The Profound Significance of ‘I Am’: Exploring the Core of Existence

The phrase ‘I am’ or the sense of ‘I am-ness’ holds a central and powerful position in the teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. It is not merely a grammatical construction but a fundamental awareness, the bedrock of all experience and the key to self-realisation. 

What is ‘I Am’?

At its most basic, ‘I am’ is the primal sense of being, the undeniable certainty that “you are”. Nisargadatta repeatedly emphasises that this is the only fact of which one can be absolutely sure. Unlike the subsequent additions and identifications – ‘I am this’, ‘I am that’ – the pure ‘I am’ is devoid of predicates and attributes. It is not tied to the body, feelings, thoughts, time, or space; rather, it precedes and underlies all of these. The ‘I am’ is the first to emerge, the fundamental sense of existence before any specific characteristics are attached to it.

Nisargadatta distinguishes between the ‘thinking I am’ in the Cartesian sense and the ‘I am’ without any such mental constructs. The latter is a pure feeling of being, a conscious awareness of existence that is not dependent on thought. It is being conscious of consciousness, aware of itself. This ‘I am-ness’ is likened to the light in which everything appears, the common factor at the root of all experience, the awareness in which everything happens. The entire field of consciousness is seen as a film or a speck within this ‘I am’.

However, it is crucial to understand that while fundamental, the sense of ‘I am’ is not the ultimate reality, the Absolute. Nisargadatta says it’s the essence of the five elements and arises from the body, which is nourished by food. As such, it is linked to the world and disappears with the death of the body, much like a spark extinguishing. The ‘I am’ is a useful pointer, a direction-indicator towards the Absolute, but not the Absolute itself.

The Source of ‘I Am’

According to Nisargadatta, the ‘I am’ arises in pure being. Pure being itself is described as a state of pure potentiality, prior to everything, of which the ‘I am’ and the universe are mere reflections. The ‘I am’ idea is also linked to the emergence of the mind and the subtle body. It acts as a centre around which the mind draws its circle of experience and identification.

The ‘I am’ is also presented as a bridge between the watcher and their dream, the essential element that persists even amidst changing experiences. It is the initial manifestation of awareness, a focalisation of the limitless. Before one can say ‘I am’, there must be being. This being need not be self-conscious, but it is the prerequisite for any knowing, including the knowing of ‘I am’.

The Importance of ‘I Am’

The ‘I am’ holds immense importance as the gateway to self-realisation. It is the starting point for any sincere seeker of truth, the only true statement one can make. By focusing attention on this fundamental sense of being, one can begin the process of disentangling oneself from false identifications. Nisargadatta advises giving up all questions except ‘Who am I?’, which ultimately leads one back to the certainty of ‘I am’.

The ‘I am’ is the foundation of all experience. Without this basic sense of existence, nothing else can be perceived or experienced. All knowledge is ultimately about the ‘I am’. False ideas about this ‘I am’ lead to bondage and suffering, while right knowledge of it leads to freedom and happiness.

Furthermore, the ‘I am’ acts as a ‘Great Reminder’ (mahamantra). Holding onto it, excluding everything else, allows the mind to become silent and shine with new light and knowledge. It is the working capital for the seeker, the point of focus that, when rotated, yields the profit of self-discovery.

How to Recognise ‘I Am’

Recognising the ‘I am’ involves a shift in attention from the outward focus on objects, people, and ideas to the inward focus on one’s own existence. Nisargadatta repeatedly urges seekers to “bring your self into focus, become aware of your own existence”. This can be done by simply paying attention to the feeling of ‘I am’ that is always present.

The practice involves staying with the ‘I am’ without moving into ‘I am this’ or ‘I am that’. By repeatedly attempting to keep the mind fixed on this thought-feeling of ‘I am’, one enters a state that cannot be verbalised but can be experienced. It requires separating the pure sense of being from all the attachments and identifications – body, feelings, thoughts, possessions – that have been superimposed upon it.

A key method for recognising ‘I am’ is through self-enquiry, constantly asking ‘Who am I?’. This enquiry is not about finding a conceptual answer but about turning the attention back to the source of the questioner, the ‘I’ itself. Another approach is to focus the mind directly on ‘I am’, the pure and simple being.

Nisargadatta also suggests discovering what one is not as a way to understand what one is. By systematically rejecting all that is perceived – body, mind, emotions – as not being the true self, one is left with the fundamental ‘I am’. The very act of perceiving shows that you are not what you perceive.

Implications of Recognising ‘I Am’

The recognition of the pure ‘I am’ has profound and transformative implications for one’s understanding of self and reality.

Firstly, it leads to the realisation that one is not merely a body-mind complex, subject to birth and death. This understanding loosens the grip of body-consciousness, which Nisargadatta identifies as the root of all suffering and the illusion of separation.

Secondly, it fosters a sense of detachment from the ever-changing phenomena of the world. By recognising the ‘I am’ as distinct from the ‘this’ and ‘that’ of experience, one learns to witness events without being overly identified with them. This witness attitude brings a sense of peace and freedom from the fluctuations of the mind.

Thirdly, it reveals the illusory nature of the personal ‘I’ with its memories, habits, and limited perspectives. The recognition that ‘I am this’ is not certain, while ‘I am’ is, begins the dissolution of the ego or the sense of separate selfhood.

Fourthly, and paradoxically, while ‘I am’ is not the Absolute, dwelling on it diligently can lead one beyond it. As the mind becomes purified and still through this focus, the need for even the ‘I am’ as a pointer ceases, and one realises the limitless being that is beyond words and concepts.

Finally, the recognition of the universal nature of the perceiving centre, the ‘I am’, can lead to a profound sense of interconnectedness and love for all beings. When the false self-identifications are shed, what remains is an all-embracing love and a realisation that “I am the world, the world is myself”.

The ‘I am’ is not simply a statement of existence but a potent key to unlocking the mysteries of the self. By diligently focusing on this fundamental sense of being, by separating it from transient identifications, and by enquiring into its source, the seeker can gradually transcend the limitations of the personal self and awaken to the boundless reality that lies beyond the veil of illusion. The recognition of ‘I am’ is the first step and a continuous touchstone on the path to self-realisation, a pathless journey from the perceived limitations of ‘I am this’ to the liberating truth of pure, unadulterated consciousness.