When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we may think that we are the body we can see. We sometimes think that we are what our minds tell us we are. The mind offers us all sorts of thoughts about what we are: happy or sad, clever or not so clever, kind or unkind etc. We seem to be made up of our bodies and minds. But our minds and bodies are changing all time. The body gets older and dies, the mind keeps shifting all the time.

Hinduism teaches that our real Self is neither the body nor the mind, but something very special called the Spirit that shows up through our bodies and minds. Our real Self gets mixed up with the body and mind it experiences and loses sight of its real nature, which is the Spirit. Through meditation, we can discover who we truly are. It is then that we make the amazing discovery that we are very special. We are the Spirit (Atman), God.

Reference: Primary Hinduism by Seeta Lakhani (Ch.6, 'Can we see God?', p.75)