In this episode, I dive into two deep existential questions about life and our place in it — so fair warning if you’re not in the mood for introspection!

First up is the question of life’s meaning: Is there any inherent meant?! The second is to think through the idea that “You are not your body; you are not your mind”.

These topics might sound heavy or abstract, but they’ve brought so much clarity and flavour into my own human experience.

Sit with me?

Full Transcript:

Hello, this is take two, and it’s pretty fitting for the topic I want to talk about today: an existential crisis. Before I get into that, I had recorded this once before, but it turns out I had the wrong microphone turned on, so it didn’t record anything. That was really cool and fun. So here I am doing this for a second time, which is okay. Interestingly, what I recorded earlier doesn’t exist anymore in the present.

The topic I wanted to discuss is how I enjoy asking questions that make people think deeply about their existence. Sometimes, when I ask these questions, people comment that it might give them an existential crisis. That’s never my intention—I approach these conversations gently and with the hope of encouraging reflection. I’ve never had anyone freak out or lose themselves, which is good! That said, if this isn’t something you’re in the mood for, feel free to tap out now and maybe join me on the next episode.

Some of my favorite questions revolve around exploring who we are and how we exist. These aren’t typically things people discuss casually at a bar or in everyday conversations, but they’re the kinds of discussions I love having. To me, understanding where another person comes from helps me understand them on a deeper level, allowing them to express themselves more meaningfully. Instead of asking direct questions today, though, I’ll share two topics that might make you reflect on who you are.

The first topic is about life and its meaning. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time pondering why we’re here and what gives life meaning. Back then, life felt like a series of external activities—school, work, praise, recognition—but I questioned what it all meant at the end of the day. Over time, I came to realize that life exists on a spectrum of dichotomies: good and bad, big and small. You can’t know one without the other.

In terms of meaning, one end of the spectrum suggests there’s no inherent meaning to life—it’s just existence. On the other end, life is full of meaning because we assign it ourselves. This realization was powerful for me because it made me understand that I am the one assigning meaning to situations, relationships, and perceptions in my life. Sometimes we view things through distorted lenses, but when we recognize that we control the meanings we assign to our experiences, it shifts us from feeling powerless—like life is happening to us—to feeling empowered.

For example, if you fall down the stairs, you can accept that it happened and choose how to move forward rather than getting stuck in blame or regret. Understanding that life has no inherent meaning gives us permission to define our own lives and take control of how we perceive and respond to situations.

The second topic is an idea I first encountered through Sadhguru: You are not your body; you are not your mind. When I first heard this concept, I couldn’t grasp it. What do you mean I’m not my body or my mind? If I’m not those things, then what am I? If this is your first time hearing this idea, you might have similar questions.

Here’s how I explain it: You have objects like clothes or a car—they belong to you but aren’t you. Similarly, your body belongs to you—it’s yours—but it isn’t you. The same applies to your mind: your thoughts and emotions are things you experience; they’re not you. If you’re not your body or your mind, then what are you? You are the observer—the awareness perceiving everything in your human experience.

Meditation can help clarify this by allowing you to observe your thoughts and physical sensations without identifying with them. If you let go of everything—your body, mind, emotions—you still exist as pure awareness or consciousness. This isn’t something you need to act on; it simply exists as part of who you are.

A way to think about this distinction is by looking at a photo of yourself. You might identify with the image—your hairstyle or clothes—and remember how you felt in that moment. But there’s also an “I” behind all of that—the observer who experienced it all firsthand.

These two topics—assigning meaning to life and recognizing yourself as the observer—are ideas I love sprinkling into conversations when appropriate. While not everyone resonates with these ideas right away or finds them relevant in every setting, many people do connect with them when they’re ready for such discussions. For me, these conversations add depth and color to our shared human experience.

Take care.

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