'I' could be ones - identity, self, ego, spirit, me, myself, oneself, being or soul. 'I' could be someone's perception, belief, story, or nothing.
'I's reflection in the inner mirror is ego, self and soul. 'I's reflection in the outer mirror is identity, recognition, perception and story. Between these two stories, 'I' is like the camera in between trying to capture the real picture.
Reflection and self-reflection are always there in everyone, only in the presence of some other media (say a symbolic mirror) it is visible.
What one thinks about oneself is not same as what others think.
'I' is the ninth letter of 26 English alphabets and one of the five vowels.
A body is the manifestation of the universe in the form of energy and matter. People rarely realise that they are everything from micro-cosmos to macro-cosmos.
In a swarm of flying birds, each bird is the 'I' and the swarm is also the 'I' - that is the total population, it is the shape and common behaviour created by the swarm. It means 'I' can have subsets of 'I.'
'I' represents in a body from the subtlest cell to the whole body.
After death, people believe in souls. The soul is an 'I.'
All 'I's in the universe together is the 'God.' God is oneness. Dismantling 'I' and realising 'I' as oneness is nirvana.
A simple life makes one lead a realistic and comfortable life. An inflated 'I' is always under pressure and has the chance to leak. 'I' need to be simple, humble and close to reality.
Identities of an 'I' are variable within space, time, context and perceptions. The physical, chemical and biological changes happen every day in one's body, also the awareness and thought process might vary. So each person is a variable entity and never a unique product.
Each person has innumerable names said and unsaid. The identities (IDs) given by entities are may be many such as - Country ID, State ID, Bank ID, Medical ID, School ID, Job ID, Caste ID, Colour ID, Creed ID, etc. Which may also change in time.
After death 'I' is a story. Physically a dead body is less valuable - with time turns into humus and becomes a part of the soil or earth. There is no unique 'identity' for anyone. Therefore 'I' is in between something and nothing, in one's life.
In this book, the author tries to bring out the different facets of 'I' and human beings life long efforts to create an 'I'. Finally one would understand that by loosing one's identity would get freedom.
Note: The chapters are not in any sequence. One could start reading from anywhere.