Truth In Conscious Leadership: Learning from Gandhi
Lies never stay hidden for very long and it actually seems that the universe is designed this way for a reason. Gandhi, who called his autobiography ‘My Experiments with Truth’, believed firmly that Truth is actually God (or whatever word…
Lies never stay hidden for very long and it actually seems that the universe is designed this way for a reason.
Gandhi, who called his autobiography ‘My Experiments with Truth’, believed firmly that Truth is actually God (or whatever word for this Oneness, universe or higher power you are comfortable with);
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always.”
The same can be said for our inner tyrants – our anger, frustration, pain, shame, suffering, lies – they are all distortions of the truth, distorted by our opinions and projections about what we think the world is like (see post on Wittgenstein for more). Eventually, if we let the process of our development unfold organically, we will experience things that allow the truth to come out.
If truth is indeed God, it can never be suppressed for long. It may come out in a moment of honesty, integrity or release. But if it doesn’t come out in this most simple of ways it seems inevitable that it will manifest in disguise as depression, back-ache, anxiety, insomnia and a whole host of other diseases (dis-ease, uncomfortable with the lies). This is why these experiences of pain are vital for us in our journey towards ever-more truth. They are very natural red flags telling us something – no matter how deep – is not right, is not true.
More from Gandhiji…
“I identify Truth with the fullest life, and that is how it becomes a concrete thing, for God is His whole creation, the whole Existence, and service of all that exists-Truth-is service of God.”
Which always reminds me of the Princess and the Pea, who proves her royal status to the Prince by being bruised be a pea that is 20 mattresses and 20 blankets under her bed. When we ourselves assume our true inner majesty we too are pained by any false-hood or ‘fudge’ in our words and deeds no matter how small (and, of course, those of everyone we meet).