Embodying Truth

It is a process of remembering who we truly are. When we come into form (when we are born) we forget we are God/Source. We forget our boundless, eternal nature, and instead feel small and separate. We live out our life as the character we've been told we are until the seed of enlightenment within us is activated. This may happen because we have a glimpse of reality (transcendent experience), or perhaps we go through a very stressful or traumatic time that allows us to drop the story of ourselves, even for a moment. We start to realize that we are not the person we thought we were, and we wonder, well who am I then? We begin a journey, deeper and deeper inward, to try and find out the answer to this perplexing question. During this process, we let go of identities, beliefs, ideas, concepts, and patterns, and heal old unprocessed emotions and trauma. We spend a lot of time in meditation, reconnecting with our true selves - our forgotten, silent, divine core. After many realizations about who we are and the nature of reality and many direct experiences of this Truth, we eventually shift out of the trance of separation - leaving the dream behind. We realize that what we have been seeking is what remains when all the illusion is gone, and it was always there - hiding in plain sight. We experience ourselves as everyone and everything, yet also formless - a beautiful paradox where we live consciously as God in human form. This is sometimes called enlightenment.

The aloneness is a teacher. It can sometimes be triggered by us losing someone in our lives, but can also arise without reason. When we spend time with this painful feeling, we begin to learn that there are some realizations about what is true, that are ready to be faced. Each time it cycles around, we deepen our understanding that we are truly alone because there is only one of us, yet we are everywhere, at the same time. We start to be taught what Oneness is. What initially can be challenging to face, we end up adapting to completely. We live our lives from this Truth.

Everyone has a different awakening path and for some people, it involves a close relationship with a mentor/teacher. For others, it is more of an independent path as they have karmic lessons around developing autonomy and discernment. Regardless of your path, it can be very beneficial to have someone in your life that is further along on the awakening path, to check in with from time to time. It is easy for us to delude ourselves when we're lost in the trance of separation and this can keep us from progressing on the path. A good guide will be able to point out where you have blind spots, so you keep progressing forward.

Learning how to trust the awakening path and the great mystery of who we are, is a process. This trust is developed incrementally over time, as it is revealed to you that it is trustworthy. Although you may be pushed to your limits at times, you find out through experience that it was necessary and that you got through it unscathed. Every fear and doubt is addressed, piece by piece, through the intricate and complex awakening process. Over time you grow faith in the process so strong that you are willing to give your life for it, and as an act of love, you do. When this time comes you are ready, and your love for Truth outweighs your fear of the unknown.

It takes real courage to keep progressing with awakening. Sometimes it can feel like things are changing rapidly, and other times it can feel like no progress has been made in a while. This is where radical honesty is required, to inquire whether something needs to change. Is there an attachment that wants to be released but we are grasping onto it? Are we avoiding facing the deep aloneness that is an unavoidable part of the awakening journey? Are we scared of being everything/emptiness/Source so we are avoiding silence/meditation? The more willing we are to sit in discomfort and face whatever wants to arise, the more we allow for the natural unfolding to continue.

There are many types of fear that you may face on the path. It may be fear around the changes that are happening, how much you'll lose, or what your life will be like when you're awake. It's completely normal and understandable to have these fears and each one will need to be lovingly met. At some stage, you may start to feel existential fear and this may sound like "I'm scared of not existing, I'm scared of dying, I'm scared of being everything". Notice the natural tendency you may have to resist this intense emotion and instead gently lean into it (energetically) going slightly deeper each time you try. Allow yourself to fully feel this intense fear for as long as it takes to shift (often months). It can be helpful to remind ourselves that nothing bad is happening, a fear response is being activated in the body due to the mind not being able to understand what is outside of itself. You are just remembering who you truly are, ultimately there is nothing to be scared of. It can be beneficial to meditate on death and what it means to be eternal. This can often soothe existential fear.

Truth with a capital T, speaks to the truth of reality or absolute truth, which means it applies to everyone and everything, such as - we are emptiness, we are formless, we are everything. There is still truth that applies to people on a relative or personal level such as "I am John". It's true as far as that's what he's been named, but ultimately there is no person there (which would be the ultimate or absolute Truth.) This Truth is what awakening teachers and traditions are talking about and although it is expressed in slightly different ways, the underlying message is the same. So when a teacher is talking about Truth, they're (hopefully) not referring to their belief about what they think is true, but giving voice to the nature of reality from emptiness itself.

It's an avoidance strategy to avoid the difficult parts of the spiritual journey. Once you've learnt some spiritual truths, the mind can then unconsciously use this content as an avoidance strategy. Common ones are: - we are already all enlightened, so I don't need to work on awakening - nothing matters so I don't need to try - I am eternal, so I don't need to take care of the body - there are no people here so it doesn't matter what I say to others It's about the mind using a spiritual truth to avoid pain, which in turn delays spiritual growth. It's trickier to spot than other avoidance strategies because there is often some truth to the justification. This is where a teacher can be of benefit to you, as they can point out where you are deceiving yourself.

Practice 1: Sit in meditation and once your mind has become quiet, ask the question - who am I? Wait quietly and attentively for the answer. If the mind tries to come up with an answer, then that is not it. You are looking for an experience of your true nature, not a verbal answer. The answer is the gap of silence before the mind starts talking. It may only be for a second and perhaps seem subtle, but if you keep repeating this practice, you will start to see the benefits. Practice 2: Try to locate the "I". When you notice a thought, such as, I'm always late for work, try to locate the one talking. Any time you hear an "I" "me" or "my" thought, try to find the separate entity that is having those thoughts. You are investigating to see if you can find any solid sense of self, any subject that is having these experiences. You may feel confused, disorientated or the mind may go silent. All of that is normal.

We go through many different transitions and have deeper levels of realization as we go through the spiritual awakening process. Three permanent shifts are the most significant: - When the mind awakens and realises it is emptiness which is the end of seeking and feels like a rebirth. At this shift, you can no longer believe you are a separate person. - When the heart awakens and realises "I am everything", sometimes called Unity Consciousness. - The final shift which is sometimes called "no-self" which is a body/gut awakening and is the end of the self-reflective function of the mind. It is easy to confuse earlier shifts that happen when we're seeking for one of these three permanent shifts, which is why it is important to check in with someone who is further along on the path than you. Although getting a taste of your true nature can happen in an instant, the spiritual awakening journey is a long and complex process.