Throughout the day, thoughts appear, some are good and some are fearful. Emotions surge and recede, like waves rising from an ocean. Sensations pass through the body, dancing for a moment before dissolving. Yet amidst all this movement, one thing remains unchanged: The Silent Witness.
These are all passing visitors. They do not define you. They move, they shift, they vanish. And still, you remain. This challenge is simply about remembering who you are, the silent witness of all that comes and goes.
You are the quiet space behind every experience, the vast stillness in which all things rise and fall. Let the movie of life play as it will. Let it unfold in its own rhythm. But for this one day, do not confuse yourself with what appears on the screen. You are not the scenes. You are the screen. You are the clear, knowing presence that holds it all.
Benefits of the Challenge
- Deep Inner Calm
When you return to the witness, you stop being pulled into the storm of every thought and emotion. The winds may rage, but you rest in the eye of the storm. You begin to sense a deep inner stillness untouched by what comes and goes. - Emotional Freedom
You no longer drown in the waves of anger, fear or sadness. You feel them fully, but without identification. They move through you, not as who you are, but as what you are witnessing. This simple shift dissolves the grip emotions have held on you for years. - Clarity
In watching your thoughts rather than believing them, you see their impermanence, their repetition, their drama. This brings clarity in your everyday life. - Returning to the Unchanging
All day long, experiences appear and disappear. But something in you remains unmoved. This challenge brings you face-to-face with that. You begin to recognise your true nature, not as the changing waves, but as the vast ocean beneath them. - Lightness of Being
There is a beautiful lightness that comes when you stop identifying every thought and emotion. What’s left is space, the vast presence of being. - The Seed of Freedom
One day of witnessing plants the seed of freedom. Once you glimpse the space behind the noise, you cannot forget it. That seed will grow, silently, until all illusion burns away in the light of pure seeing.
Roadblocks During the Witnessing Challenge
The mind, like a trickster, will offer many ways to pull you back into identification. Below are the common roadblocks that arise, and the subtle traps to be mindful of.
Forgetting to Witness
The Challenge: You will forget. Completely. Hours may pass in reactivity or overthinking before you remember, “I was supposed to be witnessing.”
What to Do: This is not failure. The moment you realise you’ve forgotten is the return. That moment of remembering is the practice. Whisper gently,
“Ah, even forgetting is seen. I am still the witness”
Getting Swept Away by Emotions
The Challenge: A strong emotion like anger and anxiety arises and suddenly you are no longer the witness but the storm itself.
What to Do: Don’t try to suppress or fix the emotion. Just witness it gently: “For today, I will try and witness this anger instead of blindly reacting”
Even if you only remember after the wave has passed, that is witnessing too.
Practical Scenario: Someone says something rude. Instead of reacting instantly, feel the heat rise in the body. Then pause and say, “Ah, this is the fire of reactivity. It is not me, it is passing through. I will take a deep breath and watch it”
Overthinking the Practice
The Challenge: The mind may start trying to “do witnessing” perfectly, adding layers of analysis or self-judgment: “Am I doing it right?”
What to Do: Let even these thoughts be witnessed.
Practical Scenario: You’re sitting quietly and start analyzing whether you’re being a good witness. Notice the subtle ego hijack. Smile inwardly. Say, “Even this evaluation is just another wave. I will return to the practice of witnessing it”
Identifying with Physical Discomfort
The Challenge: Pain or physical tension may draw you into the body and make you feel trapped within it.
What to Do: Instead of resisting, turn towards it with awareness. Say “This sensation is intense. For today I will witness it, instead of being swept away by it”
Reacting to Others
The Challenge: The mirror of relationship is the hardest. When criticised, you speak reactively, defensively, or with judgment.
What to Do: Pause during conversations. Feel your breath. Listen from the witness. Let the interaction happen but remain grounded in awareness.
Practical Scenario: A loved one criticises you. Instead of defending or arguing, pause and silently feel the body. Say internally: “This defensiveness is rising. It is being seen. I will watch this feeling instead of identifying with it. I am the witness for today”
How to Practise
Sit quietly and let your breath settle into its natural rhythm. Feel the spacious presence and stillness around you. Then, affirm clearly:
Today, I rest as a witness. I will return, again and again, to this silent knowing. Everything that arises, I will simply notice.
Let this be the foundation of your day.
Step 2: The Anchor
Create a mantra to anchor you when the mind and thoughts become overwhelming and repeat in mentally or whisper it softly. You can choose one from below or create your own. Let it become your refuge when the mind takes over.
- This too is known.
- I am not this. I am the witness to this.
- I am not what I experience.
Step 3: The Practice of Returning
Throughout the day:
- Whenever a thought arises, Pause and say: “I am not the thought. I am the witness to this.
- Whenever an emotion stirs, Pause and say: “I am not the feeling. I am the witness to this.
- Whenever tension arises in the body Pause and say: “I am not this experience. I am the witness to this.
Let each experience rise and fall. Return to this again and again.
Share Your Journey in the Group
🌿 If you accepted the witnessing challenge
🦋 If you remembered “I am the witness” in the middle of reactivity
✅ When you have completed the challenge
Practical Tip: Use recurring events as reminders, each time you walk through a doorway, check your phone, or wash your hands, pause and return to witnessing
