Who Are You, Wanderer?

J. R. R. Tolkien wrote, “Not all those who wander are lost,” and it’s true; however, perhaps it might be truer to say that no one who wanders is lost. Wandering is a part of our lives that, just like sitting, breathing, and meditating, can be acted out mindfully and with purpose – even when that purpose is not so clear to us. In this talk by Jack Kornfield, “Who Are You, Wanderer?”, Kornfield explains how each of our lives are not just one life, but are in fact a collection of infinite lives that together form our journey on this Earth.

Who Are You, Wanderer?

Kornfield’s talk explores the concept of our identity – who do we believe we are? Through bits of wisdom from various sources and his own insights, he sheds light on the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what our purpose is. He explains that meditation is an extraordinary tool because it allows us to step away from our identity and our limited sense of self.

Moving Beyond Identity

To move beyond our connection to our stories – to move gracefully with each unfolding moment of our journey – we are continually called to come back to the present. Various events will arise along our wandering journeys, and those can be fully experienced, but Kornfield reminds us to pay attention to what is right here, right now. Our identities and stories might arise, but we can ask ourselves: is this really who I am? Mindfulness practice helps us to find calm within the storm, improving our alignment with the evermoving flow of life.