We are conditioned and programmed through social and environmental forces. Through meditation, it is possible to become aware of these conditionings and grow out of them into a greater, more mature, more lucid consciousness.
Throughout our lives, we identify with various social groups and roles within these groups, and we strive to belong in these groups; similarly, we reject identification and belonging with other groups and roles. These could be small or large, local or global, real or abstract social groups. For example, we may identify with a nation, a religion, a family, a profession, a workplace, a group of friends, a team, a political party. Examples of roles include: husband, wife, parent, employee, boss, student, teen; rich or poor person, smart or dumb person, winner or loser, introvert or extrovert.
Social groups have defined certain conditions as valuable and desirable, and certain other conditions as fearful and unfavorable. And we have adopted these desires, fears, beliefs, and thoughts that belong to others, thinking that they are our own, coming from within us, that they are unique, original, and individual.
A musician will identify with other musicians of her own genre, style, and background, as well as with musicians in general. A businessman will identify with and compare himself to other businessmen and businesswomen, and especially those who are in the same industry and type of business as he is in. The musician’s desires, feelings, and thoughts will be defined by her identification as a musician, and will be more or less the same as all musicians – to make good music, to be recognized and appreciated, to be famous. The businessman’s mind will reflect his identification as a businessman – it will carry a desire for success, profit, respect, power, and impact, along with a fear of failure, going bankrupt, or having to work an ordinary job. Where did these desires and fears come from, originally? They were born in the social groups of musicians and business people, and implicitly adopted by individuals through their identification with these groups.
The mind is composed of such adopted, borrowed constructs – thoughts, feelings, desires, beliefs, and fears which don’t belong to you, but to social groups with which you have become identified; or to groups with whom you refuse to be identified. Trace each thought to its source, look deeply into it, and you will see that the source is external. Observe that even the internal voice of the mind, including the tone, style, accent, and language, is the voice of people who have judged you, made you feel inadequate, guilty or embarrassed about yourself, and you adopted this voice at some point, to keep yourself in check. Even the sense of “I”, the self, is a social construct, not a fixed, individual identity. The proof is that you adopt different identities, personalities, behaviors, likes, and dislikes with different groups of people. You define yourself in relation to the people around you. Even when you are alone, this crowd of people continues to direct and control your thoughts.
Therefore, objects of the mind arise from social identification. It is essential to observe this clearly in your own mind, not just to know it intellectually. Seeing it firsthand, make it a practice to disown each socially originating object of the mind. Sensing a desire, or a fear, belief, or a thought, find its source. See that it is not your own – trace the external source. And thus do not accept it, consider it invalid. Refuse to be identified with any role, or any group. You are yourself, a unique individual, and you cannot be contained within any role.
Our minds and bodies also contain biological conditioning. These are things which seem intrinsic or hardwired, which have no social source, and which would happen even if someone lived their whole life from birth in complete social isolation. These things are a result of biological programming, of the forces of evolution, genetics, and biology. This is the final nail in the coffin of the ego, where even the body is not one’s own, but a complex phenomenon of nature.
When the method is implemented fully, the entire mind and sense of self are found to be invalidated, non-existential. Nothing is original, nothing is my own, not even myself, nor my body. With this realization and this practice, a great burden is lifted, insight blossoms, and a state of pure meditative, blissful silence arises, a true state of no-mind.