What is Identity?

According to Encyclopædia Britannica and Merriam-Webster Dictionary, identity is defined as:

1. The distinguishing character or personality of an individual (individuality).
2. The condition of being the same with something described or asserted.
3. Sameness in essential character (oneness).
4. An equation that holds true for all values.

Yet, these definitions only scratch the surface. Who is the “I” behind these labels?

The Identity Crisis: A Spiritual Awakening

Many experience an “identity crisis”—a deep uncertainty about who they truly are beyond societal, racial, or cultural constructs. We define ourselves by:

• Nationality (“the lost tribes of Israel”)
• Race (“so-called Black or White”)
• Social movements (“Black Power,” “alt-right”)
• Physical senses (touch, sight, smell, hearing, taste)

But these are external attachments, not the true Self.

German philosopher Martin Heidegger warned that most people live trapped in “the They”—a socially constructed identity designed to avoid existential dread. We conform to group expectations, wearing masks to fit in, yet never truly knowing ourselves.

The False Self vs. The Eternal “I”

Modern psychology distinguishes between:

• The “I” – The unchanging observer, the pure awareness behind thoughts.
• The “Me” – The constructed identity shaped by ancestry, environment, and experience.

But the “Me” is not the Self. It is merely a tool for navigating the physical world.

As Jiddu Krishnamurti said:

“You are not your thoughts, your emotions, or your body. You are the silent awareness behind them.”

The Mathematical Truth of the Self

In mathematics, an identity is an equation that remains true regardless of variables. Similarly:

• The “I” is constant—unchanged by shifting roles, aging, or circumstance.
• Reality is in flux, yet the Self remains untouched.

Your body, thoughts, and emotions change, but the “I” that witnesses them does not. 

“The ‘I’ that rises and falls is the ego. The ‘I’ that never changes is the Self.” –Sri Ramana Maharshi (Advaita Vedanta)

The Body is a Vehicle, Not the Self

We are hypnotized into believing we are our bodies. Yet:

• Your cells regenerate entirely every 7-10 years—you inhabit a “new” body constantly.
• Injuries, aging, and illnesses affect the flesh, not the eternal “I.”

As William Walker Atkinson observed, your mental and emotional states also shift, yet the observer—the true Self—remains.

Conclusion: The Journey Beyond Identity

Identity is a temporary construct, a role played in the grand theater of existence. The real “I” is:

• Beyond race, nationality, and social labels
• Unchanged by time, space, or circumstance
• The silent witness behind all experience

To know thyself is to awaken from the illusion—to realize you are not the mask, but the one who wears it.