WYSIWYG (pron. wissywig)
Truth… What exactly is that? Is it absolute, relative, subjective, or objective? Here’s an answer…YES!
If we are truly honest, Truth is extremely elusive. Truth seems to only reveal itself. The more we attempt to grasp Truth, the more it seems to slip through our fingers. We end up with truths left over and mistake them for Truth. Take a gander at the image. It all depends on where you look.
It is true that each cast shadow is a different shape, which is just part of the Truth of the cylinder. Some would say the shape is a square and others a circle. Zoom out though and see the Truth…a cylinder.
I posit that many of the truths we hold so dear are more akin to the cast shadows of the Truth. Rather than holding to our possibly partial understanding of truth, I suggest we seek Truth. It all begins in admitting our ignorance (avidya).
Not the easiest task for any Human… But, all of our Teachers tell us the same–Truth is found through admitting our ignorance, innocence, and naivety. Although we have made countless advances culturally, socially, ethically, and economically, we still seem to be missing the POINT OF LIFE, of being ALIVE.
WYSIWYG is Truth. If you believe that what you see is a square, that’s what you get. It is the same for the circle and even the cylinder. What You See is What You Get. It becomes truth unless you continue your pursuit into all possible truths, which lead to the Truth.
Usually we stumble upon Truth. Most of our significant scientific and mathematic discoveries were happy accidents of serendipity. We are still unlocking the deep secrets that the physical universe holds. The further we peer into the visible Cosmos and the deeper we look into the infinitesimally minute details of Creation, the more we throw up our hands with more questions.
YES!! Questions and questions!! Questions should be directly proportional to answers. For every answer, there will always be the next question. At least, that’s my hope. Sure this may lead us into an infinite regress of WHY’S, but why not? What do we have to lose by continuing our pursuit of Truth to its limit?
The dreamers, prophets, inventors, innovators, and inspirers did not stop at truths–they labored onward in relentless pursuit. I don’t know the Truth but I do know it is much clearer than the truths we have come to accept. Don’t settle for the easy answer. Seek a better question!
Our subjective reality is compiled through the lens of our many truths. Much like Plato’s Allegory of the Cave we are mistaking cast shadows of partial truths for actual Truth. Here’s the rub…we have a choice, go figure. We are constantly interpreting our reality using these cast shadows in substitute for Truth. What if we all took a step back from our partial truths for just a day? It could all begin by simply admitting that we just don’t know.
I get it…I really do. This seems quite impossible. No worries! Plant a healthy seed of doubt. Allow a seed of doubt about partial truths to grow in your Mind. Find yourself asking whether or not something is just true or stands as Truth. Let’s agree to quit settling for a lesser form of truth. Believe that Truth will be revealed and understood…someday!
Until then, consider the partial truths that inform and inspire your reality. Are they absolutely true or merely relatively true? Do you really believe that you are absolutely right? Impossible! There are exceptions to every partial truth. If an exception exists, you have something that is just true but falls short of revealing the Truth. Your choice…
We do this to our-Selves all the time! We project false certainty into our interpretations of reality. Patanjali and the Indian masters tell us this is like mistaking a rope for a snake. Just because something initially strikes us as true doesn’t necessarily make it True. I’ll be the first to admit, my first thought is not always my best, nor my first reaction. I do my best to put the brakes on (Yoga Sutras 1.2, yogas chitta vritti nirodha) quick and careless judgements and reactions. Reminder…I’m Human. We all are!
All I ask is that we do our best to remember that What You See is What You Get. I challenge you to interview your myriad truths with the litmus test of exception. If you find exceptions, you’re heading in the right direction. Expand your Mind, truths, and Self by opening up to the possibility that you may not know.
Peace ॐ
RossC
