Day Four

Making a lifelong commitment toward honesty is a touchstone of spirituality and spiritual practice.

When my teacher Adyashanti brought this topic to the forefront of my heart. I was completely oblivious to the amount to small or white lies that I was telling on any given day. This practice has made me a better person, truly. I have learn to see that all the little lies were a habit. I often told them as a defense to my ego or the help protect me from fear, often irrational made up fears …. The more committed I became the more I began to clearly see the lies were never needed or warranted. There was always a different way to truthfully speak. It was simply a matter of me finding the way.

An invitation to BE HONEST or (more) honest

Spiritual Truths to consider:

• Honesty is interwoven with integrity

• Seek Truth inside yourself

• When test come, search and acknowledge them with reverence and gratitude

• Sincerity matters

• Remain true to yourself

• Courage is required in order to examine and reexamine ourselves

• Learning to embody a lightheartedness

• Fearlessly accept whatever comes

It is that simple and that complicated.

Be an observer and notice any tendencies or moments when you are about to or feel you are about to be dishonest.

Begin to see the cunning ways our individual egos lead us astray

Often when we choose to be dishonest, we are doing it from an unconscious place where we have been told or we are telling ourself that if we told the truth it could hurt us or the other person.

Practice ahimsa (non-violence) as you are choosing to be honest

See if you can speak the truth lovingly

Remember silence is speaking too

An example: Perhaps you have been invited to a gathering. Even though you are grateful to be included, you just don’t want to attend for whatever reason. Many will unconsciously launch into an excuse or explanation when they decline the invitation. But what if you simply said something along these lines, “I am so grateful to be included. Thank you, but I am not able to attend. I hope you all have a fabulous party. Please let me know when you all get together, next time. Enjoy.”

This is telling the truth.

It is clear, concise, and needs no explanations or rhetoric.