Truth and Purpose
One of the greatest compliments I was ever given was that I am a seeker of truth.
There is nothing more true than that.
Of all of the things I value, truth is at the top of the list.
As the ineffable and wise Oprah Winfrey said, “What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we have.”
While I would describe myself as an equal opportunity seeker of truth, I have to admit that I have a special place in my heart for the quest for truth along the path of living a life of purpose.
The two really go hand in hand.
Truth and purpose.
Purpose and truth.
When you uncover and discover truth, this allows you to uncover and discover purpose.
You can’t (I don’t think) flow down a path of purpose in a way that is not aligned with your truth.
By definition, when you’re living your purpose, you are connecting to the truth of who you are. To the truth of what you are longing for. To the truth of what you are seeking. To the truth of the moment.
Yoga philosophy offers us inspiration in the quest for truth in the form of satya (truthfulness). Satya is the second of the Yamas (restraint, moral discipline, or moral vow) of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
Swami Kripalu had this to say about satya:
“Truth destroys the walls between hearts and transforms even strangers and enemies into loved ones. To practice truth, we should decrease our practice of untruth. Truth is speaking that which promotes the welfare of all living beings.”
I love the offering to not be 100% truthful 100% of the time, but rather to decrease the practice of untruth. To me, it feels so much more forgiving. And, really, if you keep decreasing untruth, eventually you will get to a place of 100% truth. But in a way that is kind and easeful.
Sure this refers to being truthful with others. But perhaps the trickiest part of truth is that with your Self.
One simple (not easy) avenue to truth with your Self is through living with integrity: when thoughts, feelings, words, and actions are consistent and aligned.
Patanjali says that what we say and think is what is eventually manifested. Sounds logical to me.
In the book Living the Sutras, the authors say this about satya:
“We can’t have what we want if we don’t know what it is, if we’re not deeply honest about our hopes and dreams, or if our actions contradict our thoughts and words. Even the small contradictions - knowing we need a day off but accepting the overtime - keep us from manifesting what it is we really want.”
They go on to offer this reflection prompt, which I in turn share with you now:
In what situations do you notice that your actions are inconsistent with your thoughts or feelings?
This can be an interesting and informative entry into the exploration of truth, for the sake of living a path of purpose with more integrity, not to mention ease.
Wishing you ample joy, ease, and flow along your path of purpose, and your quest for truth.