Knowing Your Truth

One of the themes that we discuss in all yoga trainings, workshops and practices is knowing your truth. And the biggest question that I am always asked is, "how do I know my truth."

What a very good and difficult question to answer. Each time someone asks me this I ask myself if I really know my own truth? How do I define my truth? And am I living in my truth? And in the vein of truthfulness, I must confess that I often get mixed results with the answers.

The problem with knowing our truth is that it is clouded by ego and illusion. First of all: the ego. It is defined by its separateness from Oneness. It creates our identity of singularity and the whole "I, Me, Mine" thinking. There are times in our life - as in life threatening situations - when the ego has been good for us. We needed it for survival and safety. But there are many other times when it simply gets in the way of our Understanding. Coming from ego is a very small way of thinking and being. And in a big way it often causes us many problems.



Next: Illusion. This is the demon of the 6th Chakra (third-eye). When the 3rd-eye center is closed, what we see is out of using the two physical eyes of through the ego's view. It is not based in truth because we aren't looking at the full scope of the situation. It is mired in incomplete data and therefore cannot ever show us the truth.

So what are we to do in our quest for finding our truth?

One way is by learning what is NOT true. The old method of kissing a lot of frogs before you find your prince is one way. This is a difficult method and often full of strife and drama. Its the usual method that most people begin their life with. But certainly not the methodology that one would want to continue using throughout adulthood.

Another method is by learning to connect to the body and know what FEELS either right or wrong. The saying, "I had a gut feeling," is true. THE BODY NEVER LIES. The 3rd Chakra is located in the solar plexus (abdomen) and is open when we are in balance with our ego-state. This means that we have managed to determine the difference between when we need to stand in our ego and when to let it go and honor Oneness. It is a very tricky place to be because the ego is like a strong spice: a little goes a long way, and before you know it, you've ruined the broth with too much. But if you can focus on the sensations in the gut when something arises, then with mindfulness and openness you can learn to know when something feels wrong or right. Usually knowing when something feels wrong comes first with sensations of nausea or queasiness or general unease. Then over time, you begin to identify with the lightness of the right things.

Flow is another measure of truth. You know, when you are trying so hard to make something work, but it just keeps hitting one bump after another? So, this is the absence of flow. Things are not moving naturally, but rather they are stuck or stagnated. No flow means the person, place or situation is not aligning with your greater truth. Once we can move this issue out or change it in a more positive way, then things start flowing again. And that's when you know you are back in your truth.

For many years I wondered if I was really in my truth. Some times things went well - or at least for some time. But then something would happen and things would stall, fail or worse, move backwards! And even though I try to remain positive, grounded and move from a good place - a place of love - things don't always run smoothly. In those times when I ask if I am in my truth, I sometimes encounter confusion and hesitation. My first thought is to check and see if Mercury (my ruling planet and the planet responsible for aligning the energies of communication) is in retrograde. If yes, then I blame it on that. If no, then I am forced with looking at myself. And even if it is yes, when Mercury goes direct and things still aren't aligning then guess what? Yup, back to taking personal accountability.

I have been quite fortunate recently to have encountered certain people and places that have helped me reaffirm my truth. Certain synchronistic events, happenings, and energies simply cannot be ignored for they are bigger than I. I love teaching yoga, but most of all I love helping people. Helping them feel better mentally and physically and also helping them find their light and their truth. If true yoga is self-awareness and yoking or joining together the ego with One-Consciousness, then it certainly aligns with my path and truth. But even yoga is full of rules or paths. And I can honestly say that as soon as I am told that something has to be done this way or that way, - even in order to achieve liberation and bliss - I immediately feel that gut-wrenching truth of illusion. Yes, absolutely, yoga can assist you in finding your truth. But as soon as someone tells you that there is only one true way, then you can be sure it is full of ego and illusion and has the potential to take you away instead of towards your truth. ..that is, unless that way aligns with your truth!

My step daughter recently told my husband and I that we are problem solvers. Yes! I love to put the pieces of puzzles together. In my life I have gathered pieces from everywhere: a dash of this, a sprinkle of that, and a little hocus-pocus too. Just like any nurturing concoction, I continue to gather the pieces of my own puzzle and let them marinate together. And what I am finding is that my puzzle is our puzzle. The truth behind each and every one of us is that we are limited in human form. We will only ever know the pieces. But we can conceptualize the wholeness and vastness of Reality. Many people are talking about it. Since the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012, the rise of the Age of Aquarius, the awareness of the 11:11 Energies, and more, more and more people are opening up to the energies of Consciousness/Wholeness. And it is through those doorways that we will encounter our truth.

So what to do for now? For now, continue to listen to your body's wisdom and know when the ego is firing out of turn. Catch a situation that is not flowing and with courage and honesty, move the blocks that impede the flow out of the way. Slow down and start learning more about these new energies and how to unlock our truth. I'm still learning myself, but I am here to guide others. And I'll give you one simple key: at any given moment, time or situation, ask yourself when you are reacting if it is coming from a place of LOVE or FEAR. Guess what? LOVE is the path to truth. If it's not coming from that place, then it's wrong. And if it's wrong, then you can redirect the energy with mindfulness.

In Love, Service & Wisdom.
Tracey


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