There is one single basis upon which the entire modern world is built, and upon which all of the problems of the modern age can be traced.  This one ultimate source of human misery, the essence of what is called evil, and the demise of all that is noble within persons and nations is this;

that there is no such thing as truth.

Another way to say “there is no truth” is to claim that “everyone has their own truth” or that truth is related to the [human] observer, and without an observer the universe eases to function. 

Because it is commonly assumed that there is no such thing as truth, we find that the following implications in the modern world keep arising;

1)  That there is nothing in life to learn other than what is already known by humanity, for purposes useful only to human-kind.

2)  That there is no higher standard by which anything or anyone in society may run their lives, since everything that is believed is automatically made true, simply because it is believed.

3)  That “judgment” is automatically a “negative” thing.  We are told that we “should not judge each other” and there is no way one could believe this, other than through the assumption that, a) there is no truth and therefore there is nothing to be judged, and, b) that no person could possibly embody or know the truth, since we are all, “only human”.

4)  That all teachings and ideas are equal since it is a human right to believe whatever is immediately appealing, [rather than attempting to know what is universal] since “reality” is entirely subjective.  Whatever we make up today is what is real.  If we choose to make up whatever pleases us today, and this contradicts with yesterday, tomorrow or practical action in the moment, then that is “ok” since “everyone has their own opinion”.

5)  That personal feelings and desires are always more important than anything else in the universe.  If we don’t want to look at the truth, (commonly known as “their truth”) then it is our right to ignore facts, change the subject, make believe problems don’t exist, or simply say that “all is by Divine Plan”.  People call this right, “my truth”.

6)  It is a modern trend to first ask “who” is saying a given thing, rather than asking if the thing said is true regardless of its author.  [“who” is basically irrelevant]

Such social attitudes about truth are widespread.  They are the direct and primary cause of war, fear, pain, hatred, ignorance of all kinds and a lack of responsibility for the actions of the self and of nations.  They are the source of all discord, and the primary obstacle to peace and human advancement, now and throughout all the ages.  They may in fact very well be the ultimate very death of our species.

To believe that there is no such thing as truth implies that;

The more people believe in an idea, the more justified and acceptable that idea becomes.  Thus if war, for instance, is disliked by many that makes it wrong.  If it is liked and approved of by the majority, then that makes it right.  According to society then, the facts about the suffering and widespread destruction war causes, or whether or not such mass violence is appropriate, is not the key issue here.  The key issue for society  is whether or not the majority of people believe it to be desirable.  The same may be said about all the issues of our day….corruption in government and corporate board rooms, social inequality, racial prejudice, destructive social policies and legislature, (such as the PATRIOT act) the militarization of society and the removal of civil liberties, etc. etc.  Because people believe there is no such thing as truth, then all of these social injustices become the norm, and they will last only so long as truth is considered a personal fiction.

So if we are serious about changing this world society in which we live, then a complete transformation of our collective idea of truth must be had.  In fact, we must go beyond our personal or social ideas of what truth is, to REALIZE it’s nature directly.  Nothing in the world can significantly change until the social definition of truth has been altered.  But first we have to realize what stands in the way of this re-definition.  To define truth as a personal affair composed solely of preference and imagination, is to cloak all that is corrupted in the modern age in the veneer of personal freedom.  It is certainly our personal prerogative to define reality however we may wish.  But to do this is to ALWAYS incur effects from this central cause of ignorance.  The fact remains that truth exists, independent of our personal beliefs.  It doesn’t matter in the slightest degree how many people believe in a falsehood, since numbers of believers do not make a thing so.  Six billion wrongs do not make a right, (reality).

Many people want to believe however they wish, simply because this is convenient.  So long as they believe as they always have nothing in their lives needs to be changed, or so they imagine.  Others enjoy the implicit lack of responsibility for their actions or words, given the belief that there is “only my truth and your truth”.  Still others do not wish to face the highly unpleasant prospect that the lives they have lead have not been according to truth, and have therefore been greatly misguided and even destructive.  For these persons the prospect that there is a universal truth that does not bend for the sake of whim is quite terrifying, and they shun it at all costs.  Typically they will also shun those who offer the message of truth at all costs.

The cost of not observing truth is literally surrounding us at every turn.  Denying it is costing people their health, (wrong eating and lifestyle) while destroying the environment, (through the idea that the planet exists for us to use up, rather than to serve).  We have gained in knowledge but not in wisdom, since wisdom may be defined as the degree to which one applies truth in their daily lives.  The folly of genetic engineering, nuclear weapons, chemical bio-hazards, unhealthy farming practices, war after war and widespread social dissatisfaction are all the symptoms of denying truth in our daily lives, as a species.

Never the less, it is the constant need of the realist, the practical minded and the spiritual practitioner alike, to always consider truth as a foremost priority in life.  They realize that only through truth are REAL and lasting solutions found to any personal or world problem.  They know that truth is the only bedrock upon which a life may be founded to any real success, rather than the flimsy house of cards upon which modern society bases all of its expectations.  Such persons also understand the need for honesty, since truth cannot be applied when facts are constantly denied.

The World Mind Society defines truth as: 

That which IS, universally, and at all times the determining basis for the reality of existence.  Factuality, and that which exists regardless of view point or relative opinion.  The essence of natural law and its principles.

The proverbial question of, “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound” is rendered absurd.  Of course it still makes a sound.  To ask this question is to assume that human perception is somehow the cornerstone upon which reality rests, and this is sheer folly.  To assume this is to invite our widespread destruction. 

The facts which compose truth must not and cannot be ignored profitably.  Our purpose as human beings therefore, is largely one of finding out what the truth is and applying it in our daily lives, as well as for the sake of a new world society. A world society based on truth will address all questions honestly, given a desire for the progressive consequences of a realistic inquiry.  Given this honesty and the implied need for solutions to the problems we face as a species, our kind may transform itself for the sake of REAL human progress.  Through truth alone we will continue to evolve, or from a lack thereof, continue to decay as a civilization to the point of total entropy and mass death. Let us see if our human need for honesty can outweigh the pain of its realization, so that we can move beyond the faulty assumptions of past centuries.

*******

Besides honesty, one of the foremost keys in the obtaining of truth is that of clarity.  The truth about clarity is that it is a state of consciousness which can be increased at will, especially through the use of a certain focus.  The WMS writings call this focus “awareness of awareness”.  I highly recommend using the following meditational focus, which is an excerpt from Perpetual Raising Part 5 in the WMS Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest.
 

Sit or lie comfortably, and immediately begin focusing on the feelings centered in the area of the forehead, or sixth chakra. Those new to this practice may begin by tapping the tip of their right index finger upon what is known as the "third eye", or exact center of the forehead, with the eyes closed. Tapping increases awareness in that region, which is useful for the beginner. Be aware of every subtle detail of feeling in this area. Allow awareness to spread to the entire region of the frontal lobe of the brain, (the front third of the head, directly behind the forehead), through the middle of the brain, and inclusive of the occipital region, (back of head). FEEL all the subtleties. Do not avoid any pain, fear or other unpleasantness found anywhere in these areas, but instead relax them, and continue the meditation.

As thoughts inevitably run though the mind, simply relax, and return again and again to a feeling focus, even if this means doing so a hundred times every minute. Chronic, rampant, seemingly unstoppable thoughts in the mind, are a symptom of stored stress in ones’ being. As the practice of meditation proceeds, stress is released, and the tendency of thoughts to intrude upon the process of meditation will gradually diminish. Be patient and don’t let the simplicity of this method of meditation deceive you. Maintain your awareness on the area of the front of the head, with particular emphasis paid to the third eye, and the temples at the side of each physical eye. Areas of particular stress or activity in this region, will attract your awareness and hold it for longer periods. Allow this to happen, as it is a function of natural self-healing processes and energy body activity. Don’t be concerned or irritated by intruding thoughts, just continue to return to a feeling-oriented focus.

After maintaining this feeling focus in the third eye region for about 5 minutes, shift your focus to one of awareness only. In other words, don’t just be aware of feelings in this area, be aware of that in you, which is being aware. This statement may at first sound a little cryptic, but it is actually quite simple. In the basic Chakra Meditation we use awareness to focus on feelings in the body, as a replacement for continuous thoughts in the mind. In the Advanced Chakra Meditation we start with a feeling focus, and then soon shift to a "focus upon the focuser", or to one of having, "awareness of awareness". So while focused upon the third eye region, the meditator engages in "awareness of awareness", particularly in the frontal lobe of the brain. This act "recycles" awareness back upon itself, thereby increasing its intensity. This is a primary means to gain greater clarity. Contemplate this concept to comprehend its profound simplicity and value. It is recommended that you perform this meditation twice daily as a temporary replacement for the basic Chakra Meditation, before arising from bed and just before going to sleep at night. Each session should last at least 20-30 minutes.

Employing the Advanced Chakra Meditation to gain greater clarity is a process of self education. Clarity is not a concept Western culture is thoroughly familiar with, and rarely is it a term that is concretely defined. In this system, clarity is defined in terms of the degree of awareness of awareness one possesses. Represented mathematically, this principle of natural law may be shown as A/A=C, whereas, "A" is awareness, (divided by itself) and "C" is the clarity that results. As greater experiential familiarity with clarity is had, it then becomes a known quality of mind that can be summoned up or enhanced at will, even without the precursor of meditation. Thus it can then be Intended into place at a moments’ notice, for the purpose of improved mental and even physical function. In the group meditational setting, it may also be Intended into place for oneself as well as others, simultaneously. In other words, awareness of awareness may be psychically projected to others, which aids in their higher establishment of clarity as well. We should not consider this a particularly esoteric act, when remembering that any state of consciousness can be projected. All states of consciousness in fact, automatically radiate from the body/mind as soon as they are gained within, to some degree. By Intending their projection outward however, we are increasing the potency of rendered psychic effects many times over. In this way too, we are acting on behalf of natural laws, and are thereby gaining the cumulative support of nature in our spiritual practices

ON THE GROUP LEVEL

Once you are familiar with awareness of awareness, (clarity) then the opportunity exists to project this state to others. This act is not unlike the projection of love. Clarity is experienced as a certain peculiar concentration of activity and self-observance, especially in the sixth chakra or forehead, since this area specializes in pinpoint focus and ideally, self awareness. While meditating upon greater clarity, visualize all other participants in the group mind as having a strong glow of light upon the forehead. Intend that this glow represent your positive influence of greater and greater clarity upon them, and for their highest spiritual unfoldment. You can also visualize lines of light similar to laser beams, connecting the brow of each mediator in a union of greater awareness of awareness. The experienced Visionary may also simply Intend into place the greater state of awareness of awareness in others. This act is the direct transference or replication of clarity in each person thus projected to.

Let’s talk more about clarity in future newsletters….You are reminded of the opportunity to discuss these matters directly with me and other practitioners, on the New Civilization Network, (NCN) website. They have generously provided us and others with the means to discuss in open forum, such issues as are mentioned above.  You can either join NCN in the usual way at http://www.newciv.org/ncn/ncnintro.html  or you can go directly to our web page there at http://www.newciv.org/wms/.  In either case, entrance can only be had by NCN members.  Look for the “Raising the World Mind” work group there, once you’ve become an NCN member.  Questions and information given can be viewed by all for mutual benefit.  That’s why it’s a good idea to have public discussions there, in the spirit of community focus.

Love and Clarity,
Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com
The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest