You know, “nothing ventured, nothing won” is true in every hour. It is the fiber of every experience that signs itself into memory. — John Neville Figgis (1866-1919) Philosopher
Truth is one of the three fundamental colors of love (The other two are goodness and beauty). All physical color comes from light; combining them gives us all of the colors we can see. The same is true of spiritual Light. All positive values are derivatives of love, truth, beauty, and goodness.
In order to discern the truth one must pay attention to it. This is where our powers of Concentration and focus come in.
Peace,
Jim
CONCENTRATIVE
Definitions: (1) able to point to a common objective; focused; (2) able to direct one’s thoughts or efforts; capable of fixing one’s attention on one idea
Comment: If you have great concentrative powers, you not only can block out extraneous thoughts and sounds, but also can utilize stray inputs to enhance your focus on the task at hand. During problem solving and brainstorming, half of the fun is to be open to all stimuli in the framework of the solution. No matter how ridiculous the input, it may trigger some aspect of the solution eventually adopted.
A person with good concentration usually has a very quick and discerning mind. A decision can be made in a split second. The trick is to think it all the way through.
TRUTH
Definitions: (1) the quality of being in accordance with or conforming to actual experience, facts, and reality; (2) subjective existence portrayed to oneself or to others with honesty; integrity; veracity; (3) the ideal of fundamental objective reality apart from and transcending perceived experience; (4) expressing sincerity in action, character, and utterance; (5) agreement with a common standard or a collective idea
Note: Higher nature in Sanskrit is called satchitananda: sat = truth, chit = conscious, and ananda = bliss.
Compatible Quality: tact
Sayings:
Veritas vos liberabit (Latin): “The truth will set you free.”
Magna est veritas et praevalebit (Latin): “Truth is mighty and will prevail.”
Vincit omnia veritas (Latin): “Truth conquers all things.”
Poetry:
He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy
He who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in Eternity’s sun rise.
— William Blake (1757-1827) English Poet
Quotes:
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. — George Orwell [born Eric Arthur Blair] (1903-1950) English Author
Nonviolence and truth are inseparable and presuppose one another. There is no God higher than truth. — Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) Indian Peacemaker
Unless there is truth, and unless people tell the truth, there is always danger in everything outside of the individual. — T. H. White (1906-1964) The Once and Future King
The truth cannot contradict The Truth. — Pope Leo XIII [born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci] (1810-1903) the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church
Note: In 1996 Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) the 264th Pope, restated the quote to make the point that the truth of science cannot contradict the Truth of faith.
Reflection: Thinking breeds facts but feeling leads to truth.
Consideration: Individuals respond to truth in their guts by the use of their knowing centers. Even if the outside information or person is partially truthful, there is still an unerring response to that portion which is objectively truthful. This internal truth guide works just as well on all levels of fact, meaning, and value.
Consider a good liar. He or she projects the positive qualities of sincerity and clarity with a convincing communicative style. But the listener needs to be perceptive in judgment so as to correctly segregate the true from the false. We can attune this ability by honoring and respecting the truth.
This internal truth sense works not only externally but also internally. Listen to your “self talk” with your intuitive truth center. This is useful when you are exploring a new subject.
It is nice to share with a friend. If you say something inappropriate, they react honestly, and if you are sensitive and paying attention, you will both know something needs to be adjusted.
Comment: Truth always has an advantage over evil in that truth can be continually lived in experience. You can become it. Error, evil, sin, and iniquity cannot become a permanent part of you. They are unreal. They eventually lead to a dead end. Sooner or later they will prove their lack of value. If you choose to be unreal, you are choosing not to be.
Yet error has the purpose of showing us the edge. We can stay away from it when we encounter it again – if we are smart. Error nudges us back toward goodness and reality.
Colors: blue, green
Symbols: 1) the torch; 2) a hand mirror; 3) the number nine; 4) gems or treasures {Spiritual Truths or Knowledge}
Fictional Figure: Una, a lovely damsel, is the personification of truth. — Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) Faërie Queene
Mythological Figure: Ma, in Egyptian mythology, is the goddess of truth and justice.
