Posts tagged truth
I often question whether I should say what I think or how I feel, particularly to friends when my feelings have been hurt. Seuss helps to affirm my decision to speak up, with kindness and respect, and reminds me that I am not responsible for others’ reactions.
The Truth about Lying
Lying, that is, being inauthentic, makes us unhappy. And remember, Satya, or Truth, is the 2nd of yoga’s yamas (observances), and is foundational to almost all spiritual paths. Lying occurs in various forms, and Lauren nicely spells them out in this article.
Here are a few of the ways that we lie:
- Being nice
- Not speaking up
- Covering your ass
- Hiding the truth
- Big secrets
- Spewing bad theories
Read the full article by clicking the link above.
“The kind of behavior that really is spiritual practice consists of refraining from falsehood and abiding by the truth, neither humiliating nor mocking others, being humble, having a good heart and helping others.”
- Dalai Lama
To understand truth one must have a very sharp, precise, clear mind;
not a cunning mind, but a mind that is capable of looking without
any distortion, a mind innocent and vulnerable.
Only such a mind can see what truth is.
Nor can a mind that is filled with knowledge perceive what truth is;
only a mind that is completely capable of learning can do that.
Learning is not the accumulation of knowledge.
Learning is movement from movement to movement.
Expressing Truth
How often do you stop yourself from saying or doing something because of what someone else may think? Yes, there’s a value to not wanting to embarrass or offend our friends, family and colleagues. But I mean, when you stop speaking your Truth because the fear of someone’s reaction or judgment.
Speaking your Truth is difficult to negotiate. It’s easy to swing from one spectrum to the other — from saying nothing to expressing way beyond what’s necessary. I’ve had years of being way too blunt and honest, downplaying reactions or feelings because what I said was “true”. More recently, I’ve found myself being very concerned about others’ opinions and reactions to my Truth, to the point of self-doubt and self-censorship. I’m seeking a balance.
Expressing Truth lends itself to criticism and disagreement. Afterall, we don’t all have the same thoughts and perspectives. I used to be over-confident in my opinion, convinced in my accurate assessment of all situations. Over time, I realized things are more complex and there’s rarely an easy or obvious answer. However, with much thought and consideration, we can come to conclusions that best suit our values, analysis and perspective.
It serves me to express my Truth, with respect, compassion, thoughtfulness and an appropriate setting. My Truth has been formed from decades of experience, thought and consideration. It is not Gospel; it may not be yours. But it is valid, real and true.
