Living Your Truth
What’s is the truth?
I like gravity because it shares an absolute truth of being an invisible force pulling matter together. The force that causes a ball you throw in the air to come down again, that holds the gases in the sun, that keeps you walking on Earth instead of floating away into space. The law of gravity does not compromise it effects us all equally. Unless… and this is the issue… you have wings, a parachute, ballon or a propeller. Even the truth of gravity can be subverted,
The psychological phenomenon of ‘attitude alignment’, happens below our awareness, as we take on the prevailing attitudes of whichever group we are with. These attitudes are the groups truth. The group my be familial, political, educational, religious and so on. Once we align with a group we embody the truths that are commonly held by the group and we allow those truths to become our truths.
Religious groups each believe that they are right. Their truth is ‘the’ truth and those that do not believe ‘the’ truth are outside of the group as infidels or heathens. In financial systems both the capitalists and the communists believe that they are living ‘the’ truth. In political systems conservatives, socialists and democrats all believe that they are living ‘the’ truth.
I work a lot with couples. At the outset I see each of them individually so that I can understand how they see the situation and what is ‘their’ truth. It comes pretty clear from the outset that both people are viewing the same situation from different points of view. In most cases both parties are true but that are partial. In general what any of us see as ‘the’ truth is partial to our own experiences, expectations and beliefs. The collective truth that is shared by a group or even an entire country is always changing or evolving.
Looking back at social history we can see that behaviours and practices that were acceptable a few hundred years ago are now considered difficult, wrong or unacceptable. Bear bating and slavery would be unthinkable in our society now. After all it was only in the 1960’s that women in Britain ceased to be the property or chattels of their husbands or fathers. In many countries women still suffer inequality with their men folk. I suspect that many women in Britain would, even now, feel that they do not have full equality. Is the truth that all women should have the same rights as men? Or is that just the way that I see it?
As human consciousness evolves I hope people’s behaviour will gradually develop to be less damaging and more helpful to itself and to all other beings and even the environment and the planet as a whole. The truth, as I see it, is that if we do not change the way that we are treating the planet we will make ourselves extinct.
One universal truth, as I see it, is that with greater awareness we can learn to attend to the needs of each other and…
…if we all look after each other we will all be ok
Everybody wants us to believe their truth. When someone arrives at work feeling really cheesed off but insists that all is fine they are avoiding their own truth and being inauthentic. Truth, authenticity and honesty all run together. Sometimes dishonest can be fun if you see it for what it is.
When I go to replace my car I love that process of the salesperson doing whatever they can to secure the sale. It is seduction in action. There is nothing wrong with being seduced in this way as long as we are mindful of what is going on and that we are seduced with both our knowledge and consent.
So, through out this covid 19 period enjoy the seduction that you will be subject to by friends, family, the media, politicians and so on. Be mindful of what is happening and simply ask your self ‘Why are they saying that, what do the really mean, what is the true sound behind their words?’ After all what is their truth, what is my truth, what is your truth? Are we all right or does the truth not really exist?
Being honest and authentic with yourself is to be with your own truth. To live your truth is a good thing as long as it is not hurtful or harmful to others.
Take care, stay safe and be happy
Sean x
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