Truth is a murky subject these days. One would think something like truth is as clear as black and white. But is that so? What is truth? Is there only one truth? If so, how is it that everyone is walking around claiming ownership of that one truth, when each of our truths are seemingly different and contradictory? Who is right? Who is wrong? Are science and facts the sole arbiters of truth? Is religion? Are you? If you switch on the television, the Internet, or social media you will see this war on truth being played out each and every day.
To white supremacists, what they believe is the truth to them. They have their reasons, their facts, their data, their science. They can go to www.iamright.com and show you all the reasons why what they believe is the actual truth. And they surround themselves with other like-minded people to further crystallize their beliefs. Now.. to any another group, they may look upon white supremacists and say “wow, look at how deluded they are. They’re so stupid. They’ve been brainwashed and tricked into believing something so obviously hateful and divisive. How foolish.” That’s easy to do, and we’re all doing that to each other. However.. what how about our ability to recognize our own delusions? That’s not so simple. In fact, most people would probably argue that they have no delusions.. just like everyone else. So who is right and who is wrong?
I believe the truth is something to be discovered for each and every one of us, individually. Truth by its nature is hidden, out of plain sight. It is ever evolving. If you think you’ve got it all, keep going. The truth, and I mean the real Truth with a capital ‘T’, is always one step ahead of wherever you are developmentally. And that’s not to say that your truth, in this moment, isn’t real. In fact, everyone’s truth is real, even though they contradict one another. However, there does seem to be a hierarchy of sorts that invalidates and supersedes the truths that are beneath any given level (just like the white supremacist example). The trick is knowing where you fall on that order of truth in relation to others. We like to think that’s a simple exercise, but try having a political conversion with just about anyone these days and you’ll quickly realize that both sides believe they are “superior” to the other.
So how do you know what the real truth is? Here’s what I believe. Truth is resonance. It is a vibrational energy. If you want to experience higher truths, you must raise your own vibrational energy so that you may become a receiver of these truths. It is my belief that you can also do it the other way around. You can open your mind to truths that are outside of your general comfort level of thought, and you will in turn be lead down a path that will ultimately raise your own vibration. Those who know how this works consciously practice a concept known as radical open-mindedness.
In practicing radical open-mindedness, you are at least able to entertain a thought without necessarily accepting it. Aristotle once referred to this as the mark of an educated mind. But if you are going to take a stance and reject an idea as being false, you are first morally obligated to follow up and do your own inquiry into the matter. Because after all, most ideas that are outside the bounds of your perception are presented to you superficially. They are surface level summaries and conclusions of a much deeper and complex history. To know that complexion takes significant time and effort.. something few of us can afford these days.
Where did all the time go? Why has our ability to expend effort become so limited? Well the truth of that matter is also infinitely complex. But you can at least start to understand more of it through the sheer will of your intention to learn more. Intend to be greater than the sum of your own limitations. Intend to know that which cannot be seen or known. Only then can you hope to catch a glimpse of what can be considered as the truth. But until then, your thoughts and beliefs are relegated to the realm of mere personal bias and opinion.
You want to know the real truth? Switch off the television. Put down the newspaper. Save your superficial Google searches. Stop giving up so much of your time and energy to social media. Go deeper. Raise your vibration. Take in contradictory ideas. See the nuance and complexity of all that is. And most importantly, don’t subscribe to any ideology or identity, no matter how noble or righteous it may seem. Those who call themselves this or that have already lost the game of knowing that which cannot be fully known in our limited human form. When we remove our sense of identity from the equation, we have no stake in the game. Then the pursuit of Truth becomes a pleasurable journey which enhances our experience of life rather than drains us of endless energy trying to defend that which was never fully true to begin with.