TupeloKenyon.com

Beyond the Brands of Truth

For instrumental music while reading, choose: hi-fi (broadband) or low-fi.

Truth is one. Opinions are many. Or does the following sound more like the truth?

Truth is relative, depending upon the opinion of the beholder. Or how about this . . .

Truth depends upon your belief. If you believe something is true, that makes it true . . . true for you. Of course, if you don’t believe that statement, never mind, because your belief defines your truth in another direction.

Truth is Many

Obviously, there are many versions of truth . . . or at least, perceived truth. A quick glance around the planet reveals a dizzying array of diverse “truths.”

These truths are a reflection of the culture and century they are born into. Only a thousand years ago, the truths of the day included such gems as these:

· Bathing is hazardous to health.

· Women interested in learning about herbs and potions are witches and should be burned alive.

· The earth is flat and is the center of the universe.

· God demands that everyone subscribes to only one version of truth. All others are heretics and should be killed. (In the name of God, of course . . . yes, that’s the same God who decreed “Thou shalt not kill,” but this is an exception to that rule — a divine loophole in this particular brand of “truth.”)

“The belief that there is only one truth and that oneself is in possession of it seems to me the deepest root of all evil that is in the world.” – Max Born (1882-1970) – German physicist

The Birth of a Brand of Truth

When temporal truths become sanctioned policies of some official organization, they become brands. This is the truth about truth, and it has been this way for millenia. For many, the idea of truth is merely a brand that has been effectively marketed until it becomes a belief. A belief is simply a thought that is repeated over and over again. It is repeated because it’s in the interest of some brand of truth to have as many people as possible supporting their particular “take” on truth.

What’s Behind the Smoke and Mirrors?

An objective look at this phenomenon reveals that the various brands of truth have an agenda. Usually, the agenda is obvious — they want their brand to grow and prosper in order to increase the power base and affluence of those who are founders or stewards for each particular brand of truth.

Sometimes the agenda for a particular brand of truth is not so apparent. How do you get to the bottom of their motivation for spreading their particular brand? There’s one reliable method, proven effective through the millennia: Follow the money trail.

Lighthouses Through the Ages

Sure, there are altruistic individuals in every discipline, sincere and passionate about their personal insights and eager to share what they’ve learned. There have always been inspiring stories of discovery and wisdom in every culture, and people with a message worthy of being heard. This caliber of sincerity burns brightly through the centuries and helps to inspire us all to greater understanding.

Fortunately, every age has highly functioning individuals who serve as shining beacons, able to inspire others from within the culture of the times. They are able to use the language and thought forms of the day to help people take the next step toward new ideas, expanded beliefs and new truths.

“I call that mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith, [and] receives new truth as an angel from Heaven.” – Woody Allen (b. 1935)

Dear God, Please Save Me from Your Followers

Historically, the problems begin whenever someone’s personal understanding of truth begins to congeal into a brand. The visionary may have no interest in creating anything resembling a brand, but life-enhancing ideas have a way of taking on a life of their own. Friends and associates become interested, then converted, then fervent, then passionate. They become disciples, then missionaries, then soldiers for “truth.”

They take it upon themselves to spread their particular adopted brand of truth far and wide, regardless of the intent of the founder. They make it their personal life mission to assure everyone knows about their brand. If they meet resistance, it must be overcome, because their crusade is true and just, and their brand must be spread, at all costs, even if deadly force is required. Whenever someone claims to have a monopoly on truth, history reminds us of the wisdom of walking (no, running!) in the opposite direction.

Adopted Truth

Some of these endorsees of “truth” are sincere and honestly believe they are devoting their lives to the mightiest of missions. Others are swept up in the frenzy of someone else’s truth, someone else’s belief, someone else’s habit of thought. They readily adopt someone else’s brand of truth because they don’t have one of their own

“Don’t let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth — don’t let that get swallowed up by the great chewing complacency.” – Aesop (620-560 BC)

Is Truth Too Difficult?

Why are some so eager to adopt the truth of another? Perhaps they never realized the possibility of discovering their own personal truths. Maybe they are gullible and easily influenced by those who talk a good game. Maybe they are simply lazy and found it too much trouble to discover their own truth. They’d rather fit in, and go along with the crowd. It’s much easier to subscribe to some pre-packaged, ready-to-consume, bite-sized brand of truth — custom marketed to fit nicely into their busy lifestyle.

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.” – Giordano Bruno

“The high minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.” – Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Truth Through the Ages

We can learn much from history and our race’s relationship with truth. By looking back with objectivity, we can look forward with more intelligence, keener insight and a sharper discernment for identifying personally appropriate truths.

“A lively, disinterested, persistent looking for truth is extraordinarily rare. Action and faith enslave thought, both of them in order not to be troubled or inconvenienced by reflection, criticism or doubt.” – Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-81)

We are living in a different world than the world of our ancestors. Our world is round, and like any other circle, there are no beginning or end points. We can thrive in an endless sea of ideas, and find our own place in the continuum of truths. We can pick and choose what fits best from this buffet of truth and marvel at our own potential of reaching for understandings we have yet to imagine.

Can You Imagine Truth a Thousand Years from Now

Just as our ancestors of a thousand years ago could never have imagined today’s recognized truths of stellar nurseries, black holes in the center of countless galaxies, and the vast space and unfathomable energy inside tiny atoms, there are truths still unknown to us that will continue to redefine who we are and how we fit into this mysterious universe we call home. There are many ways to understand bits and pieces of it and other ways to appreciate the mysteries, and they are all valid.

“No human being is constituted to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and even the best of men must be content with fragment, with partial glimpses, never the full fruition.” – Alan Marshall Beck (b, 1942)

All Things Change — Even Truth

Truth is a moving target. Our idea of truth grows as our capacity to understand unfolds. We do a serious disservice to ourselves and our fellow man and the entire universe whenever we get stuck on any one particular brand of truth . . . any one particular habit of thought.

“If what you seek is Truth, there is one thing you must have above all else–an unremitting readiness to admit you may be wrong.” – Anthony de Mello

We have an amazing brain, so powerful, we are just beginning to fathom its awesome potential. It’s a built-in tool to help us compare and analyze “truth.”

We have a heart to help us feel what is in alignment with who we really are.

And, we are soul with the capacity to know from direct personal experience what is truth for us, right here and right now.

“To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.” – Deepak K. Chopra (b. 1946)

If our personal truth morphs over time, that’s okay. Everything else in nature changes, so why should we be surprised when our understanding of truth grows? It is only natural for our personal truth to grow wider and deeper as our consciousness expands.

The New Age of Truth

The idea of warring brands of truth is part of our ancestor’s world and has no place in the reality of those of us interested in personal development and ongoing inspiration. We recognize the greatest gift is the gift of freedom — freedom to choose, explore and try out different brands of truth until the dawning of our own personal truth. This is our birthright and we demonstrate divine understanding best when we offer the same to our fellow man. Many paths can lead to the same destination.

“The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. The opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.” – Niels Henrik David Bohr (1885-1962) – Danish physicist, chemist

As a race, we no longer need an intermediary to tell us what we are allowed to believe, how to feel, how to think, and what to embrace as truth. We have everything we need to find our own truth . . . truth for us . . . in this present moment.

“What has not been examined impartially has not been well examined. Skepticism is therefore the first step toward truth.” – Denis Diderot (1713-84)

This understanding of personal truth has the power of transforming our world. Look at history for examples of all the wars waged and people killed because someone felt the need for their particular brand of truth to be validated. This idea is barbaric. We are better than that, and it’s time we start acting like it!

Let it Be

We can’t change those who are stuck pushing someone else’s brand of truth. They will continue to indulge in their drama and eventually die off (or be killed by someone flying the flag of some other brand). We can offer them kindness, tolerance and grant them the freedom to discover their own truth in their own way and in their own time.

“Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true.” – Robert Brault

Meanwhile, we can commit to finding our own personal truth. We can hope our example will inspire others to look inside for their own truth rather than looking outside at the tumultuous world of competing brands of “truth.”

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.
Listen FREE to the songs below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

	Way of the World Life is so huge . . . so diverse . . . the possibilities are literally infinite. What’s the best way to sort it all out and carve out a little niche of our own? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor1 Trash Our Treasures People seem to have a history of awarding seemingly insignificant details with places of prominence in our lives, while ignoring or even destroying the most important aspects. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2 Soul in the Stars It feels good to try to see the bigger picture once in awhile,and to focus on gratitude for what we have, rather than the frustration of what we are lacking. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor4 Within Without An atom and a solar system is virtually the same thing – mostly empty space! Even quantum physics is still wondering, "Is the universe a great big thing, or a great big thought?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor6 Same Olde Time Time – it’s so relative. "What if distant starlight shining in the endless sky is just the same, by a different name, as the twinkle in your eye?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor7 Be Kind Your example and the kindness shown to others can have a rippling affect that goes on and on. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9 Just One Step Just begin. If you will just get underway, the project itself gains momentum and carries you along to its completion. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12 Hell or a Whole Lotta Fun Nothing to do? How about too much to do? Our attitude seems to make the difference. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor16 You Gotta Have Fun Our moments are fleeting . . . and finite. Too few to squander on "bad news". We must steer our attention deliberately in order to attract the kind of life we were born to live. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescAnth.html#Anchor20 Songs by Tupelo
Know Thyself – Ignore Comparisons and Be Yourself The average person is content to base self-knowledge on comparisons to other people. If this is the measure of self-knowledge, it is based on someone else’s standards. This practice misses the point of “Know Thyself.” Instead, it’s all about how to fit in. We are all unique individuals with our own strengths, talents and nudges leading us to embrace our own best life. True knowledge of self is attained from personal insights of looking inwardly rather than outwardly towards others. Six Killers of Individuality and Personal Independence Is the course of your life determined by your own internal road map or by a map made by someone else? Each of us can choose our direction deliberately and live a life custom sculpted. Each life can be as individually unique as the person living it. If you pattern your life after someone else, exactly what is it you have to offer? Life Drama as Blockage to Personal Development Some people seem to relish drama in their lives. They go from one catastrophe to another. They thrive on it as if drama is what makes them feel alive. You may be able to see that they are attracting these experiences by their daily thoughts and feelings. But, they don’t recognize it from within the narrow confines of their personal drama. To someone immersed in drama, the idea that they are creating it is completely foreign. With intent, practice and mindfulness, what was once considered drama that snowballed out of control becomes simply examples of the contrasts of life to help you sharpen your preferences and shape your desires. How to Live the Life of Your Dreams Through Intuition Intuition feels good. That should be enough of a clue it’s something that can be trusted. But, our culture has done a thorough job of instilling doubt about the wisdom of following our instincts. Instead, we are taught to think things through and be logical. These mental tools are important, but they were never intended to be used instead of intuition. They work better when used in conjunction with intuition. If we are open to it, we get nudges and insights to move us in the direction of our greatest joys, our most valuable contributions, and our most satisfying life. Those quiet whispers and gentle taps on the shoulder are examples of inner guidance in action – intuition. Inspire Yourself on Purpose – Inspiration from Inside Out Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word “inspire” derives from root words that mean “in spirit” or “spirit within.” Although there’s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are. Methods as Temporary Tools Instead of Lifetime Crutches We are obsessed with our methods. We become attached to our particular way of doing things. The trouble comes when we cling to an old method that we have outgrown. We feel bogged down and then stuck when our personal development potential is being limited by an outdated method. If your method feels more like a crutch than a tool, it’s time to take an objective look at it. Is the method in question bringing you peace and joy? Is it helping your personal growth, or is it just a familiar and comfortable habit of thought? Integrity Through Self-Reliance When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life. Belief Systems vs. Knowing How do you discern between something known and a habitual thought – a belief? The first step is to recognize that the vast majority of our beliefs are based not upon our own personal experiences and revelations but upon anecdotal evidence and the recommendations of other people, past and present. How Do You Feel – About Inner Guidance? Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don’t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won’t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us – inner guidance. Beyond Science, Philosophy and Religion Is truth absolute or relative? Is there anything beyond science, philosophy and religion? Many of the world’s top quantum physicists think there is. Celebrate life by stretching you imagination. Articles by Tupelo