Truthfulness means being factually accurate and forthright. I cultivate it by not lying or practicing deception, nor misrepresenting or withholding facts. The opposite is untruthfulness.§
Comparing the actions of one who is truthful to one who is untruthful§ |
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|---|---|---|
Situation§ |
Truthfulness§ |
Untruthfulness§ |
Having witnessed a crime being committed at your company, and called to testify in court, you…§ |
tell the whole truth without hesitation, even though it may jeopardize your job.§ |
tell just enough of what you saw to satisfy the prosecutor, trying to avoid saying anything that might get you fired.§ |
Having received an average grade on a test in school, you…§ |
confide in Mom and Dad that you didn’t do as well as you had hoped.§ |
give the impression that you received a high grade, knowing that they will never see the actual test results.§ |
When a friend asks you to keep something secret that really should be known, you…§ |
explain openly that you cannot in good conscience keep the matter secret.§ |
promise you will keep it a secret, knowing you will have to later disclose the matter to others.§ |
Gurudeva explained: “Satya is a restraint, and as one of the ten restraints it ranks in importance as number two. When we restrain our tendencies to deceive, to lie and break promises, our external life is uncomplicated, as is our subconscious mind. Honesty is the foundation of truth. It is ecologically, psychologically purifying.”§
“Only by rejecting the apparent opposites, likes and dislikes, hates and loves, can true truthfulness, which is a quality of the soul, burst forth again and be there in full force as it is within an innocent child.”§
ASSIGNMENT: During these two weeks, watch for the tendency to exaggerate, being careful to be accurate when describing your experiences or accomplishments to others.§
Date you began this assignment ____________________§
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BENEFITS OF TRUTHFULNESS: 
§
