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    Locating the Self

    AV
    Ann VrlakPublished January 11, 2015 · Updated October 22, 2026 · 1 min read

    Printable Worksheet

    Locating the Self

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    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    A mindful approach to locating the self

    “Locating the Self” is an invitation to slow down and meet your experience with curiosity, honesty, and kindness.

    How mindfulness can help

    Mindfulness offers a steady place to stand while you work with any topic. Instead of being carried along by reaction, we notice what is here, sensations, thoughts, and feelings, and respond from presence rather than pressure.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Begin with the breath. You might take three slow breaths before opening the worksheet, and let the body arrive.
    2. Read with curiosity. Move through each prompt slowly. Notice which questions soften you and which ones tighten you.
    3. Write what is true now. There are no right answers, only honest ones. What is true at this moment is what the worksheet is asking for.
    4. Close with one breath. When you finish, pause. You might place a hand on your heart and thank yourself for showing up.

    Insight does not arrive on a schedule. Trust the practice of returning, and the honesty you bring each time you do.

    A note from Sean

    Try this today. Sit for two minutes with your feet on the floor. Look for yourself in your hands, then in your breath, then in a thought passing through. Each time ask the worksheet’s question: who is observing? Don’t settle for a quick answer. Just notice what you find and what you don’t, even if the answer feels like nothing. Tomorrow, take that into your next look, as step 4 says.

    Keep going: Self-Inquiry and Working With Thoughts.

    This suits readers curious about self-inquiry. If questions about who you are bring up distress, numbness, or grief, go gently and keep your feet in contact with the floor. Stop when you need to.

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