People have become very materialistic in modern times. They are thinking about their own narrow interests. I, me, myself are the only criterions applied by them in their interactions with others and situations in life. People take pride in their achievements and possessions and believe it is their own handiwork without the contribution of others.
Can you say with certainty that it is only you, you alone in your body that is controlling your body and mind? How can you forget the genes of your parents that have contributed significantly to give shape to your body and personality? Then there is a long list of strong characters from history and the society whose beliefs you have imbibed and tried to use them while charting your path in the journey called life.
Well, the list goes on and on. There are all sorts of people who have influenced your thinking and behaviour. There are the achievers, the brave hearts, the helping souls, and people devoted to the society and the environment.
And how can you forget about the parasites and various kinds of consciousnesses that you inherit from your past lives and births and the cycle of life and death. Your own karmas that you have accumulated in this life and from all the lives that you have lived on this earth in the past remain with you without making any conscious or unconscious effort.
Finally, you cannot get over all your fears and dilemmas that you have had to face in your life since childhood.
Now you see the clear picture in its entirety. The body that you own and proudly refer to as Me or Mine is not entirely yours. It is a product made up of innumerable parts, all of which resulting from contributions of significant others in your life. More than your body, it is your mind that is a collection of thoughts and feelings, emotions and consciousnesses from eminent personalities form the past and the present.
It is not just your emotions and the way you think but also the way you behave and react to others and situations in your life that is greatly influenced by others and not you alone. If you pause for a moment and think about how you feel and behave in a particular manner, you will realize that it is because of all the components that bare separate and different from what you fee and believe is you. These are the parts of you that are located somewhere between your body and the consciousness that you are born with.
In normal life, it is difficult to even experience this part of yourself that is your true self. You lie under the false belief that you are the sole occupant of your body and mind. But others in your life can sense the existence of all these important parts that you are carrying in your body and mind. They can see and understand why you feel and behave in a particular way. This is the reason why other people see you differently from what you perceive as yourself alone.
You can see yourself and your life in a clearer manner if you try to realize this important principle that governs your body and mind. You can hope to become a more genuine individual, more authentic and liberated by being aware of your own self. You can become lighter and more enlightened if you can free yourself from the extra baggage that you are carrying in your body and mind. You will find that your life has become more joyful and you will be able to discover the meaning of your life and its purpose.