Physically, to avoid the temptation to believe that this body is oneself and one’s own nature, it is very useful to do any kind of exercises. So, actually you may find this paradoxical, but those who are in vigorous sport events, actually are less attached to their body than those who are not.
The body is constantly calling for attention. If one feels discomfort, it is saying, “Don’t forget, I’m here. Pay attention. I need you to be really identifying with me.”
The truth is, this body is— like this clay cup— nothing but a holder for water, or for your spirit. The cup, if it were to be knocked against, feels no pain. Your body feels pain only as a cautionary signal to be careful. But the pain, when it reaches the mind, is perceived as displeasure, as uncomfortable, as a bad thing. And so, one becomes identified with stopping the pain.
Truth is, much pain in life is actually incidental. It doesn’t feel incidental, but it actually is not a sign that something bad is happening. It’s a sign of discomfort. One can rise above instant attention to any slight discomfort through exercise. It teaches oneself to live in one’s body as a partner with it, not as a slave to it, and that is very beneficial.
Emotionally, to rise out of the complete identification with one’s emotional body, it’s very important to feel calm and emotional at the same time. When people become very upset, it is because they are holding back, not because they are expressing. So, one should express as much as possible, particularly the most powerful and glorious feelings, which are rage, grief and terror.
When one feels these things, one is fully alive, and one is also completely well. When one restricts them in any way, one experiences instead the feelings of anger, sadness and fear, which are pale imitations, and very unsatisfying. But when one allows oneself to be in touch with rage, grief and terror, one is really well. One feels content. One feels peaceful and calm, and others around oneself can see the difference, because it’s an honest and heart-felt expression. It is not a threat to anyone.
When one holds back one’s energies, it’s very threatening, because no one is sure when the dam is going to burst. That is why people don’t like to be around angry people— because the angry person is not being expressive enough! Everyone senses that there is more there than is being expressed, and so everyone becomes anxious about “When is it going to come out?”
This is a very brief summary of how to not identify with the mind, the emotions and the physical form. If one can try these things, one is left with identification with the heart, and that is your real nature. So, to identify with your real nature is the best idea of all.