Before the Feeling Began

Sit somewhere quiet. Bring to mind a recent emotion, an anger from yesterday, a sadness from this morning, a flash of joy from a phone call. Hold it for a moment, then ask yourself slowly, before this emotion arose, what was I? Do not answer with a word. Sit in the question. The mind may say 'I was just sitting' or 'I was reading'. Go gentler. Beneath even that, before any emotion was, what was already aware? Stay with the wordless answer. That, more than any emotion, is the truer ground of your life.