"In the beginning, my dear, there was only being, one without a second. Some say that in the beginning there was only Non-being, and from Non-being Being arose. But how could this be? How could Being arise from Non-being? On the contrary, my dear, there was only Being in the beginning, one without a second...That Being entered into these three deities - fire, water, and food. The Self (Atman) is in all these beings. That is the Truth (Satya). That is the Self." This passage is one translation from chapter six of the Chandogya Upanishad, titled Tat Tvam Asi, which means "That Thou Art." This passage beautifully illustrates several aspects of Brahman, the ultimate reality. The first aspect is Oneness and non-duality. The repeated emphasis on "one without a second" establishes Brahman as the ultimate, singular reality, and negates any possibility of a possibly separate, independent existence outside of it, which is a crucial theme in non-dualistic Vedantic philosophy. The next aspect described is the Source of Creation. In Hindu philosophy, Brahman is not merely a static entity but the active source of life in all existing things. The passage describes how Brahman "thought" or "willed" itself to become many, projecting forth the elements (fire, water, food) that constitute the material world that we know. This highlight the Brahman's power of Creation, which is known as Srishti. The last aspect of Brahman that is identified is the identity of Atman (the Self). The most famous phrase, Tat Tvam Asi, (That Thou Art) is the culmination of this teaching. It establishes the profound identity between the individual self (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman). This isn't a simple equation; it's a statement of profound unity. It suggests that the true nature of the self is not separate from Brahman but is, in fact, Brahman itself. This passage is a cornerstone of Vedantic philosophy and a powerful expression of the nature of Brahman as the ultimate reality, the source of creation, and the very essence of the self. It's a passage that invites deep contemplation and has been the subject of much commentary and interpretation throughout the centuries. I was initially drawn to this passage because it answers a question that I have been asking myself for a while now: How real is my reality? Though my entire family is practicing Hindus, I struggled for a really long time to feel that connection to a higher being, because putting my whole trust and being into something, or someone I couldn't see felt terrifying. But when I read this passage, I began to understand that the higher being I've been trying to connect to is all around me. The gap between the essence of life (Brahman) and my inner Self (Atman) could only be bridged once I understood this concept. I didn't have to look to someone else who was supposedly better versed in these philosophies, or who connected to a deity, because at the very core of it, my view of the world is very simple. In my mind, nothing can arise from nothing, so there was always something. There was always Being. I believe that there is one thing creating a constant connection between all things (Atman), and that is Brahman. Previously, I equated faith with blind belief. Now, I see it as a process of self-discovery, of recognizant the beauty of Brahman within myself and the world around me. The idea of a primordial being that is the source of everything and all things, gives me a sense of comfort. It helps me connect with those around me, and helps me see that there is a part of Brahman in everyone. It suggests that existence is not arbitrary, but rooted is something fundamental and eternal. When our time in this world is up, it is comforting to know that I will not be gone forever, but will be able to go back to where the essence of my life came from. I introduced a question that has been the root of all my thoughts earlier: "How real is my reality?" It is from this question that I discovered Maya, the Illusion. The most common understand of Maya is a veil that obscures the nature of reality. It's not that the world is entirely unreal, but our perception is separate from what is truly there. Just as a rope in dim light can be mistaken for a snake, Maya makes us see the world as fragmented, when it is, in reality, a unified whole, or Brahman. Maya is part of the creative power of Brahman. It's a force through which Brahman manifests the diverse world of appearances. It's similar to how an artist's creative power allows them to project images onto their canvas. Similarly, Maya is the power that allows Brahman to project the elements that makes up our world. Maya can be connected back to the passage through the phrase "Tat Tvam Asi" (That Thou Art). The central teaching of Tat Tvam Asi, is the identity of Atman and Brahman, and that Maya is the obstacle to discovering said identity. My question of how real is my reality, proves that a part of me always know that I wasn't seeing the whole picture. As I broke away from the finite beliefs of ethereal deities that I grew up with, I believe that perception of my world became slightly more clear. I was seeing both Brahman and Maya. Tat Tvam Asi from Chandogya Upanishad teaches me that there is a connection between things that may seem far away from each other. It reminds me to be aware that we are all a product of the same source, though others may refer to it by a different name. We must understand that as humans, we do not always see the whole picture, and understand that there is a separation between illusion and reality, between Self and Unity, between Atman and Brahman. This passage has not only answers a lifelong question, but has also given me a new lens through which to view the world, one that emphasizes unity over division and compassion over judgement. The journey to fully realizing Tat Atvam Asi is a lifelong pursuit, but the fog in my mind has lifted, and the path has now become more clear.