Your Truth is Different than My Truth
Bob Roth, CEO of the David Lynch Foundation introduced a TM (transcendental meditation) one morning with these words, “Your truth is different than my truth.” He followed it with, “Certainty brings insanity,” because “One can become rigid if there is no room for growth.”
These words put an incredible smile on my face, as I felt their sheer power within my heart. The beauty that makes us all unique. It also represents the paradigms that we all have grown to adopt. The very essence of the word “truth” in and of itself, is a paradigm.
Some believe in the “absolute truth,” and others believe in science. Others believe their truth is the only way; others could care less.
Coffee may be good for one person, and tea, for another.
Imposing YOUR belief on someone doesn't make you right, or wrong, it also doesn’t mean that you are stating the “truth.” As perception is not always the reality. What you see now may become distorted later. No one ever remembers the exact details of any story, and some claim that “I believe in the truth.” What they want to believe is based on their own interpretation of what they experienced.
Paradigms not only create blindness, but they also create rigidity and prevent one from expanding. Not to mention, they destroy relationships, friendships, and create conflict. The interpretation of one’s “truth,” limits the Being and gives strength to the ego. The one which calls another a narcissist is in fact the reflection of the word. They are too caught up in their small self to allow their Being to shine forth. Thus, limiting their potential and remaining on the surface level.
In turn, they drive themselves crazy attempting to “figure out” another being, circumstance, or situation based on their assumption of being “certain” about their “own truth.” However, as Bob mentions, “certainty brings insanity.” Therefore, they will continue to drive themselves crazy searching for this “truth,” to validate their own insecurity or own interpretation of what “their truth” really is.
We have all heard the term, “the truth will set you free,” however, you may not like it. Hence the reason why it is followed by the phrase, “the truth hurts.” It makes me laugh when I hear the words, “I got you,” or “I have you figured out,” because, the only thing they “got” is their interpretation of what they think they know to be true for their own validation. One can really not figure anyone out, like people, places, and environments are always changing. Just like the waves in the ocean, they can not be predicted.
In Ayurveda, we call this "Pragya Aparadh,” ignorance of the intellect.
The only truth one can be certain of is change. As Change is constant.
Creating a story in your head about another, or assuming that you have validity based on the assumption is not “truth.” This is a distorted perception of distorted reality that one is imagining so as to prove a point that is only of use for themself. If someone expresses their opinion about a situation that is bothersome to them and the other receives it as an attack, then how can the other fully trust in being able to express their opinion to the other with support, when the reaction is an opinion that needs to be validated? It was only an expression of an opinion based on one’s interpretation which takes us back to the assumption.
There are truths that are validated, recorded, tested, and proven, and there are others that are rooted in ignorance. According to Disorders of Mood, there are 3 Delphic Maxims.
Know Thyself
Nothing in Excess
Certainty Brings Ruin
1. “Gurdjieff, observed that the "know thyself" imperative lies at the basis of many philosophies and schools of thought. "Without self-knowledge, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave (to his passions). This is why in all ancient teachings the first demand at the beginning of the way to liberation was: ‘Know thyself. It is essential that you know yourself because the psychologist only has access to the information that is available to the observer.”
In Ayurveda, we call this the “Rishi” or the “seer.” It is the individual that takes time to discover themselves by accepting solitude by sitting in stillness or meditation to dive into their consciousness and “see themselves” as they are in their wholeness free from surface-level attachments to material wealth, health, and possessions.
2. “Excessive appetites [addictive disorders] and excessive emotional reactions [relationship problems and neurotic disorders] are the primary sources of the avoidable suffering in your life. To the naive “observer”, the solutions are obvious: The overeater should eat less; the problem drinker should cut back; etc.”
“Reactions that seem foolish to the observer may be experienced as compulsory by the performer. To act in accord with your interests and principles during a crisis you must research cause-and-effect from both the observer's and actor's perspective.
It looks different than it feels.
In Ayurveda, we call this the “Devata", the “Observer.” This is taking yourself out of the situation and observing it from the Self. One is able to attain this through meditation and yoga. Yoga, in the sense of unifying the Known (seer), Knower (observer), and the object of Knowing (chhandas) while being able to respond to the circumstances versus react.
3. Socrates was considered to be the wisest of men. “But he humbly insisted that if he was wise, it was only because he recognized his own ignorance. You do not see the world as it is. The feeling of certainty that you do is an illusion and is the source of the misery you bring on yourself and those around you.”
These are the keys that open the door to the truth.
When you are consumed with the idea that “you know the truth,” and my favorite, “I believe in truth.” Then what exactly is the truth that you believe so much in?
In order to grow in thy Self you need to be willing to abandon the self, your dogma, and be cOMpassionate to others when they are expressing their versions of “truth.” Subjective reality is the only truth that one has to go by. It is from the very essence of their experience that navigates what is realized to be “truth.”
Don’t drive yourself crazy “trying to figure others out.” Focus on figuring yourself out. Learn to sit in stillness and be ok with being by yourSelf.
I often said, the more I dive deeper into my Ayurveda and Yoga practice, the less I know, similar to Socrates. I can cOMfortably say, the more I discover mySelf the less I know myself. Thus, how can someone “figure you out” when you alone are still discovering your Self.
YOUR truth is different than MY truth. Know where Your truth originates from and allow roOM to become the observer (Devata). Take your small self out of the equation to gather the wholeness of the experience and respond according to the situation, NOT the interpretation of the reaction from the situation.
Take the path of meditation and discover your wholeness.
Join the Free Membership and discover how to Meditate, do Yoga, and Discover the Depth of Your Self by discovering your Dosha and embarking on your own path of embracing YOUR truth.
references:
“Are memories reliable? Expert explains how they change more than we Realise,” (2018, December 17); https://theconversation.com/are-memories-reliable-expert-explains-how-they-change-more-than-we-realise-106461
“The Three Delphic Maxims,” The Path of Greatest Advantage, How to escape self-sabotaging traps,” (2022)., https://disordersofmood.com/delphic.php
Sarah B. Drivdahl & Ira E. Hyman Jr. (2014) Fluidity in autobiographical memories: Relationship memories sampled on two occasions, Memory, 22:8, 1070-1081, DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2013.866683
We hope that you benefitted from our free-of-charge programs and services, for which a group of expert yoga teachers, ayurvedic clinicians, practitioners, consultants, and holistic wellness leaders volunteered their time and creative effort to support you so you can live your best healthy life. Continued electronic implementation, programming, and education require considerable expense to sustain online at little to no cost for you and the community. Will you Please consider giving to JBYF in acknowledgment of this professional contribution?
Thank you very much and live well.
