The I Am Knowing: Awakening to Divine Presence Within
Underneath the noise of life, there’s a presence that doesn’t demand or dress itself up — it just quietly says: “I Am.” Not ego puffing up its chest, not another mask we’re told to wear, but the steady hum of Source alive inside you. In this piece, I want to sit with you and talk about that simple knowing: why it feels so peaceful, how it differs from all the labels we pile on, and why letting ourselves rest there can change the way we move through this messy, beautiful world. And yes — sometimes it helps to laugh at the masks we’ve worn, before we lay them down..
🔊 Listen to “The I Am Knowing: Awakening to Divine Presence Within” if you prefer.
The Meaning of ‘I Am’ in Spiritual Awakening
At some point in this human-and-soul adventure, almost everyone hits that restless moment: Am I where I’m supposed to be? Why don’t I feel what others are feeling?
It’s sneaky because comparison wears a spiritual disguise and actually hinders our own actual development. Sometimes, the people around us wear their own masks, even playing the role of “deeply enlightened” out of fear — as if performing it makes them more genuine. They may not even realize it or intend to.
This is not true for everyone; many of their intentions are very pure, even if it speaks very highly of their current place on the path of enlightenment. It can encourage some to strive more and become more motivated.
You can gather more about the comparison in the Article: Am I doing enough spiritually?
In some cases, however, it may emphasize our own struggle and cause us to feel defeated and want to quit. Please, never give up! Your path is not supposed to look just like theirs.
Enlightenment is not a cloning program. We have been living that illusion for far too long. Spirituality is not about being a “sheep”.
The Difference Between Ego and the True ‘I Am’
Let’s be honest — the ego loves to collect labels. It says: I am my job, I am my successes, I am my mistakes, I am what others think of me. It piles on names and roles until we’re carrying an entire costume closet on our backs. No wonder it feels heavy.
The true I Am is different. It doesn’t need costumes or applause. It doesn’t say I am this or I am that. It simply says: I Am. Full stop. Nothing to prove, nothing to defend. Just being.
And once you catch even a glimpse of that difference, it hits in a very human way. You start to notice how often ego has been grabbing the wheel — clinging to titles, chasing approval, panicking at the thought of being a “nobody.” Then comes this almost funny kind of relief: you realize you don’t have to be anybody at all to be enough. The I Am isn’t waiting for you to perform; it’s been sitting quietly inside the whole time, steady as the ground under your feet, just glad you finally paused long enough to notice.
If you’ve ever laughed at yourself after realizing how seriously you were clinging to a role — congratulations. That laughter is a doorway into the I Am. The truth is, the masks were never bad; they were just never the whole story.
The Felt Sense of ‘I Am’
So, what does it actually feel like when we touch the ‘I Am’? Not a theory, not a nice quote on a wall — but in your own body, your own breath. For most of us, it’s surprisingly simple. There’s a quiet spaciousness, like a pause that doesn’t need to be filled. Sometimes it appears as a warmth in the chest, or that subtle sense of being rooted, even when life around you is a whirlwind.
It’s not dramatic or flashy. In fact, the ego often finds it a little boring — because there’s nothing to show off. Just being. Just presence. But if you’ve ever had a moment where the noise dropped away and you suddenly felt at home in yourself, that’s the I Am peeking through.
You don’t have to force it. You don’t even have to be “good” at meditation. The I Am isn’t a prize to win — it’s the hum that’s been with you since before you had a name. All that’s really needed is a willingness to notice it, and maybe even smile at how close it’s been all along.
“I live in the faith that there is a Presence and Power greater than I am that nurtures and supports me in ways I could not even imagine. I know that this Presence is All-knowing and All-powerful and is always right where I am.”
Quote by Ernest Holmes
The Universal Belonging of ‘I Am’
When I talk about the I Am, I don’t mean something you own—like a lucky charm or a private treasure. Once it touches you, you sense it’s not just yours. It’s the same thread running through everyone and everything. That’s why sometimes, without warning, you lock eyes with a stranger and feel at home… or sitting under a tree feels less like solitude and more like shared stillness with a dear friend.
Here’s a quote that reflects this beautifully:
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
— Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
It nails the paradox: deeply personal, yet undeniably universal. That’s the I Am—the quiet spark in everyone and everything, binding us with the same pulse.
The Practice of Returning to ‘I Am’
So how do we actually return to this place? Not as an idea we nod at, but as something lived. For most of us, it begins in small pauses. A breath. A quiet moment before reacting. That gentle choice to drop the masks and rest in what’s already here.
One way is through meditation — but don’t let that word intimidate you. It doesn’t need to be sitting perfectly still for an hour. It can be as simple as closing your eyes, feeling your breath move, and silently noticing: I Am—no extra words needed. No labels. Just the awareness itself.
📓 Journal Prompt: Take a quiet moment and let the titles and roles you carry slip to the side — parent, worker, friend, seeker. What’s left when there’s nothing to perform and nothing to prove? How does it actually feel to sit in that bare, honest space of just being? Does it soothe you, unsettle you, or maybe even make you smile at how close it’s always been?
Write these down, allowing the feelings and thoughts to flow. Nothing is right or wrong; it gets to the core of your personal truth.
If you’d like to explore these concepts further, I wrote recently about reclaiming our inner authority in “Hold Your Power: A Guide to Spiritual Authenticity.” It weaves beautifully with this practice, reminding us that authenticity isn’t about building a new identity but letting the flame of truth guide how we live.
Because that’s really the heart of it: the I Am isn’t a trick or a technique. It’s who you already are. The practice is simply remembering.
Questions You Might Be Holding About the “I Am”
Q: What is “The I Am Knowing”?
A: It’s the direct sense of being — not “I am this or that,” but simply “I Am.” It’s awareness itself, the quiet presence that doesn’t need labels to exist.
Q: How do I practice “I Am” awareness?
A: Start small. Pause for a breath, drop the roles for a moment, and notice the simple fact that you exist. Let “I Am” stand on its own without finishing the sentence. That’s the doorway.
Q: Is “I Am” the same as God?
A: Different traditions answer this in different ways. Many mystics say the “I Am” is the spark of God’s presence within — not the ego claiming divinity, but the divine essence living through us all.
Q: What if I get distracted or can’t hold it?
A: That’s part of being human. Even noticing the distraction can be a way back. The I Am doesn’t vanish when we forget — it patiently waits until we remember again.
Q: Can this really change my life?
A: Yes, though not by making you into someone “better.” It changes things because it shows you that you were whole before the striving ever began.
Coming Home to the I Am
The I Am Knowing is not out there waiting to be found — it’s been humming inside you all along. In every breath, in the quiet between thoughts, in the simple fact that you exist: you are.
Ego will keep trying to dress you up in roles, titles, and endless “shoulds.” But when you drop them, even for a moment, the peace of the I Am presence shines through — steady, whole, and enough.
Affirmation:
I Am presence. I Am consciousness. I Am whole. And when I forget, I’ll just laugh, take a breath, and remember again.
“Beneath every name I’ve worn, the truth remains: I Am, and in that, I am already home.”
— Aureleynia