What is truth? Many teachers throughout time have stated that truth is infinite. However, I find infinity too broad and vague of a concept to incorporate in everyday life. I am interested in the how application of universal truths and principles in my day to day affairs. To anchor truth -- personal truth -- requires clarity. What is your truth? When you define your truth, you help to define universal truth.
The exploration of personal truth helps to form the foundation of your life. What do you stand for? What do you value? What are your boundaries? What are you aspiring to become? These questions among others enable you to define and clarify the standards by which you will measure yourself. Without truth, you will have no way of knowing whether you are growing or evolving, contributing or taking from life. Your truth will become a barometer of how well you are doing in life. If you have not yet affirmed your truth then you will create your life by default. To live by a code or standard is a form of truth in action in the world. When you establish that you will respect yourself and others, that is a form of truth. When you decide that you are worthy of more, is a form of truth. When you choose to surround yourself with people who are uplifting and inspirational, is a form of truth. The qualities of respect, worth and inspiration are the truths that you begin to embody in the world. Armed with your personal truths you move with more ease in the world. Your life will expand and prosper because of these truths. To identify, to name, to define your personal truths is perhaps the single most important thing you'll ever do in this life.
To just declare that all is infinite and yet fail to give it form on the physical plane loses its meaning. When universal ideals are declared in broad strokes it leaves many confused about how to manifest both on a personal and collective level. Many live by the truths of others and wonder why their life is not where it should be. When life delays or sends you on a detour it is for the purpose of awakening self inquiry. If life is not as you wish it to be, step back and question if the truths by which you are living is in fact beneficial or in harmony with your being. Sometimes when we harbor a truth not of our making, life will present us with opportunities to figure it out, thus empowering our life.
No doubt, truth empowers but you must define how this empowerment will look like, feel like and act like. Begin by taking stock of what you feel is your truth. Clarify the details in your mind and then affirm to the universe that these truths you have identified will be your guiding light. Your truths help to move you to higher ground because you have anchored them in your daily life and are no longer an abstract concept in your mind. You have anchored a piece of spirit in the details of your life and that is the beginning of truth.
Truth, by definition, is objective, something that exists apart from our personal feelings or perspective. To talk of "personal truths" muddies the meaning of words, and opens the door to the relativism that has so corrupted academic thought in the last few decades, and has contributed to the slow death of the humanities in our universities.
Natasha, if you want to speak of personal values and experiences, do so. But don't debauch the English language, and in particular don't debauch words representing concepts that are of inestimable value to us.
Truth in Buddhism goes a bit furthur. What if the truth cause harm to others? Then one can choose to remain silent. Here is a story:
Once a monk stayed with a goldsmith who agreed to offer him shelter and dana. One day the King gave the Goldsmith a large gem to be mounted. The Goldsmith then placed on the table and when out for an errrant. So the monk was alone with the gem in the house. A geese then came in and taken by the colourful gem swallowed it. When the Goldsmith came back he asked where had the gem gone? Knowing the geese had swollen the gem the monk kept quite otherwise the geese would be slaughtered to extract the gem.
The Goldsmith became angry and suspecting the monk had taken the gem then beat the monk who remained silence despite the pain.
Then the geese got choked by the gem and died. Only then did the monk told the truth.
The monk did not reveal the truth earlier as this would be killing albeit indirectly.
When this came to the knowledge of the Buddha he forbid monks to stay with lay people.
Its good to see you here. Thank you for sharing the story - it takes great wisdom to know or discern what one should do in any situation where truth is concerned and act accordingly.
As usual you seem to write with such wisdom and clarity. I, like Tricia, have been exploring what my personal truths are and this post is timely. It speaks to me on so many levels. You are right, when we live by another person's truths we never quite get or have the life that we really want. Something always feels off - and through my exploration I've realized that its because we are not being authentic/living our personal truths.
Thank You!
Its wonderful that you are taking the steps toward figuring out your personal truths are. Its very empowering when you find what is true for you and then begin to live by them. I wish you great revelations on your journey to truth.
I recently did my own inventory of my personal truth and values, and as you say, it's the difference between living by default or taking action in the world. Since my inventory, I feel so much clearer about what's true for me, and that began to immediately manifest in my life in the most positive of ways.
May we all become aware of our truths, drop everything that doesn't serve them, and have the courage to live with clarity and be our best!
Thanks again, Tricia.
I am your first fan. Clarity is a beautiful thing isn't it? If there's anything anyone desires it should be clarity because it transforms your life in wonderful ways as you have witnessed in your own life. You should be very proud of yourself and this my dear is a form of truth in action.