It is good to think of what our essence might constant of. We identify with our society, culture, religion, advertising, and politics and our egos defend it to the hilt as being the only possible way to exist. If we were born in another place and time our egos would be defending a separate set of definitions. Are we our bodies? Our bones muscles, organs or brain? Are we our rational mind? Are we our various emotions, feelings, and sensations? Are we our personality? Are we, our senses, our hearing, touch, vision, taste, or intuition?

I don't think our essential being is our learned or unlearned behavior but the piece of us that is alert, and observing that we are conscious beings. The wittness state within our set of many states of being.

That is why it's good to have a quiet meditation time now and then to get in touch with the awareness of our consciousness.