Value: Self-honesty - April 2025
Second Week: Be a close witness
In a place of worship, we typically act as devoted followers of God by performing salutations, circumambulation, prayers, and other rituals. The reason for this behavior is that we find ourselves in His presence, where the Lord observes our actions. If we bring a non-believer with us, they may not behave in the same manner for obvious reasons.
Most of us tend to act more appropriately when we know someone is watching. However, we often overlook the fact that the presence of God within us is always observing. In the Bhagavad Gita (13:23), Lord Krishna states, "He who is the close Witness, the Permitter, the Sustainer, the Experiencer, the great Lord, and who is also referred to as the transcendental Self is the supreme Person in this body.” Recognizing this truth begins with having faith in His presence both within us and around us.
Observe your behavior when you think no one is watching.
Are we being true to ourselves? Do we need someone else to guide our behavior to bring out the best in us? Self-honesty involves constant self-evaluation. When you take an ornament to a goldsmith to create a new design, the first thing he does is check if the piece is actually made of gold. Similarly, to achieve true freedom in our lives, we must honestly assess whether we are free from falsehoods and pretensions.
When you are genuinely hungry, you don’t pretend to eat; you satisfy your hunger until it is gone. We should approach the pursuit of liberation with the same sincerity, seeking it earnestly until we attain a state of effortless peace within ourselves.
See if you are living up to your own commitments, especially if it is regarding your spiritual upliftment. The values that we have discussed so far should have become yours by this time.
Align your thoughts, speech, and actions.
You are the sole witness to your thoughts. No one else knows them until you express them through speech and actions. If your speech and actions contradict your thoughts, you may feel as though you have two conflicting personalities, leading to a constant internal struggle. The Upanishads say, "द्वितीयाद्भयं भवति" - fear is the outcome of duality.
The nature of wise individuals is the alignment of their thoughts, speech, and actions: "मनसि एकं वचसि एकं कर्मणि एकं महात्मनाम्" - what they do aligns with what they say, and what they say is consistent with what they think.
Why aren't we aligned? It's because our thinking tends to be self-centered. We often focus on how we can benefit from what we say and do. However, if we shift our perspective to consider how everyone can benefit from our words and actions, our thoughts will become more unselfish, which will, in turn, align our speech and actions positively.
When we eliminate the internal conflict, we can easily attain inner peace and tranquility. We become instruments of God, helping those around us on His behalf.
April Week 2 Guidance Audio:
Q & A
Defining my life goals is challenging. There are many facets- health, relationships, spirituality, work, and family. It’s a long list. I know that ultimately, all of them will lead to a better version of myself. However, I am unsure what to focus on and how to quantify it.
- There is one simple life goal for everyone: to be happy. However, the paths to achieving this happiness can vary greatly. You don’t want to stay in an unhappy relationship, and you may be willing to change jobs for a better salary or improved opportunities. The key focus should be on what helps you maintain or enhance your state of mind. Can more money in an unhealthy work environment really satisfy you?
- It’s important to explore ways to achieve inner tranquility and peace through self-study and reflection, even amidst external changes. Never underestimate the power of inner strength acquired through the right knowledge and proper guidance. Your level of inner peace is determined by how well you can maintain it despite external challenges.
