We began this inquiry with the question Who am I? 

Then, we moved through a process of peeling away layer after layer of Who I'm not.

To do this, we used the simple insight that I am not any of the things that I observe around me in order to leverage the additional insights that I am not my body or any of the sensations, thoughts, or feelings that arise within it.

With this groundwork laid, we're now ready to provide at least a provisional answer to our initial question:

Who am I?

I am the one who observes these things – that is, the one who observes external objects, my body, and the variety of experiences that arise in my body.

We've arrived here through a process of direct experience, rather than through received wisdom from any other source, whether religious, scientific, or historical. I've done my best to point to these insights and give you room to see for yourself if they make sense – at least enough sense to sign off on them in order to continue the exploration moving forward.

I hope I haven't in any way pushed you too hard in an attempt to convince you to accept anything you don't wish to accept.

If, along this path, you start to lose your way and feel a little disoriented or confused about how exactly we got here, flip back a few pages and retrace this thread of thinking. As you do, consider each insight once again, and verify that it still makes sense in light of your own personal experience.

You can state this insight in a variety of more compact ways: I am the observer, for example, or I am the one who experiences the universe.

Whatever way you choose to express it, if you can get behind this essential idea, you're ready to jump forward to Insight 11.