If no one acknowledges your existence, do you still exist?

Yes. The answer is yes.

The answer is yes and yet the ego/mind seems to spend a lot of time trying to prove its existence.

It waves its arms, it wants to be seen and to matter. It needs to be heard. It takes things personally; it says,

    I am offended! (and therefore I exist).
    I think (and therefore I exist).  
    I made that happen (and therefore I exist).

The ego is always seeking affirmation that it exists – even when it is pretending not to.

And no matter how much verification the ego/mind gets, it is never enough.

We won’t hold that against it though, because in its secret heart of hearts, the ego/mind knows its ‟life” is tenuous. That is why it must keep the illusion that it matters, that it is special and that it exists – without constant affirmation the illusion falls apart.

Here is a simple practice you can do anytime, especially when you are with others. It is a doorway into remembering your true Self.

Let the illusion fall apart.

Let go of trying to matter, to be seen, understood, counted – even for an hour or 15 minutes. See what happens.

At first, there might be fear.

The fear might say, No one sees me. I am invisible. I don’t matter. If you really feel into the fear, ultimately it will say, I don’t even exist. This fear is what all the arm-waving is about.

Let the fear be here. Step back from the fear a bit and notice it from this new vantage point.

Notice that fear can be here and you can be here too.

The fear can be here and you can be aware of fear. Realize that there is awareness and there is fear, and they are different. Awareness is like a small slip of land on a sea of emptiness. Be awareness instead of fear. This is the difference between you and the ego/mind.

This is You.

Hold fast to that little slip of awareness. Let yourself touch down on some firm ground: something elemental and ever-present. Something maybe, that you forgot, but that did not forget you. It is you. How could you forget this, you might wonder.

Here, the illusion can lose its hold on you a little and you might realize there is nothing you need. Existence needs nothing. Be aware of your existence, which is eternal. And be aware that by virtue of your existence you belong, you matter, you are always seen and heard, and you are known – intimately and completely. It could be no other way.
 

By virtue of your existence you belong, you matter, you are always seen and heard, and you are known – intimately and completely. It could be no other way.