Posted by on Dec 16, 2010 in Questioning Guide, Who? | 1 comment

The answer is: Yourself. You are the only one that can teach you the truth. This question seems quite simple to answer, but it is much more interesting to understand why? Why can I only teach myself?

However, to some people this answer might seem counter-wise their own set of established beliefs. The reason is that we are traditionally taught that you have always teacher: at first it is your parents, then school teachers, even new type teachers might be needed after school, etc. So, let’s get this straight.

Yes, there might be teachers that explain stuff to make it easier to understand, but my question is: Who can teach me the truth?

What is the truth? Well, some might say science is the truth. Is this true? Well… In a way it is, but in another way it is not. Science can be proven to be false, and we change the truth to state the new truth. For example, we at first thought that the earth was flat. We now know it is not. It took many years to find out it was not flat. The reason it took so many years is that it was counter-wise their established set of traditional beliefs. Science is regarded as the truth because it changes as we admit and prove new ways of perceiving and interpreting reality in a group.

However, let’s go beyond the boundary of science. Let’s go into the individual… This terrain is tricky. There are many theories in philosophical books, and I won’t go there. You can search them if you are curious. I might not even be aware of the greatness you find there. So, what am I doing here?

I put forward a concept to you from a “fresh” perspective. Perhaps, you might agree with me, but I do not want to be agreed upon. I want to make you think. I want you to challenge me, but truly listen and grasp what I am saying.

Then, you are free to crush me politely.

That said, let’s go into my core argument: The truth can only be found if you engage with the process of being aware of the truth as it unfolds in front of your eyes.

Yes, the only real truth is here. It is in this exact moment as you read this. It is not an abstraction that you can elaborate in the past or in the future. Many of us spend enormous time trying to grasp the fundamentals of the universe, but we are doing it this way:

We use the reality of the present moment to create another reality within our own heads. The concept of the truth is stored in our brain, and we use that concept as if it were actually true, not realizing that the only truth is the present moment.

Of course, the present moment can include any concept because you have defined them and you use them to alter your reality as you think and act upon those thoughts. However, to believe that these concepts are the whole reality, and these can translate into truth and pure facts is a lie, a lie nurtured by tradition.

The belief that all can be explained through thoughts, verbs, etc. is an arrogant presumption.

However, the belief that the truth can be grasped in an abstraction is totally counter-wise in a practical sense because:

The truth must be real. What is real? The only real thing is here and now. The past is not real anymore, and the future is not here. This instant of perpetual infinity is the only truth. If you wake up this instant, and realize this was all a dream. Then, your new reality “the non-dream state” is the truth, not the past or the present, but that now.

So, how can someone else teach you the truth? How can someone teach you something that is not teachable? You have to observe it and become aware of it individually. How is this done?

Just the Right Angle

There are many theories, but I will not spill the beans. You have to find it by yourself. You have to teach yourself the truth. You have to wake up to the fact that authority does not have the answer.

Really, if they knew… Why isn’t it evident? Why is the world full of violent ignorance? Why is peace such a romantic fantasy? What is going on that we keep fighting with each other over the “truth”? See? No one is agreeing!
Please, at least let’s accept this situation. There is no agreement regarding the truth. Why don’t we at least accept it as a society, and move on?

Why don’t we accept differences, instead of projecting our fears in others’ beliefs? Why don’t we promote creative thinking, instead of tying to create equal molds of being?

We are ingrained with the belief that we must follow an authority figure. Do you know why this happens?

It happens because we feel security in believing that someone else knows the truth. If someone else knows the truth, then I might feel an illusion of safeness because although I do not know, others know, and I will someday know.

Stop! Think about this by yourself! Stop searching for a tomorrow that will reveal the truth. Stop searching for a teacher. You are the teacher and the student. You are the only one that can actually through your own experience live the truth. Stop nurturing the guru with ego. Stop praising the one who says he or she knows.

Better, yet… Also doubt what I am saying, and do what you want.

You can walk the path of the teacher until you are tired of following the authority that doesn’t lead you anywhere and you realize you have been walking in circles with such figure.

Just have this in mind: The relationship teacher-student is a power relation. There is a very fine line that can be crossed, and the student might fall into the trap of following without questioning.

Why? The teacher might lie. The teacher might not know. The teacher might have an enormous ego that the student is feeding. A teacher that needs a student is trapped within the desires of the student. The teacher is also trapped in the expectations of the student.

It is a power relationship, and one will always be trapped within a framework of belief unless you decide to stop the situation.

In a power relationship, if you have the lower status: It is almost impossible to win. The process of belief, how belief creates psychological safety, and the role it plays within those structures impede your ability to convince.

Tyrant Boot (Pittsburgh, PA)

However, the student does have power over the “teacher” because it is a power relationship.

For example, if the teacher does not convince as he expects to do or the student decides not to be taught anymore, then a certain kind of hostility might occur. Although, it might seem at a first glance that in a teacher-student relationship the one who always loses is the student… It goes both ways.

The teacher is gaining something by teaching, if not: Why do it? Could it be total non-self interest? It might be. It is not my position to judge.

However, keep in mind I am not being specific. You might have a great teacher… So, this might not apply to you, right? Great! Stop reading then, unless you really want to challenge your framework of beliefs established by those important figures in your life.

Ready? Want to continue? This is the thing:

The truth cannot be shown. If your teacher is wonderful as you might desire to believe, then ask him: Can you show me the truth?

If he or she is wise, the answer will be: No. I cannot show you the truth.

Why? Why would a wise teacher be unable to show to the truth? A truth must be shown in order to believe, isn’t it? However, seeing is not believing because we use abstractions to reach a conclusion that is concrete.

If the teacher can’t see that you are the only one who can see the truth, then what are you learning: Languages? Science? Philosophy?

Remember, perspective plays a role here. Don’t expect a person who lives within a framework of language to point out something that is not within that context.

Why do we tend to treat something that is an abstraction as a concrete fact through language? Why do we choose security through belief, than challenging ourselves to the unknown? Could it be fear? Why do we feel fear? How does fear work? Could we be afraid to acknowledge that the truth cannot be taught?

The idea here is: The truth cannot be taught if the truth is in the present moment.

What does this mean? It means that if you are searching for the holy grail in your mind, instead of opening your hands to the reality in front of you. How will you find something that is there, but you prefer to be blind due to your own set of established beliefs that cause you to feel fear if ever threatened?

You might be wondering… Well, why do you ask questions? It is very easy to ask questions. You are no different from the so called “teachers”.

In fact, you are quite right. I am no different those so called “teachers”, but my point here is to make you think. I do not care if you believe me or not. I am challenging through those questions you might love to hear answered, and yes it might be easier to just ask the question.

But at the end, I might be wrong.

However, could it be more difficult to express a question in a precise order, so you can follow the concept without giving you an answer? Perhaps… Who knows?

My purpose: I would like you to realize that you are the only one that can actually answer some questions through your experience within the context of finding the truth.

Is this a sort of a teaching? Yes, but you still have the option to say: I don’t agree with you. Wonderful, I applaud your conviction. Keep asking questions! Keep arguing against me! Observe and listen deeply with great attention, and find the truth.

Could I rephrase this by telling you: “Be the truth.”? How would that change the game? Why would it change it? Could that be related with what I wrote before about the truth is in the present moment?

Photo Credits: First image By takomabibelot Second By brian glanz