The Book on The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

Imagine, for a moment, the sensation you have of being a distinct individual: a separate self enclosed within your skin, watching the world from behind your eyes. This feeling is so natural and immediate that it seems undeniably true. Yet, beneath this seemingly self-evident experience lies a profound illusion, one so deeply ingrained that it is the most strongly enforced taboo of all — the taboo against truly knowing who or what you really are beyond the mask of your isolated ego.We are hypnotized by the conviction that 'I myself' is a solitary center of feeling and action, bounded by a physical body, confronting an external, alien universe. This sensation shapes our language, our laws, and our social institutions, creating a world where each person is seen as an independent agent separate from nature and other beings.

But consider this: the ego is not a fixed, immutable entity residing somewhere inside your head. Rather, it is a role or mask that society teaches you to wear, reinforced by language and social interaction. From a young age, you are told to 'be yourself,' yet paradoxically, this 'self' is constructed through the expectations and reflections of others. This social conditioning pushes you into a double-bind — you must be free and spontaneous, yet conform and fit into predefined roles. This contradiction fuels confusion and frustration, trapping you in a 'genuine fake' identity.

Memory plays a crucial role in this illusion. It weaves together fragments of past experiences into a continuous narrative, giving the impression that there is a stable 'I' observing the flow of life. Without memory, the sense of a consistent self would dissolve; you would be fully immersed in the present moment, free from the constraints of a fixed identity.

Moreover, the belief that the self is confined within the skin is challenged by both ancient wisdom and modern science. Just as a leaf cannot exist separately from the tree, your existence is inseparable from the environment and the vast universe. The boundaries you perceive are porous and permeable; your body breathes air, exchanges energy, and interacts continuously with the world. You do not come into this world; you come out of it — like waves arising from the ocean.

Understanding this is the first step toward awakening from the ego-hallucination. It reveals that the self is not a solitary island but a dynamic expression of the whole cosmos. This insight opens the door to a deeper harmony with life and dissolves the alienation that arises from feeling separate and alone.

As we move forward, we will explore how this illusion of separateness colors our perception of reality itself — how we play the game of opposites and miss the unity underlying them. The journey continues into the very fabric of existence, where light and darkness, sound and silence, life and death are not enemies but inseparable partners in the dance of being.