Let’s start with a simple experiment.
Look at a tree. Any tree. Don’t label it. Don’t call it beautiful, ugly, or a neem tree near uncle’s house. Just… see it.
You’ll notice something strange.
For a fleeting second, there’s only tree. Not your memory of a tree, not your opinion of it, not even you looking at it. Just… tree.
Now imagine living like that, always. That, my friend, is what some call liberation.
The Problem with “Me” (And All Its Cousins)
Your mind is like a chatty radio host who won’t take a breath.
“I like this.”
“I hate that.”
“This reminds me of that summer in Goa.”
“This cow looks tired.”
But who’s this “I”?
J. Krishnamurti once said:
“The observer is the observed.”
It’s not a riddle. It means when you say, “I am anxious,” you’ve created a false duality. In truth, there’s just anxiety—no owner required. The moment you label it as yours, you’ve claimed it like a Netflix account.
Liberation Isn’t a Mountaintop, It’s a Mute Button
Non-duality teachers say it beautifully.
Rupert Spira reminds us:
“The belief in a separate self is like imagining a wave is separate from the ocean.”
Mooji says, with a grin:
“Don’t take your thoughts so seriously. They’re not paying rent.”
When we drop our constant labeling—our me, mine, my—we return to what just is.
A cow grazing becomes just… cow. Not a “lazy cow” or “my cow.” Just cow. And in that seeing, you’re free.
A Little Practice (But Not a Method, Please)
Krishnamurti hated methods. But here’s a loose suggestion:
- Just observe.
- Don’t label.
- Don’t claim.
- Don’t objectify.
It’s not about doing something. It’s about stopping the habit of always being someone.
In Conclusion: Leave Your “I.D.” at the Door
You don’t have to meditate in the Himalayas or chant your way to freedom.
Just stop owning everything.
Stop saying “my thoughts,” “my anger,” “my truth.” Just notice—without naming.
Krishnamurti again, for the win:
“To understand what is, there must be no condemnation of what is.”
Including yourself.
And if you see a cow today—resist the urge to say moo.
Nalla Madras 