It may take practice and concentration to be able to feel it. However, he says it is worth the effort, as it can be a powerful tool for self-awareness and spiritual development.
How to use I AM to connect with the power of your True Self
The more often you state I AM throughout your day using the following method, the quicker you will know the power of your True Self.
- Become present in the now. Sense an area about three fingers below your navel and centered between the front and back of your belly. In ancient Chinese medicine, this energy center is called the Dan Tien. It is believed to be the source of Qi, or vital energy.
- Repeat the phrase “I AM” from the depths of your being. Experiment with the tone of your voice until you find the point where it resonates throughout your body, particularly in your belly at your Dan Tien. As Gurdjieff says, it can take practice to sense the vibration. Don’t worry if you don’t feel the vibration at your Dan Tien initially. With practice, you will connect with your True Self by stating “I AM” while being as present as possible.
- Be intentional and intend to connect with I AM. Intent is a powerful universal force. You empower your process by setting your intent to connect and know I AM.
Connecting with I AM means aligning with your true Self, the source of your power. It is the I AM that has been calling you to your spiritual path. When you respond by stating “I AM,” you will find your life transforming in alignment with your authentic Self. Accessing the I AM aligns you with your highest purpose and enables you to create your desired life.
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