Commentaries on The 4 TruthsCommentaries on The 4 Truths The Four Truths are paths on the way to harmony and freedom. Each is liberation from suffering that emerges from lies we tell ourselves about ourselves, each other, and our world. Joy is the discovery of these Truths; wisdom is the practice of them in the everydayness of our lives. Each truth is presented with its corresponding lies. Each lie is a misunderstanding of reality, of ourselves, each other, and our world. Each is the source of its own unique kind of suffering. Joy becomes possible the moment we see each lie as lie, and each truth as truth. Lies are always non-malicious and insidious. Lies exist to protect other lies. Lies create other lies to protect themselves because each has a biological urgency, an instinct to survive. The only way to transcend lies is to use truths as lenses to see a more accurate and complete reality. The 1st Truth / The Law of Possibility Everything in life happens the moment it becomes fully possible Things happen the moment they become fully possible. Whether we like them or not, all things happen this way. Nothing happens a moment before it becomes fully possible, and not a moment later. Everything happens on time according to the Law of Possibility. Nothing can happen outside of its time of full possibility. Things last exactly as long as they are fully possible. To fight with, resist, or argue against the Law of Possibility is foolish and fruitless. It is the source of all sorts of suffering. The key is to discover for ourselves whether it's true that things should be the way we expect and them to be simply because we have this expectation and need for them to be so. We regain our original freedom when we realize the lie that things should not be as they actually are, when we realize that things happen the moment they become fully possible. This is the lie that things that bother me should not be happening. It is the lie of the denial of causality. That things always happen because of its causes and cannot be otherwise, given all that came before. Things only need to be fully possible to happen. Their emergence does not require our attention or intention, approval or necessity. If we want things to be otherwise, we can do this by making them more fully possible. We move toward the truth of this law when we ask ourselves, "What can I do to make something else more possible?" Being in harmony with the law is peace and freedom. ... The 2nd Truth / The Law of Perspective Whatever story we tell ourselves about reality is only one possible story We are the creators of our perspective, our stories about reality. We connect the quantum dots with inherited and invented patterns. We put the parts together into a meaningful whole, as we do in poetry, painting, or film. We decide what to name things, what conclusions we want to assign to events and experiences, what reasons we want to give to choices and actions. The lie is that opposite stories to my story cannot be valid. It is the lie that stories are givens, that they are as they are and we have no power of the way we tell or retell them. When all stories become valid, everyone belongs, and the status of outcast disappears. Lies are seen as valid stories, and lies that become the basis of suffering nevertheless. This is the lie of the denial of opposite stories. The truth of this law is that stories comes in opposites where our usual story is true, and its opposite is as well. All stories are seen as gifts. Though some are truth and some lies, every story has the validity of perspective. When we see that we create our own stories, we become more free to create meaning that makes us feel alive, that engages our best and the best of others, that allows for a future distinct from the past. New futures always began with new stories. ... The 3rd Truth / The Law of Choice Whatever we're doing right now is only one possible thing to do There are always at least two ways of doing things. Slowly and quickly, mindfully and mindlessly, easily or struggling. These choices never go away. They are intrinsic to everything we do. In any situation, there are always at least two possible things to do. To feel stuck, trapped, or forced into anything is to miss the Law of Choice. To think there is only one way to do anything is to miss this Law. The lie is that there are certain things we have no choice about, that we must do. It is a lie that supports the suffering of powerlessness and the identity as victim. It is the lie of the denial of our freedom. The truth of this law is that there are always other ways to do anything, and other things to do to get there, and that there is equal potential of joy in any path we choose toward that which matters to us. We are not restricted to that which we name as necessary, required, mandatory. No matter how much fear, guilt, shame, obsession we experience around any option, we are always intrinsically free to commit to it or not. We do not need to deny our freedom in order to make possible what matters to us. We can choose what we think we must, or we can choose anything else. We can take responsibility for the choices we make without blaming them on other people, forces, or conditions. ... The 4th Truth / The Law of Power We don't need a different reality to do what else is possible right now If something is possible for us to do right now, we can do it. Possibility means we have the conditions and ability to do something. We have the power to do it. If something is possible, only we can stop ourselves from doing it. No amount of excusing, complaining, or blaming can change the fact that we can do it. Because something is difficult or uncomfortable doesn't change the fact that it is possible. No amount of victimhood can remove the conditions and abilities that give us the power to make something more or fully possible. The lie we tell ourselves is that we can't do that which has no certain payoffs. The truth of this law is that we can only do what's possible, and that what's possible to do never requires a different reality in any way, shape, or form. This is the lie of the denial of our power. It is the belief that is the postponement of what is possible for a reality that is more ideal and conducive than the one we have now. Embracing our freedom is living in harmony with the Law of Power. We have the power, the ability, to do whatever it is we can do right now. No one can stop us from doing what we can. And only we can remind ourselves and each other to act with the power that is always ours. ... More on the 4 Lies As human beings, we have these wonderful indicators that let us know when we are telling ourselves the truth, and when we are telling ourselves lies. They are our emotions, the energy vibrations within us that get expressed as words and actions. Positive feelings are indicators of truth; negative feelings are indicators of lies. Here are more details on the lies. Lies of Possibility: Things should be as I want them to be Lies of Perspective: My story is the only true story Lies of Choice: I have no choice but to do this Lies of Power: I need to postpone uncertain action until certain conditions |