Who am I really when I peel all the layers away?

So I have been living,eating and breathing yoga. It is so time consuming. But I love it. And the first day we were talking about who we really are once we take all of those superficial layers away. Who are you when you take away your nationality and that you are a daughter, or father, or sister, or aunt or uncle or friend. Who are you when you take away that you are in school or working? Its actually a huge question.

So each day as I meditate, which happens a lot, I contemplate this.

Who am I?

The reality of the answer can be shocking. It can be beautiful. It can be heartbreaking. But regardless of the answer, I think its important for us to know who we are so we can look at what we want to become and what we want to change and what we love. It is eye opening.

So I want to write a little of what I have concluded.

I am imaginative, nothing seems impossible in my mind. Perhaps thats why I choose animals that some people dont believe are real when asked what animal I would be if I could be any. I am broken. I am life, every day I am here is proof of this. I am love. I am delicate. I am adventure. I am losing a mental battle with myself. I am peace. I am understanding. I am full of fear. I am insecure, now more than ever.

As I sit and look at the little things that make me in detail sometimes I smile as I realize I am all the things I want to be. And sometimes I just feel sorrow as I am allowing myself to be engulfed by extrinsic factors, or even internal ones that should not dominate. But overall I think the reality of who I am is beautiful.

Breath is the life of yoga. We are our breath. So perhaps the answer to the question really is, I am my breath.