Non-Self in Practice: Letting Go of "The Doer"
In this personal Dharma talk for the Orlando Insight Meditation Group, Lezlie Laws steps away from academic synthesis to share an intimate memoir of how the Buddhist teaching of non-self has transformed her daily life and practice.
Reflecting on a 57-year career as an educator and lifelong planner, Lezlie explores the anxiety-inducing "urgency machine" that drives the need to control, achieve, and maintain a fixed identity. She recounts a pivotal morning breakthrough in which the intellectual concept of non-self gave way to a direct, somatic realization: "I am not the doer."
Through candid storytelling, literary reflections, and group discussion, this talk explores:
Moving Beyond the Ego: Recognizing the difference between constructing a "selfing" narrative and resting in open, spacious awareness.
The Freedom of Surrender: How releasing the grip of personal control opens the door to uncaused joy, stillness, and trust in the unfolding of life.
Practice Over Perfection: Embracing meditation not as a technique to master, but as a continuous, compassionate process of letting go.
Whether you are navigating the pressures of a busy mind or looking to deepen your understanding of emptiness and non-duality, this talk offers a grounded, relatable look at what happens when we stop trying to run the show and allow life to flow through us.
