An old story of creation narrates that after the heavens, all the stars, the earth, the air, the waters, the sky, and all the creatures on land and in the sea were made, God created humankind. When the first human awoke and became conscious of worldly life for the first time, he looked around at the lakes and rivers, the mountains and forests, at the leaping fish, the flying birds, and the great herds of animals. He was silent. He looked then at God. He was silent. When he had taken in everything around him, including the Lord himself, the first human on earth looked finally at himself and said, “Who am I?”

This first human did not look at the animals or the stars and say, “What are they?” He did not ask, “Where am I?” He did not even ask of God, “Who are you?” His first words, his first wondering thoughts and first curiosity were to know his own identity.

That is the question that drives all human beings. Everything a human being does and wants involves that question. People want happiness and peace. Instinctively they know that the acquisition of happiness and peace rests with the question, “Who am I?”

To consciously realize this as the question of life is the first big step on a sacred journey. The next big step is to find the answer.

Editor’s note

This is an excerpt from Sacred Journey, Living Purposefully and Dying Gracefully by Swami Rama. Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust. 2002. Pages 117 – 118.