Think about this...

"Truth is that which does not contaminate you, but empowers you. Therefore, there are degrees of truth, but, generically, truth is that which can do no harm. It cannot harm." -Gary Zukav from The Seat of The Soul

I have given truth a lot of thought lately... I have asked questions about what I "know" to be true ranging from the simple, physical nature, to the more ethereal and abstract. What I ascertained from this almost Socratic method of questioning is that there is very little that I know to be true. Even more, there is little I know to be true of this physical world and how it relates to the spirit.

Without sounding like a hippie, I know that energy is ever-present: in people, in our mentalities, in our personalities, in our spirits, in our surroundings, in our choices, etc. To view this abounding energy as a singular current would be foolish; it has too many sources and tangents, none relative to another. But energies can coincide in an environment that dictate our performance or chart our life's course for a time. In essence, we would have to be omnipresent in terms of thinking to have a chance at truly seeing our environment or have a shot at galvanizing that energy around us.

Let's say that we accomplish that task and gain a wider range of "sight." Would we now be able to see truth in more areas? I think so. But why is it important? I believe that truth gives us a foundation upon which we can build. Look at an argument for example: one side BELIEVES they are right and the other side is on the defensive. Who is stronger? Obviously the person with the belief. Belief gives you strength and an authority to fight for what you believe, as it also provides a defense. A truth that is believed is a weapon, fortress, sustenance, and an important building block of a characteristic. The more truths we accumulate, the more defined (and refined) our characteristics become, thus making a stronger person.

So I decided to take one truth at a time. I know that God is real and true. We were made (humans, that is) by a higher power. We have choices is another truth. We individually define good and evil based on our influences, experiences, and perceptions. Those are a few truths that I accept, believe, become empowered by, and most importantly, understand. Without foundational knowledge such as that, I would not have created a regulatory system of ethics, nature, and practice that I abide by. Without those few truths, I would live as a man without a Creator, virtually above the law. Those truths do not bind me, however. They enable me think above my physical self.

When we look at our interactions with one another, are we making a habit of going to the truth? Or do we react superficially to situations and err on the side of "ignorance?" I have been guilty of that myself. But in situations where I took in account what I know to be true of the person or situation, the results were favorable. Kinda like "thinking before you speak," if you will.

One truth I understand is that the slaves were never freed. We are still in bondage and it is more devastating this way. I also know that a people cannot oppress another without harming themselves. We'll talk more on that truth later...