The Nature of Truth

Auminimua Il-lumin-ations per Paul J. Lehman author of The Greatness Factor

The Nature of Truth

     Truth is essentially evanescent. It is usually based on past experience, something we have been told or ideas that we have decided to maintain. Mostly we operate as though something were "true" without any personal investigation of its validity. Maybe it goes along with some story that we have decided to validate.
     Later we may learn that it is only partially true or not true at all. Then we have to reevaluate it, resolve the discrepancy and change our minds. To keep from having to continually reevaluate and change our minds, we subscribe to some popular dogma that seems powerful and ignore anything that might bring it into question.
     As our confidence in our own ability to think and decide grows, we set aside dogma and formulated supposition. With clarity we approach the ever widening wonder of The Greater Reality.

     It is best to start with The Nature of Truth. If one has not decided to discern what Truth is or what the word truth implies, there is probably little possibility for investigation of anything. Whatever is investigated will automatically be corrupted by predisposition and judgment based on ideas that have little value and no real foundation.
     It is necessary then to be sure that one has a feel for Truth before investigating anything in depth. The question is, "How can we do that if we are using our idea of 'truth' to investigate Truth?" This brings us to the realization that most people are not "truth functional" except at the very surface of their experience. That is, they seldom examine anything in depth and are cautious of those who do. This allows them to operate automatically as though they had the answers.
     This also leaves them in an embattled position where they must depend on some authority to decide for them what to hold to be "true". This becomes the foundation for their operational reality. Not knowing the maze they operate blindly with the faith that those to whom they have given power will not mislead them.
     Having no knowledge of Absolute Truth, they are usually at the mercy of their leaders who, themselves, have no knowledge of Absolute Truth. It is a game of "follow the leader" as they wander through the maze getting caught up in various cul-de-sacs and the distortions of poor understanding.
     When leadership is faulty or corrupt, leadership blames "others" and names them "the enemy". This is always an attempt to maintain organization and power. While this may suffice in most circumstances it is not a "mental arrangement" that will allow them to be effectively creative. At best it might keep them from miscreating within the organization. At worst creativity will be defective and destructive for all who participate.

Those who approach The Absolute rise higher in The Canyon of Consideration. Taking more into consideration, they make judgments that are beneficial to all those lower in various lower crevasses.

Only those who have achieved vision recognize and understand their purpose in The Ongoing Creation. Others choose to operate blindly.

     The way to approach the realization of Truth is to recognize Its components. First, there is the surface component, relative or comparative truth. Here the name as symbolic of one thing is compared to another name as symbolic of another (as an apple to an orange or an arab to a indian). Lesser realities are established in this way.
      Second, there is the historical component, the conditional element of truth. This has to do with the relationship of comparitave components with respect to time. Here evolutionary and environmental factors are taken into consideration (how has the differentiation between one component and another been established).
      It is only in understanding these two components that you become aware of the third, overriding factor, that can be classified as Absolute Truth. Since it is not subject to the vagaries of human intellect, it can only be encountered through introspection. Anything concerning comparison or condition is never absolute.
     To be confident that you have discovered The Absolute Truth, you have to let go of everything that is less true even though someone who claims to be an authority has proclaimed it "true". Without this happening, you are doomed to be as blind as they are and, with them, run into the barriers that they have imposed by their poor understanding.
     The Absolute is unknown but approachable. This has to be accepted before the journey can begin. Anything less than the acceptance of this precept causes seekers to believe that they they have the answer and no need to look further. Hence, they become the authority of some dogmatic supposition and blindly lead their blind followers.
     Searchers, realizing this accept that there is only The Search. As The Search progresses, understanding increases and ever widening horizons open to the mind of the searcher. Any dogmatic stance is an effort to keep The Search from happening. It is at best temporary and at worst stultifying.
     As searchers follow the "Thread of Truth" through the maze of poor understanding, they are continually exhilarated, finding ever new ways of seeing and passing all who are wrapped in the dogma imposed by their blind leaders. For the searcher, this is food for the soul. It is the carrot that keeps them moving. Free of the mental restraints of dogma and its attendant companion, poor understanding, they become more and more alive and in possession of Knowledge in its purest form.

It is only when we express from that which we see to be Absolute Truth that we have confidence in what it is that we offer to others, knowing that it cannot be denied or escaped. If we insist that others believe as we do, we have simply accepted some dogma in order not to have to question the validity of our beliefs. As a result, embattlement occurs as we encounter others who believe differently. This means that we have not developed an inclusive reality that takes into consideration the concerns of those we see as opposition. When we feel that we have an inclusive understanding we can gently offer our expression, knowing that sooner or later others will come to the same understanding as us.

To interact more directly e-mail alumini@earthlink.net .