A Truthful Heart

     The TruthfulHeart 

 "Truthfulness is the foundation of every human virtue."*

             "Without truthfulness, progress and success... are impossible  for a soul. *                                                                                                                                                               -- Quotes by Baha'u'llah 
 
     A truthful heart is the foundation of self- esteem, self- respect, and the vital ability to tell the truth in our relationships.   We are affected in every possible way by our connection or mis-connection with the truth of self and the heart of life. 
 
   Disconnection & the False Face 
    Advertising and a consumer culture support self- alienation, telling us that what we need is "out there", somewhere outside of ourselves, and that "more" is better (and yet there is never "enough").

     Frenetic activity, "busyness" and "make- work" at private, corporate and governmental levels; the need for "achievement" at breakneck speed; depression, anxiety, unresolved conflict; recognized or unrecognized fear or anger (often turned inward); "pill- popping", self- medicating, and addictions (running from oneself), are disconcerting "signs of the times". 

A Cultural Malady?

    Sometimes it seems that our whole Western society is built on putting forth a "face" that is truly different from what we feel inside. Yet our inner being will always know the truth, and the false face is like a sword cutting into our inner being--- a way of saying " I am not good enough just as I am." We all become liars, actors in a play, and our psyches are deeply affected. Discrepancies between our values and our actions have the effect of "splitting" us, resulting in depression, fear (of being "found out"), apathy, loss of vitality and dissipation of life's energies. Yet the inconsistencies of our lives are often as invisible to us, the very air we breathe, and are considered "normal". 
     Ths kind of stress is self-alienating, and is highly destructive, also contributing to bodily and social dis-ease and disunity. including crime, family and community breakdown,, addictions, a "dog-eat-dog" mentality, and mor.

No Panacea
    "Self- improvement" strategies that focus on "getting what you want", "success", and so on can actually multiply self- alienation, pulling us deeper into our "masks", pretensions, discord and disconnection from Spirit. Seeking to add more surface material to our lives-- for any reason-- in the form of new information or activities, "tactics", or the search for "more" or "better" "methods" for success or healing can become an escape or addiction in itself.
      
          The search for the "panacea"-- the remedy that will make us whole is mere fantasy-- We already ARE whole! *¹ 

An act of Grace
   is the only shortcut to personal growth and profound change--
        for most of us, we've got to do the work !  Part of that work is the Re- connection to Spirit-- or call it Love, Hope ,Buddha-- or by whatever name you may call it. Spirit can be simply being in the moment, being there for those moments of Grace... 

And the healing begins...
     Mining and sharing the inner "gems" (and toadstools!), we gradually lose our reluctance to engage in this new openhearted activity, while becoming more authentically who we are. Looking within, holding up the "mirror" points the way to victory over self and over those defects of heart that we may have never even glimpsed-- but that have held us back in life, relationships, and true success. We are coming home to the peace of contentment with the truth of who we really are, and our place in the world, for the truthful heart has nothing to hide. 

A better world must be built on such a foundation.

"Trustworthiness... is the door of security for all that dwell on earth... It is as a stronghold to the city of humanity, and as eyes to the human temple."*²

     _____________________________

           * Quotes on this page are from the writings of the Baha'u'llah 

Full quote from top--

  "Without truthfulness, progress and success in all of the worlds of God are impossible
   for a soul.                                           -- Baha'u'llah