No One in Particular

Who Are You?

I'd like to offer a short poem. But first, a segue: Narcissism--if not most forms of psychopathology--all involve a mistaken sense of identity, a state of "taking ourselves to be what we're not." And when we're living within a mistaken assumption of self, we're apt to have a confused perception of everyone, and everything else. Little wonder so many Americans seem politically, and erotically bewildered today. In fact, this mistaken sense of identity has been so culturally normative, that we can't see how common--and crazy it is.  And speaking of crazy, in its last two editions the official diagnostic and statistical manual of American psychiatry has estimated the prevalence of Narcissistic Personality Disorder in the American population to be 0% (at the low end of its estimate) and no more than 6.2% at the high end.  Yet this allegedly "expert" estimate has been imposterous--and simply hasn't jived with what most American psychotherapists have found walking into their consulting rooms. If there's any good news here, it's that the world's spiritual traditions have had a different take on this. As well as a vast array of skillful means for the transformation of this confused sense of identity... Many years ago when I was a Zen student, I took on the inquiry of Who Am I?  I'd walk around with that question all day long.  When I meditated, that was my meditation. The nature of my existence became a mysterious question mark. And in the intensive meditation retreats, when I met with my teacher, he'd ask me that question. And when I gave months of my answers, he'd just ring a bell indicating that the interview was over. He wasn't buying whatever I was assuming, or trying to sell. Finally, I visited another Zen master from Korea. I told him what my inquiry was, and so, he asked me: "Who are you?" By this time I was all out of answers. I came up empty. There was nothing there. I felt defeated, and said:  "I don't know." He replied:  "Very good--only go straight: Don't know mind!" So, here's the poem...