Truth
by Jef Bartow
As the long days of summer with its heat persist, many humans turn their attention to vacation and play. Astrologically, the Sun moves through the fifth house while transiting Leo. In our progression through the astrological mandala, Truth is the characteristic of SPIRIT qualifying our fifth house activities. These include our leisure activities, our romantic orientation, our creativity and involvement with children. Here we also develop the self-conscious potential to express our purpose and life goals.Even though it seems that defining truth can be easier than our other characteristics of SPIRIT, I have found the reality of Truth to be much different than I expected. Surprisingly, Webster's Dictionary lends itself to an expanded idea of truth in: "truth suggests conformity with reality, either as an ideal abstraction or in actual application to ideas, acts, etc." The Buddha taught that there are two truths, ultimate truth, or Nirvana and Absolute Truth or Reality. Transpersonal psychology also outlines two sides of truth. One is "experience for itself" while the other is: "reference to something undefined or ineffable, an experience that ‘points to’ this mysterious reality."Each of these definitions relates truth to reality and experience. From these various perspectives, I define a subjective embodiment of Truth as "what is." Our inner Truth is the reality we create based on our Intent. Whatever we create based on Intent is truth for us. Truth, as a characteristic of SPIRIT, is an all-embracing “what is.” This “what is” seems to be without boundary. As we expand our consciousness, the all-inclusiveness of what Truth is expands.My objective experience of Truth is as an energy stream that we can step in to, or align to. Many of us would like to have the comfort of Truth has an absolute. To me, Truth varies just as physical reality varies, based on the observer. The objective energy stream of Truth powerfully expresses in the Spiritual Plane. Let me therefore describe Truth from the Spiritual Plane in the following ways.Truth holds us to a new orientation; it reflects an objective synthesis of our ideas and values and is a completeness in itself. We understand Truth through our principles. So often we only have a hint of its existence. When embraced, it truly resolves the issues of our contemplation and meditations. When accepted within ourselves, it aligns us to something beyond us. Characteristics of Spirit
Spiritualizing Exercises
So how can we make this Truth more of a reality in our lives? As we have done each month, we can naturally embrace Truth in the activities of our life described above. Let's begin with our leisure activities. How do they reflect the reality of who we are? Do they contribute to our spiritual orientation, or reflect a part of us from the past?
From a Living Spirit perspective, all of our daily activities can embrace our spiritual orientation even if we use them to relax or vicariously experience something that can help us let go of the past. For myself, I have used watching movies and playing golf as spiritualizing activities, without giving up the enjoyment and relatedness that can be derived from this leisure time. Regarding romantic activities, are we just expressing how we were conditioned to be romantic, or truly expressing love and appreciation for our partner or significant other? In a way unique to your character, do at least one or two things this month that demonstrates the depth of your love. Next, use your daily reflection to review how you express your creativity. Has it remained fresh and full of passion? Or has it become somewhat rote and repetitive? Now is an ideal time to begin a new creative project that will expand your passion for life and your relationships.Finally, review the status of your involvement with children. These can be your offsprings, assumed responsibility for children or even the children of your mind (ideas). Define how you can make these activities a part of your spiritual practice. One ideal way would be to become more involved in your daughter’s sporting activities or hobbies. Another would be to implement an idea you have about how to live your spiritual orientation better.The reality of our life is more defined by our behaviors and sentient response to our experiences than our attitude or intent. Therefore, they become the truth of our life. Expanding and elevating ourselves to embrace Truth necessitates making our spiritual orientation and intent the driving force in our behaviors. For those who have accomplished it, the rewards far outweigh the changes and difficulties experienced in the process. And more important, in the end each individual has expressed her/his purpose and potential life goals for this embodiment.
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