Those of us who tend to align ourselves with spiritual rhetoric often imagine that when we hear something that we regard as true about ourselves, it will send shock waves of affirmation into our bodies. The truth can be so kind that it evades all of the constructs of the world and makes us feel worthy in our bubble of self. ‘I knew I wasn’t insane,’ ‘It’s all starting to make sense now…’ These are some of the comforting words we utter when the truth not only sounds, but feels good too.
Then there are the other kinds of truth. The kind of truth that makes you question your sense of reality. ‘Am I really who I think I am?’ The kind of truth that feels like an invasion of the soul and a war on the ego. Often these truths are challenging to place as they can be laced with doubt and uncertainty. ‘How do I know whether this unfortunate series of events is a reflection of a poor decision on my part, or an inevitable lesson from the universe?’ What if the two options are both accurate? As they say, ‘two things can be true at the same time.’
The challenge…I suppose, is reckoning with the reality of those two things being true simultaneously. Yes, you made a poor decision, and that this poor decision is an inevitable part of your journey. An additional challenge with the inconvenience of the truth, is accepting that sometimes cause is more elusive than effect. When the consequence is so gut-wrenching, we often feel compelled to over-identify with the cause. As unclear as it may be, the back-and-forth of the ‘how’ can be a comforting distraction from the reality of the effect. The discomfort of an inconvenient truth can catapult us into a gathering with denial or caucus with shame.
Truth is unwavering in its nature. It is not concerned with your level of preparedness. This is why some truths can be a pleasant surprise - a celestial gift from the universe. While others will approach you like a thief in the night, shaking your sense of safety and security.
In the words of John 8 verse 32, Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him that, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." A well-known adaptation of this verse by the 20th president of the United States, James A. Garfield is, “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”
Sometimes the most life-changing truths are inconvenient. These are the truths that alter the trajectory of your life. The truths that transform your being to higher levels of awareness not only on the metaphysical plane, but in the world of flesh and materiality.
Photo from a movement session facilitated by mkutaji , 2022.
This reflection was inspired by a conversation between Adyashanti and Gabor Maté: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iAlh2dKpA163RB0FwuvdS?si=a4e484b28d504de7
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